Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A retired Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dare Adebowale Oladapo, has been convicted for falsifying his age and illegally earning salaries after his due retirement. Justice Ibrahim Yusuf of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, on Tuesday sentenced Oladapo to two years imprisonment for altering his date of birth to remain in service beyond his statutory retirement age. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in a statement signed by its Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, Demola Bakare, said Oladapo manipulated his birth records at the National Population Commission and…

The Kano State House of Assembly has begun legislative steps to enforce the use of Hausa as the primary language of instruction in schools across the state, a move lawmakers say will enhance learning and preserve cultural identity. The bill, titled Kano State Mother Tongue (Hausa Language) Education Enforcement Bill, was introduced on Tuesday by Musa Kachako (NNPP–Takai) during plenary. Kachako argued that prioritising mother–tongue education is in line with global best practices, citing countries like China, Japan, and India which, according to him, advanced in science and technology by teaching early–stage pupils in their indigenous languages. “Adopting Hausa as…

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has denied claims that it seized the passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, had earlier accused immigration officers of withholding her passport on the alleged orders of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, preventing her from boarding a flight. She insisted she committed no offence and had no court order restraining her from travel. The allegation drew public attention after a video surfaced showing the lawmaker questioning the immigration officials at the airport. However, reacting on Monday, the NIS spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, dismissed the claim and…

Aishah Waliyullah  Former First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, has funded free lumpectomy surgeries for 11 women diagnosed with suspicious breast lumps as part of her continued fight against breast and cervical cancer. The life-saving procedures were carried out on Tuesday at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, under the Uplift Development Foundation, her health-focused charity initiative. The surgeries followed a large-scale cancer screening exercise conducted in September 2025, where over 600 women were screened. Amosun revealed that out of the 535 women who completed breast examinations, 22 were found to have abnormalities requiring further medical attention.…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed United States President Donald Trump’s allegation of religious persecution in Nigeria, saying the claim is rooted in a “15-year-old, outdated report” that does not represent the country’s security realities. Trump had recently redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” accusing the government of ignoring attacks on Christians and failing to protect religious minorities. But speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Akpabio said the National Assembly had not formally debated the issue because it is a sensitive foreign policy matter requiring alignment with the executive arm of government. “We have not discussed the issue of…

The Ogun State chapter of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights has kicked against the proposed demolition and rebuilding of the Commissioners’ Quarters, Legislative Quarters and the Kobape Mechanic Village, describing the plan as a “wasteful, anti-people project” designed to benefit political cronies. In a statement on Tuesday, signed by the state chairman, Comrade Funmilayo Onifade, and secretary, Comrade Ali Adesina, the rights group alleged that the project, packaged as a “Housing Regeneration Scheme” by the state Ministry of Housing, was a ploy to forcefully relocate occupants and privatise strategic government lands. CDHR claimed the move fits into…

Former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines and veteran broadcaster, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against visiting former U.S. President Donald Trump, describing the move as “politically insensitive and diplomatically unnecessary.” Farounbi issued the warning during an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5FM, Ilese-Ijebu. His comment followed Trump’s recent remark labeling Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over alleged persecution of Christians — a classification that could attract sanctions and restrictions on military cooperation and foreign investment. Trump had also hinted Nigeria could lose U.S. aid if insecurity and religious killings are not…

… Judge Adopts Confidential Agreement …Case Ends After Months Of Heated Courtroom Clash Daud Olatunji  Meta Platforms, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, on Monday settled its long-running legal dispute with the Nigerian government over a $32.8 million data protection fine, opting for an out-of-court resolution after months of intense legal hostilities. The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) had, on February 18, imposed the multi-million-dollar penalty on Meta, accusing the tech giant of violating Nigeria’s Data Protection Act through unauthorised data transfers, behavioural advertising without user consent, failure to file mandatory audit reports, and targeting minors, among other alleged infractions.…

The chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, Dr. Taiwo Oyedele, has announced that low-income Nigerians and small businesses will benefit from 50 tax exemptions when the new tax laws come into effect on January 1, 2026. Oyedele disclosed this in a series of posts on his verified X handle, saying the reforms were designed to reduce the tax burden on the masses and boost economic participation for small-scale earners. According to him, individuals earning the national minimum wage and those with annual gross income of up to ₦1.2 million will be exempted from Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax…

An undergraduate of the Bola Ajibola College of Law (BACOLAW), Crescent University, Abeokuta, Mujeebat Moyosore Idris, has emerged winner of the 7th Alao Adavise National Essay Competition on privacy and data protection. Idris beat over 300 contestants across Nigeria to clinch the top prize in the essay contest organised by Lawyard in partnership with Tech Hive Advisory Africa. Her entry, titled “The Invisible Audience: Can Online Platforms Safeguard Youth Privacy?”, was selected through a blind review process, ahead of first runner-up, Chiamaka Patrick. The award presentation ceremony held at the New Moot and Mock Court, Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo…