Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, a group of eminent Lagos indigenes, has called on the Lagos State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, to address its concerns regarding the proposed amendment to the Lagos State Law on Local Government Administration. In a press statement issued on Friday, November 22, 2024, the Foundation revisited its October 22 letter to the Speaker, detailing 22 observations on the Bill. The group emphasized that constitutional provisions and a recent Supreme Court ruling affirm the autonomy of local governments, insisting that the legislative framework must align with these principles. The Foundation criticized…

Daud Olatunji The Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, is set to make history at its 16th convocation ceremony by graduating 27 First-Class students and its first-ever 67 PhD holders, including an 85-year-old retired military colonel, Pa Bolaji Onafowokan, renowned for his determination and perseverance. Speaking at a pre-convocation press briefing on Friday, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wole Banjo, highlighted the institution’s milestones, which include graduating 4,140 students, commissioning a groundbreaking 800 KVA independent power plant, and honoring four prominent Nigerians for their significant contributions to education and the nation. “This year’s convocation is unique as it…

An  Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, ordered the remand of a 29-year-old man, Kehinde Oyewale, at the Agodi Correctional Centre over allegations of raping a visually impaired woman. The defendant, a resident of the Elebu area in Moniya, Ibadan, was arraigned on a one-count charge of rape. Police prosecutor, Corporal David Adepoju, told the court that the offence was committed on November 11, 2024, at 12:39 p.m. at the victim’s residence. According to Adepoju, Oyewale unlawfully had carnal knowledge of the victim, a 50-year-old woman identified as Ms. B. Opeola, without her consent. The prosecutor…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced the recovery of assets and cash worth N105.82 billion and the securing of 31 convictions between 2023 and 2024. The ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed this during an oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, led by its Chairman, Hon. Kayode Akiolu, on Wednesday. Providing a breakdown, Aliyu revealed that the Commission received 2,038 petitions within the period, with 1,187 cases recorded in 2023 and 851 cases between January and October 2024. The agency secured 18 convictions in 2023 and an additional 13…

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that Nigerians will bear the cost of obtaining the new multipurpose national identity card, citing limited government revenue as the reason behind the decision. Speaking during a two-day press conference in Lagos on Thursday, Peter Iwegbu, head of card management services at NIMC, explained that making the identity card a paid service would ensure that only individuals who genuinely need it request for it. “This decision was made to avoid repeating past mistakes where free national ID cards were produced but remained largely uncollected. “Before we stopped issuing them due to funding…

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the remand of 109 foreigners, charged over allegations bordering on cybercrime, in Kuje, and Suleja Correctional Centres. The judge, Ekerete Akpan, gave the order after a defence lawyer, James Onoja, a Senior Advcoate of Nigeria (SAN), sought an adjournment to enable the prosecution to reflect the defendants’ names correctly on the charge sheet. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the foreigners, who are said to be citizens of China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia and Myanmar, were recently arrested by the police. They were apprehended in their residence…

Residents of Oyo state trying to evade tax may soon go to jail and forfeit assets, warns the government. Olufemi Awakan, the executive chairman of the Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue, disclosed in a statement that it was time to clear all the backlog of tax payments. “It is also time we ensure residents of the state fulfil their civic responsibilities and obligations to the state. The payment of taxes and levies are not optional, as stated in Section 24 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he explained. Mr Awakan stated that it was important that…

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported the destruction of 31 transmission towers by vandals in Okada and Ofosu communities of Edo State. Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s Director of Public Affairs, disclosed in a statement on Friday that the attacks targeted the 330kV Benin-Egbin and Benin-Omotosho transmission lines, with critical components removed. The damage, discovered earlier in November during a routine patrol by TCN linesmen, threatens power supply in the region. “TCN engineers from the Benin Sub-Region have initiated repairs to prevent the collapse of the affected towers and to avoid disruption of bulk power supply,” Mbah said. In a…

The Federal Government has revealed that the arrest of Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, followed sustained diplomatic efforts by Nigeria on Finnish authorities. Ekpa was apprehended on Thursday alongside four others by Finnish authorities on charges of terrorism and incitement to violence. The Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme has ordered his detention on probable cause, citing his alleged involvement in inciting violence through social media. In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Ekpa’s arrest and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to monitoring the legal proceedings. The Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa,…

The Yewa Youths Progressive Movement (YYPM) has cautioned investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo against portraying Ogun West border communities as hotspots for smuggling activities. In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Adeoye Akinola, and Publicity Secretary, Sunday Adeyemi, the group expressed dismay over what it described as sensationalism and unverified claims in Soyombo’s recent social media posts. The statement, issued in Abeokuta on Friday, accused the journalist of unjustly labeling residents of Ogun border towns as smugglers. YYPM stated that Soyombo’s assertion that thousands of vehicles loaded with foreign rice were stationed in Ogun border communities, awaiting smuggling into the…