Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Residents of Umuodu village, Okpuno, in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State were thrown into shock on Sunday after a newborn baby was found abandoned inside a bag at a roadside shop. The baby was discovered by a nurse, Mrs Mercy Iloanya, when she arrived at her shop along Pope John Paul Seminary School Street. According to her, she noticed a tote bag placed suspiciously in front of the shop and alerted a passer-by, who confirmed that the baby was alive. “I was shocked when I opened the bag and saw a newborn baby inside,” Iloanya said. “We…

A daughter of the late Head of State, Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed, has said her father’s trademark simplicity and aversion to heavy security arrangements exposed him to the assassination that cut short his rule in 1976. Speaking at a public event, Aisha Muhammed said the former military leader deliberately shunned elaborate convoys and layers of protection, preferring to move freely among ordinary Nigerians — a choice that, she noted, made him vulnerable during the coup attempt that claimed his life. According to her, Muhammed often drove through regular traffic without escorts, guided by a deep sense of humility, courage and…

Surveyors in Ogun State are restructuring their businesses by converting from sole proprietorships to limited liability companies in preparation for Nigeria’s revised tax regime expected to take full effect in 2026. The Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Ogun State branch, Surv. Suleiman Abiodun Olufemi Liadi, said the move was aimed at ensuring compliance with company income tax obligations and positioning surveying firms for sustainable growth. Liadi said most members had already completed the transition ahead of the statutory deadline for corporate tax filings, adding that the institution had intensified enlightenment programmes to prepare practitioners for the reforms. “We…

The Muslim Community of Lagos State (MCLS) has declared that it will not support any political party that fields a non-Muslim candidate for the 2027 governorship election, citing what it described as persistent marginalisation of Muslims in governance and public appointments. The position was adopted at the community’s maiden General Assembly held on Saturday at the Lagos State Secretariat Mosque Hall, Alausa, Ikeja, where over 1,000 Muslims from across the state’s divisions and local government areas converged to deliberate on political inclusion, education, and religious rights. In a communique issued at the end of the four-hour meeting, the assembly said…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that persons with disabilities will receive free application forms for the 2026/2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, in a move aimed at widening access to higher education. The decision was disclosed in the Board’s weekly bulletin and further confirmed by the Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, during a stakeholders’ meeting at JAMB’s headquarters in Abuja. According to Oloyede, the initiative will be implemented through the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group and targets eligible candidates with special needs, including those living with Down Syndrome, autism, dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. He said the policy underscores…

Peter Obi has formally declared his intention to contest Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing speculation that he could settle for a vice-presidential ticket. Speaking at a campaign rally for ADC candidates in the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections at the Abuja Municipal Area Council on Monday, Obi told supporters that he was entering the race as a front-line contender and not in a subordinate capacity. “This coming election, support us in AMAC; it will help me. Your support in AMAC is critical to our journey. I am involved and contesting…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected allegations by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that civil servants are being coerced to participate in its ongoing electronic membership registration exercise, describing the claim as false, mischievous and politically motivated. In a statement on Monday, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, CON, said the allegation was part of a coordinated attempt to discredit the ruling party’s digital reforms, adding that the ADC was “terrified” by the massive and voluntary turnout recorded nationwide. Morka said millions of Nigerians had enrolled willingly on the party’s digital platform, driven by confidence in the Bola…

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has raided a popular hotel in Onitsha, Anambra State, arresting four suspected traffickers and rescuing 17 victims, including underage girls, in a major crackdown on human trafficking. The operation, carried out around the 33 Area of the commercial city with the support of the military, also led to the arrest of two other suspects allegedly involved in baby trafficking across states in the South-East. NAPTIP disclosed that four of the rescued victims tested positive for HIV and are currently receiving counselling and medical support from the agency and volunteers of…

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has elected Comrade Olayinka Folarin as its new National President, with delegates at its Annual General Conference (AGC) in Abeokuta resolving to intensify the defence of the rule of law and hold public office holders accountable. The conference, held on Saturday at the Nigeria Labour Congress Hall, Abiola Way, Leme, Abeokuta, Ogun State, was themed, “Advancing and Defending the Rule of Law in Nigeria,” and drew statutory delegates from 14 state branches, alongside observers from Jigawa and Kebbi states. In his opening remarks, Folarin, who represented the outgoing President, Comrade Debo…

Candidates from the Fusengbuwa Ruling House seeking the revered stool of the Awujale of Ijebu Land have called for strict adherence to due process in the ongoing selection process, while also urging greater federal presence and accelerated development across Ijebu Land. The call was made at a forum of blood descendants of Jadiara, convened in Ijebu Ode by a contender for the throne, Barrister Prince Adebowale Olufeko, who said the meeting was not designed to undermine any authority but to give collective voice to legitimate stakeholders in the succession process. Speaking on behalf of the candidates, Olufeko, a lawyer, arbitrator…