Author: Platform Times Newspaper

In a tragic turn of events, the serene campus of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, plunged into sorrow as Mr. Olabode Olawuyi, a devoted Veterinary Technologist overseeing the Zoological garden for over a decade, met an untimely demise at the hands of a 9-year-old male lion. The chilling incident unfolded on the afternoon of Monday, 19th February, 2024, when Olawuyi was carrying out his routine task of feeding the lions in their den.  Despite the courageous efforts of his colleagues, the ferocious feline inflicted fatal injuries before any rescue could be mounted. As news of the tragedy spread, the…

By Daud Olatunji The Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption has issued summons to key figures, including a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile, and Senior Special Assistant  to the governor on New Media,SF OJo Emmanuel, for an alleged misappropriation totaling N92.9 million. The committee, led by Hon. Damilare Bello, convened on Monday to address financial infractions outlined in audit reports for the years 2021 and 2022. Notably, Emmanuel was accused of receiving N2.5 million in his personal account under the guise of office equipment, while Odusile and others face allegations of alleged …

In a significant development, the Federal Government has commenced the disbursement of withheld salaries to academics affiliated with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).  Multiple sources within the academic sector verified this information  on Monday. Prof. Gbolahan Bolarin, the Chairperson of ASUU at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, confirmed the initiation of payment, stating, “Yes, it is true. Payment has started rolling in.” The release of these salaries follows President Bola Tinubu’s approval in October 2023, wherein four out of the eight months’ salaries withheld from ASUU workers were authorized.  This action had been taken during the tenure…

In a decisive move, the University of Ilorin has expelled nine students found guilty of engaging in examination malpractices.  The decision was officially communicated through a statement issued by Mr. Kunle Akogun, the Director of Information of the University. The expulsion received the formal approval of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole SAN, who endorsed the disciplinary actions based on the recommendations put forth by the Students Disciplinary Committee. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the  committee arrived at this conclusion during its 219th meeting held on January 10 and 11, 2024. The affected students, whose academic journey has come to…

Justice Oyewumi J. of the National Industrial Court in Abuja has scheduled March 7, 2024, for a decisive hearing in the case seeking to imprison Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over contempt in the matter of DSP Osondu. The lawsuit stems from Egbetokun’s alleged defiance of the court’s directive to reinstate Deputy Superintendent Osondu Christian, who was dismissed from the Force.  The court had previously ruled in favor of Osondu, ordering President Muhammadu Buhari to instruct the Inspector General of Police to reinstate the officer and award him N10 million in damages. In the judgment delivered by Justice…

 Daud Olatunji In a shocking incident, hoodlums have reportedly abducted a deceased man’s remains and his family members who were transporting the body to Ameze Owerre, Umabor community in the Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu. The victim, Mr. Ugwuanyi Israel, who passed away in Lagos, saw his corpse and grieving family members targeted by gun-wielding kidnappers at Umuoka in the Udi local government of Enugu.  The criminals seized both the deceased and his kin as they were en route to their destination. According to a family member quoted by Ikenga Online, “His corpse was on its way from Lagos…

Enoch Oyedibu Ondo State has  Incured  ₦3.3 Billion in Debt Over Three Years to Fund  Car Loans for Attorney General’s Office, PLATFORM TIMES can report . In a concerning trend, Ondo State  accumulated ₦3.3 billion in loans over the past three years, dedicated solely to funding car purchases for the Attorney General’s (AG) office.  PLATFORM TIMES uncovered that the  loans, highlighted in audited financial reports from 2020 to 2022, have raised questions about the state’s rising domestic debts, which currently stand at ₦74.03 billion, with an additional external debt exceeding $80.84 million, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS).…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made a significant arrest involving a female lawyer, her boyfriend, mother, and others in connection with an illicit drug operation.  According to Mr. Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy for NDLEA, a joint operation with the Abia Homeland Security led to the apprehension of the suspects on February 14. The raid, carried out at 23 Arochukwu Street, Umuahia, around 11:00 p.m., resulted in the arrest of the female lawyer, Adaobi Nweke (36), her boyfriend Emeka Nkemefola (36), her mother Ngozi Nweke (65), along with herbalist Dike Okpara (43), family members…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) have issued a directive to manufacturers, importers, medical representatives, and all distributors of pharmaceutical drugs, instructing them to cease the supply of medical products to patent medicine dealers operating in Niger Street and Sabon Gari Market, Kano State. The joint statement, published on NAFDAC’s official platform, emphasized the need to curb the distribution of substandard and falsified medicines within the state. The regulatory bodies issued a stern warning, indicating that companies failing to comply with the directive risk losing both their site…

Abducted victims recently freed from captivity have revealed that kidnappers use poisonous snakes to terrorise them. Some of them, who recounted their ordeals in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that there were many snakes in the forests inhabited by the bandits. They said that the snakes often bite both the kidnappers and the victims. One of them, who craved anonymity, said that kidnappers threw them into snake-infested spots. “The kidnappers know the areas infested with snakes and would often throw the victims there. “Immediately they see snakes, the fear-stricken victims will want to run away.…