Author: Platform Times Newspaper

…Roofs destroyed, families forced out amid escalating tension The lingering Kano emirate crisis took a dramatic turn on Monday as loyalists of the deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero were forcibly evicted from the main palace, escalating tensions in the historic northern city. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that several officials and their families, who have resided within the palace premises for decades, were ordered to vacate the premises for alleged disloyalty to the reinstated Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II. Some insiders alleged that suspected thugs carried out the eviction violently, tearing off the roofs of some houses within the palace to force the…

Balkis Adeniji  The Federal Government spent a staggering N536.4 billion on electricity subsidies in the first quarter of 2025, according to a newly released report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). The commission attributed the ballooning subsidy bill to the absence of cost-reflective tariffs across all electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in the country. This gap between actual generation costs and regulated consumer tariffs has left the government footing a significant portion of the energy bill. According to NERC’s Q1 2025 report, the subsidy accounted for 59.16 percent of the total invoice issued by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET)…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that funds saved from the removal of fuel subsidy are being redirected to key infrastructure projects, social support programmes, and economic reforms targeted at inclusive growth. Speaking through the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, at the opening of the National Conference on Public Accounts and Fiscal Governance in Abuja, Tinubu described the subsidy removal as a tough but necessary decision. He revealed that over ₦4 trillion was spent on subsidies in 2022, surpassing capital expenditure allocations for that year. According to him, the subsidy mainly benefited the wealthy, encouraged smuggling,…

…As Tinubu attends Brazil summit pushing for fairer global finance, healthcare systems  The United States President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Nigeria and other countries aligning with the BRICS coalition, threatening to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff over what he described as “anti-American policies.” This comes as President Bola Tinubu attends the ongoing BRICS Summit in Brazil, where he is pushing for more equitable global financial and healthcare systems. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed Tinubu’s presence at the summit in a statement on Monday. Trump had said while campaigning for second term threatened to severe…

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has raised concern over the growing involvement of Nigerian youths in internet fraud, warning that the trend is tarnishing the nation’s global image and discouraging foreign investment. Olukoyede, who spoke through the acting Zonal Director of the EFCC in Benin, Assistant Commander of the EFCC I, Effa Okim, at an event held at Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, Delta State, described cybercrime as a major economic threat. “The menace of internet fraud among our youth is pervasive and it is a stain on us as a people and…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused key officials within the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of orchestrating clandestine moves aimed at destabilising the newly formed opposition coalition and sowing confusion within its ranks. In a statement issued on Monday, the ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary and National Coalition Spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged that top Federal Government officials have summoned former state chairmen and executive committee members of the party from the North-East and North-West to secret meetings. According to Abdullahi, the real objective of the meetings is not related to national security or peacebuilding, but to intimidate…

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has restated Nigeria’s firm commitment to the global ban on nuclear tests, saying the country has no intention of venturing into nuclear weapons development. Shettima made the declaration on Monday during a courtesy visit by the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), Dr. Robert Floyd, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He said Nigeria and other African countries are more focused on tackling poverty and climate change than on acquiring nuclear weapons. “We have no business dabbling in anything that has to do with nuclear weapons,” Shettima said. “We are fighting poverty and addressing…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two operators of the controversial Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX), Avwerosuo Otorudo and Chukwuebuka Ehirim, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged multi-billion dollar investment fraud. The duo, who appeared before Justice Mohammed Umar on Monday, are facing a three-count amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/216/2025, bordering on illegal financial operations, operating an unlicensed investment scheme, and obtaining funds from the public without regulatory approval. According to the EFCC, the accused persons, alongside other fleeing CBEX promoters, allegedly defrauded unsuspecting investors by collecting public funds and promising outrageous returns of up…

The De Renaissance Patriots Foundation has berated the leadership of the National Assembly over what it described as a flawed and exclusionary consultation process in the ongoing constitutional review, particularly in the South West geopolitical zone. The group, in a strongly worded statement on Monday, faulted the recent engagement between the National Assembly and selected traditional rulers from the region, saying it excluded critical indigenous stakeholders, especially from Lagos State. The meeting, which held on Friday, July 4, 2025, reportedly focused on sensitive issues including the recognition of 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos and the controversial proposal…

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, has joined his ancestors, barely a year after ascending the prestigious throne of the ancient city. The Special Assistant to the late Oba on Media, Chief Toye Arulogun confirmed the report, saying, official confirmation would soon be made . When asked to confirm the death of the Olubadan, Arulogun said “Yes, that was how we saw it. Please wait a while; an official statement will be released soon.” Oba Olakulehin, who turned 90 just two days ago on July 5, passed away in the early hours of Monday, July 7, 2025. His death…