Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has faulted the heavy media attention given in Nigeria to President Bola Tinubu’s brief stumble during his official visit to Turkey, describing the reaction as misplaced and unnecessary. Dabiri-Erewa said Turkish officials were surprised that the minor incident became headline news in Nigeria, even as it was ignored by mainstream media in Turkey, where focus remained on the outcomes of the President’s visit. She disclosed this on Wednesday while reacting to a post on X by a user, Oguntoye Opeyemi, popularly known as Equityoyo, who criticised Nigerian media for amplifying…

The Chairman of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, Hon. Alabi Bliss Oshionogue, has been impeached by the legislative arm of the council following a deepening crisis that split councillors and paralysed governance at the grassroots. Oshionogue’s removal was conveyed in a letter signed by seven councillors, hours after an intervention by the Edo State House of Assembly to broker peace between the chairman and the lawmakers reportedly collapsed. Sources within the council told PLATFORM TIMES that the crisis escalated when three councillors, who were absent from the reconciliation meeting, allegedly attempted to remove the seven others from office.…

No fewer than 17 Nigerians have died from Lassa fever in the first three weeks of 2026 as the disease continues to spread across eight states, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said. In its latest weekly epidemiological report released on Thursday, the agency disclosed that 93 confirmed cases had been recorded in Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Benue and Nasarawa states, with Bauchi alone accounting for about 46 per cent of the infections. The NCDC said the current case fatality rate stood at 18.1 per cent, slightly lower than the 18.2 per cent recorded…

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Ogun 1 Area Command has recorded a remarkable 84.3% revenue increase in the first 28 days of 2026, collecting and remitting ₦106,277,312 to the federation account. This strong performance marks an impressive start to the year and builds on the command’s solid gains in 2025. Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, announced the figures during a press conference at Idiroko on January 29, 2026. He compared the January haul to the ₦89.5 million generated in the same period of 2025, attributing the surge to diligent officer efforts and cooperation from compliant traders. “We…

The Ogun State Chapter of the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters’ Association of Nigeria (FIBAN) has announced a 13-day countdown to the 2026 World Radio Day celebration, starting on Sunday, 1 February, and culminating in a grand finale on 13 February at the NUT Hall, Kuto, Abeokuta. A statement jointly signed by Comrade Moses Okunlola, General Secretary and Comrade Olusoji Akindiya (Okanlomo), Publicity Secretary, Ogun FIBAN disclosed that the  theme for this year’s celebration, “Radio and Artificial Intelligence,” underscores the evolving role of radio in an increasingly digital age. Ogun FIBAN said the countdown, promoted across social media platforms, community networks, and…

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, is set to celebrate a landmark academic harvest, with over 4,000 students set to graduate at its 33rd Convocation Ceremony on January 31, including an impressive 104 First Class Honours recipients. The institutions’ Vice Chancellor, Professor Olusola Kehinde revealed this on Wednesday at a press briefing held at the school’s red chamber. While addressing the press, he also added that the institution matriculated 6,356 new students for the current session, making it the largest intake in nearly 40 years. “Once again, I say congratulations to our graduating class,” Prof Professor Olusola Babatunde Kehinde…

… House Moves To Halt Looming Coastal Crisis … NBC To Clarify Ownership Claims Fresh tension has erupted between Ogun and Ondo states over the ownership of the oil-rich Eba Island, Atijere axis, forcing the House of Representatives to step in to avert what lawmakers described as a looming breakdown of law and order in the volatile coastal communities. At plenary on Wednesday, presided over by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, the House mandated its Committee on Special Duties to urgently engage the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to “determine and clarify the official status of the disputed area with a view…

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has fixed 10 fresh days to conclude the trial of a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, over alleged corruption linked to the controversial naira redesign exercise. Justice Maryann Anenih, on Wednesday, approved the timeline following an agreement between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), and Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN). The court scheduled February 3 and 10; April 1 and 2; May 11, 12, 13 and 14; as well as June 9 and 10 for the continuation and conclusion of the trial, which…

The Kano State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man, Ididiong James, for allegedly assaulting his mother and unlawfully possessing a firearm in Kano. The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Kiyawa, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the suspect was arrested following a distress call received by operatives of the Panshekara Police Division on Sunday evening. According to the police, officers who responded to the call at about 7.30pm discovered that the suspect was physically attacking his mother at their residence in the Panshekara area of the metropolis. Kiyawa said the suspect fled the scene on sighting the…

Real estate developer and housing policy expert, Kunle Ilori-Diamond, has urged the Federal Government to prioritize better housing for police officers, warning that poor living conditions could undermine national security and foster corruption within the Force. Speaking during a policy intervention on police housing, Ilori-Diamond noted that officers living in overcrowded, informal, or unsecured accommodations are highly vulnerable to criminal influence, coercion, and financial pressures — factors that could compromise professional integrity. “A police officer living in informal or overcrowded housing faces risks that threaten personal safety and institutional integrity. They are more exposed to surveillance, coercion by landlords, neighbors,…