Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Says He Was Asked For Cash ‘At Least 10 Times’ During Visit An Australian author based in the United States, Mark Pollard, has sparked reactions online after alleging that he was repeatedly asked to pay cash while travelling through Nigerian airports and road checkpoints. Pollard, who shared his experience in a video posted on his social media pages on Sunday, described Nigeria’s security procedures as excessive and, in some cases, bordering on extortion. According to him, officials demanded money from him multiple times during his trip. “Nigerian friends, is your entire country set up to shake people down? Because coming…

The Ogun State chapter of the African Democratic Congress has suspended its State Chairman, Otunba Dr. Femi Soluade, following a unanimous vote of no confidence passed against him by the State Executive Committee. The decision was reached at a meeting of the SEC held on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at the party’s state secretariat. In a statement issued by the Office of the State Publicity Secretary, the party said the suspension followed “extensive deliberations” over numerous allegations levelled against Soluade, including his alleged role in the disruption of a governorship declaration event. According to the statement, all Local Government Chairmen…

Engineering professionals and academics in Nigeria have been urged to embrace digital transformation and artificial intelligence to reposition the profession for global relevance and sustainable development. A Professor of Industrial and Production Engineering at the Federal University of Technology Akure, Prof. Christianah Olakitan Ijagbemi, made the call in Abeokuta during the annual lecture and induction of new corporate members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Abeokuta branch. Speaking on the theme, “Repositioning Nigeria’s Engineering Education, Digital Practice and Talent for a Sustainable Future,” Ijagbemi said the integration of digital tools into engineering education and practice was no longer optional but…

At a time when many undergraduates struggle with distractions and academic pressure, 22-year-old Favour Ayomide Oguntuase stood out, emerging as the Best Graduating Student in the Department of English and Literary Studies, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, with a CGPA of 4.57. In this interview with KOREDE BADMUS, she speaks about discipline, faith, entrepreneurship, and the unconventional routines that helped her succeed. Can we meet you? My name is Favour Ayomide Oguntuase. I graduated from FUOYE in 2025. Beyond academics, I run a small-scale food brand called Delicia Cravings, where I make and sell small chops. I also enjoy sewing and designing…

Nigeria’s Falconets have stamped their authority on African football, booking a place in the final round of the U20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers after overcoming Senegal 2-1 in Diamniadio on Saturday. The victory, combined with their 1-0 first-leg win in Abeokuta, gave the two-time FIFA U20 World Cup silver medalists a commanding 3-1 aggregate success. The Nigerian side drew first blood in the 19th minute at the Annexe Stade Abdoulaye Wade when Kindness Ifeanyi powered home a header from a corner delivered by defender Tumininu Adeshina, mirroring her match-winning strike from the first leg. The Falcons maintained their attacking rhythm,…

The Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, has revealed that no fewer than 95 per cent of fire outbreaks recorded in Lagos are triggered by unsafe acts and ignorance on the part of residents. Adeseye disclosed this on Saturday during a Safety Walk and inauguration of the Lagos State Fire Marshals Club held at the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. The safety sensitisation walk, which commenced at Alausa and terminated at Ikeja Under Bridge via Awolowo Way, attracted emergency responders, government officials and community representatives. The development comes amid recurring fire outbreaks across markets, commercial…

… Over 7,400 Children Recruited Globally In 2024 Alone …Nigeria Listed With DRC, Somalia, Syria, Myanmar Daud Olatunji Nigeria has been listed among countries with some of the highest cases of child recruitment by armed groups, the United Nations has disclosed, raising fresh concerns over the vulnerability of children in conflict-affected communities. The global body made the revelation ahead of the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers marked annually on February 12, warning that thousands of children are still being forced or lured into armed conflicts across the world. The UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict,…

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested a village head and 33 other suspects over the killing of a police officer and the burning of an NSCDC patrol vehicle during a violent attack by suspected illegal miners in Niger State. The incident occurred in the Zuzungi area of Katcha Local Government Area, where a joint security team came under heavy attack while on routine patrol of a mining site operated by Millennium Metals Mining Company. The State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Minna on Saturday. He said the patrol team,…

The President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Badejo, has denied allegations linking the association to banditry, terrorism or foreign interests, declaring that the group operates strictly within Nigeria and promotes peaceful coexistence. Badejo, in a video sighted on Saturday, maintained that neither he nor the organisation he heads has any connection with criminal activities, stressing that Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore was established to protect the interests and lineage of Fulani people across the country. He said, “The organisation is based in Nigeria, not abroad, and everyone in Nigeria knows that many Fulani organisations are formed to protect the lineage…

Students of the University of Benin on Saturday grounded activities at the institution’s Ekehuan Campus, blocking the main gate in protest against a three-day power outage and acute water shortage. The demonstration left lecturers, non-academic staff, visitors and business operators stranded, as aggrieved students insisted they would not reopen the gate until water supply was fully restored. The protesters lamented that despite paying tuition and other institutional charges, basic amenities had remained unavailable, plunging hostels into what they described as unsanitary and unsafe conditions. “One of the major issues is that there has been no electricity for three days, and…