Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The President of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Williams Akporeha, on Wednesday, narrated before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama how he narrowly escaped being lynched by a mob of tanker drivers and thugs in Abuja. Akporeha, who appeared as a prosecution witness before Justice Yusuf Halilu, alleged that 20 tanker drivers, accompanied by armed youths, stormed his hotel with weapons and gallons of petrol following a disputed union election. According to him, the attackers destroyed hotel doors and windows before forcefully breaking into rooms where he and other union leaders were lodged.…

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged Nigerian youths to resist the pressure of online fraud and embrace integrity as a core value for sustainable success. Olukoyede gave the charge on Wednesday while delivering the 17th convocation lecture of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State. The lecture was themed “Beyond Degrees: Cultivating Purpose, Resilience, and Service in a Complex World.” He cautioned graduates and young Nigerians never to yield to the lure of quick wealth, stressing that riches earned through crooked means never last. > “On no account must you yield to pressure to…

Fresh controversies have trailed an alleged child trafficking scandal involving senior police officers in Ebonyi State, as investigators at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Enugu, reportedly advised the victim’s family to “negotiate” with the suspects. The case centres on the family of Mr. Philip Nweze, whose sister, Susannah Nwanneka Nweze, claimed her newborn baby was sold by some officers for ₦25 million under suspicious circumstances. According to sources familiar with the investigation, at least two Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), including the Officer-in-Charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Officer-in-Charge of Medical, were named in…

Nigerian electricity authorities have struck out 1.9 million customers from the national power database within just three months over inactivity, further deepening concerns about transparency and service delivery in the sector. A review of second-quarter data released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) showed that as of March 2025, electricity customers stood at 13.7 million. However, the figure dropped sharply to 11.8 million by June, following a nationwide “rebasing exercise” that delisted inactive accounts. According to NERC, inactive customers are those who have neither been billed nor purchased electricity for at least one year. The Commission said the move…

The World Bank has cautioned that the economic reforms introduced by the Federal Government have yet to improve the lives of millions of Nigerians, warning that 139 million people still live in poverty. Matthew Verghis, the bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, gave the warning on Wednesday during the launch of the Nigeria Development Update (NDU) in Abuja. Verghis commended the government for what he described as “bold and historic” reforms, particularly the removal of petrol subsidies and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market. He said the measures had stabilised Nigeria’s economy by boosting revenue, improving debt indicators, and helping…

Engr. Abolore Sodrudeen  Ayodeji, popularly known as ASA, on Tuesday officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abeokuta South Local Government, Ogun State. Ayodeji was received into the ruling party at Ward 11, Kenta, by prominent APC leaders including the Ward Chairman, Chief Ridwan Odesanya; member of the Governor’s Advisory Council, Alhaji Muideen Shoremekun; former Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters to ex-Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Alhaji Moshood Akinyele (aka Americo); and Hon. Dolapo Ajala, a ward leader, among others. While presenting the party symbol to the new entrant, Shoremekun described Ayodeji as…

The Lead Pastor of Victory Life Bible Church International (VLBC), Abeokuta, Apostle Lawrence Achudume, has officially unveiled “Christmas on The Rock”, an annual carol brand designed to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with grandeur and compassion. The 2025 edition, themed “The Manger and His Majesty,” is scheduled to hold on Friday, December 19, 2025, at Victory City, opposite Ogun State Television, kilometre 12, Ajebo Road, Abeokuta. According to the organisers, the event will feature a blend of spirituality, entertainment, and charity, including songs of hymns, red carpet reception, orchard and Father Christmas show, empowerment schemes, a carnival with cuisines,…

The trial of the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, on allegations of $4.5 billion fraud suffered a setback on Tuesday after a heated clash between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the defence team over the forensic examination of a mobile phone presented as key evidence. At the resumed hearing before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Division, Lagos High Court, Emefiele’s lead counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), accused the EFCC of deliberately obstructing the court-ordered forensic analysis of an iPhone marked “Exhibit E.” Ojo told the court that the joint forensic process…

Lawmakers in the Enugu State House of Assembly have raised alarm over their worsening financial plight, alleging that Governor Peter Mbah’s administration has withheld their salaries and allowances for two months. Investigations  revealed that the affected arrears cover August and September 2025, with lawmakers confirming that the delay has crippled the smooth running of the Assembly. This is not the first time the legislators have faced delayed payments. Records show that their salaries for January and February 2025 were not cleared until March, while a similar delay occurred in May and June, with payment only made in July. A visibly…

The Nigerian Senate has approved a bill that seeks to revoke the passports of citizens convicted of crimes in foreign countries for 10 years, in a move aimed at safeguarding the nation’s global image. The bill, sponsored by Senator Abubakar Bello (Niger North), proposes an amendment to the Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, stipulating that any Nigerian who serves a sentence abroad would have their passport withdrawn for a decade after completing the jail term. Leading the debate on Tuesday, Senator Onawo Ogwoshi (Nasarawa South), who spoke on behalf of the sponsor, said the amendment was long overdue, stressing that it…