Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has dismissed eight operatives of the Agunechemba Security Outfit following their brutal assault and public stripping of a female National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Miss Jennifer Elobor, in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area. The government announced the decision on Wednesday in Awka through the Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi. He said the operatives, who have already been arrested, would be handed over to the police for prosecution. Emeakayi described their action as “totally outside the mandate of the agency and utterly condemnable,” stressing that the Soludo administration…

The Federal Government has ordered the shutdown of more than 13 million social media accounts across platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) over offensive content and breaches of Nigeria’s Code of Practice for online platforms. The action, which affected 13,597,057 accounts, was revealed in the Code of Practice 2024 Compliance Report jointly prepared by Google, Microsoft, TikTok, and other interactive computer service providers. The report, released on Wednesday, highlighted the enforcement of Nigeria’s Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries, a regulatory framework issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency…

The ongoing verification of civil and public servants in Delta State has exposed a shocking case of impersonation, after a woman was found to have secured employment using her daughter’s certificate. Chairman of the Delta State Civil Service Commission, Mrs. Roseline Amioku, disclosed this while speaking with management staff of the Delta Printing and Publishing Corporation (DPPC), publishers of The Pointer Newspaper, led by the General Manager, Mrs. Rosemary Nwaebuni. Amioku said the suspect not only got the job through fraudulent means but also rose through the ranks with the forged document until the verification exercise exposed her. “There was…

Global marketing giant, dentsu, has expanded its revolutionary identity and data platform, Merkury, into Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, in what industry leaders describe as a game-changing milestone for advertising in Sub-Saharan Africa. Initially launched in South Africa, Merkury has already transformed marketing by harnessing over 20 million verified consumer identities and linking more than 48 touchpoints across offline, online and privacy-compliant data sources. The platform enables brands to connect with real people, not just data points, offering precision, authenticity and measurable impact at scale. Speaking on the expansion, Dawn Rowlands, CEO of dentsu Africa, said the platform is ushering in…

The United Premier Movement (UPM) has congratulated traditional religious worshippers and cultural ambassadors across Yorubaland and Egbaland as they prepare to mark the 2025 Isese Day on Wednesday, August 20. In a goodwill message signed by its convener, Hon. (Chief) Olalekan Shoyinka, popularly known as Ayinla Egba, the movement described Isese Day as more than a festival, noting that it represents the spirituality, resilience, and identity of the Yoruba people. According to Shoyinka, the annual celebration serves as a reminder of the rich cultural values of the Yoruba nation and provides an opportunity for thanksgiving and reflection. “Isese Day is…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s N10 million loan initiative for tertiary institution workers, warning that it would mobilise nationwide protests over unresolved demands. The union, in a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, on Tuesday, described its inclusion in the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF) as a “ploy to conscript ASUU as guarantor of loans it knows nothing about.” Signed by ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, the statement insisted that what its members needed was not loans but the release of their withheld three-and-a-half…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has alleged that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, turned against President Bola Tinubu because he was not chosen as the vice-presidential candidate in 2023. Wike, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, claimed Lawal nursed expectations of being Tinubu’s running mate and became bitter when the President opted for Senator Kashim Shettima. “When Mr President chose his vice-presidential candidate, Babachir visited me in Port Harcourt. His anger was that he thought Mr President would have picked him. Having not done that, he…

The Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, has broken new ground in renewable energy innovation with the successful conversion of two petrol-engine vehicles into electric-powered automobiles, which were officially handed over to the state government on Tuesday. The vehicles, converted under the supervision of the university’s technical team, were presented to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology in Ilorin. Speaking on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh, the Chairman of KWASU Hold-co, Prof. Kenneth Adeyemi, described the project as a milestone that would not only promote a greener environment but also strengthen the state’s drive towards sustainable technology.…

The United States government has said that Nigeria’s newly approved minimum wage of N70,000 is grossly inadequate to lift citizens out of poverty, as rising inflation and currency devaluation have eroded its real value. In its 2024 Country Report on Human Rights Practices, the US noted that the minimum wage, which is equivalent to just $47.90 per month, falls below the poverty line and is rarely enforced by authorities across the federation. “The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024 doubled the minimum wage to N70,000 ($47.90) per month. Despite the increase, currency devaluation meant the wage was no longer higher…

The Borno State Police Command has arrested a suspected car thief, Umar Lawan, after recovering a vehicle stolen during an armed robbery in Ogun State. The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday, disclosing that the arrest was made following intelligence provided by the Car Dealers Association in Maiduguri. According to Daso, the dealers had raised suspicion about a white Toyota car with Lagos registration number SMK 975 JY, which Lawan attempted to sell without providing convincing proof of ownership. He explained that police operatives attached to the Command’s Crack Squad swiftly…