Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Benin Traditional Council (BTC) in Edo State has suspended six key traditional functionaries of the Palace of the Oba of Benin, including Johnbull Igbinosun, Iduhonre (Ihogbe), S. E. Aigbiromwen, Efeseoghoba (Ogbelaka), Ogbeide Osagie, and Osamudiame Edo.  PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the  suspension, authorized by His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, was prompted by their  alleged distortion of historical facts regarding the connection between the Benin Royal Dynasty and the Ooni of Ife.  The individuals, in a meeting with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, claimed to be emissaries of the Oba of Benin, but instead, they declared…

Sodiq Mojibola Many commuters plying the Ita-Oshin road, as well as traders, have shared their near-death experiences during the deadly gas explosion in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Some travellers to and from Lagos were seen stranded shortly after a gas tanker exploded in motion.  While PLATFORM TIMES gathered that four persons lost their lives and six vehicles went up in flames, the spokesperson of Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Florence Okpe, claimed one person died.  PLATFORM TIMES observed that the explosion in Ita-Oshin in the Abeokuta-North local government area of Ogun State left a trail…

Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has vehemently denied accusations levelled against him regarding the purported use of state funds to pay for his children’s school fees. In a recent media briefing on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, Olanipekun Olukoyede, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleged that Bello had withdrawn funds from the Kogi State Government account for this purpose, just before the end of his tenure. In response to these allegations, Yahaya Bello issued a statement titled “Payment for School Fees: Setting the Records Straight,” signed by Ohiare Michael on Friday. According to the statement,…

Forced from their homes by Boko Haram insurgents amidst years of conflict, people seeking refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in northeast Borno State now face the harrowing challenge of combating cholera and measles outbreaks within the camps. According to data from the Borno State Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) from 2022 to 2024, at least 496 individuals have lost their lives to these diseases.  The toll is staggering, with the year 2022 alone witnessing 362 fatalities out of 11,230 suspected cases, 137 of which were confirmed through laboratory investigations. Among the tragic stories emerging from the camps…

In a concerted effort to combat the growing threat of cultism among the youth, the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Ogun State is launching a youth campaign against cultism.  The initiative aims to engage young people in efforts to create safer and more peaceful communities. Scheduled for Tuesday, April 30th, 2024, at 8:00 AM, the campaign will kick off at Zone 2, Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta.  The event is compulsory for all State Youth Committee Members, Area Command Youth Coordinators, Divisional Youth Coordinators, and Unit youth representatives. Cultism poses a significant challenge to the safety and well-being of our…

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says prices of beef, rice, beans, white garri, yam, and other food items increased in March 2024. The NBS said this in its Selected Food Prices Watch report for March 2024, released in Abuja on Friday. The report said that the average price of 1kg of boneless beef increased by 73.78 per cent from N2,479.61 recorded in March 2023 to N4,309.16 i “On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of boneless beef increased by 17.91 per cent in March from the N3,654.56 recorded in February 2024.” It said that the average price of 1kg of local…

The Katsina State Police Command has arrested a-40-year-old  Abdullahi Bara’u for raping his two-year-old niece.  A statement released by ASP Abubakar Aliyu, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Bara’u’s capture was instigated by reports of his alleged sexual exploitation of underage children, particularly in Riko village. The statement read: “the command has succeeded in arresting one Abdullahi Bara’u,’m’, aged 40 years old, of Riko village via Jibia LGA, Katsina State, a suspected notorious paedophile in connection with a case of suspected rape of his two (2)-year-old niece and step-daughter. “Nemesis caught up with the suspect when a report on his criminal…

The Lagos Water Corporation has announced the sacking of 391 redundant employees as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts. This is according to a statement shared by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s senior special assistant on new media, Jubril Gawat, on his official X handle on Friday. “The Lagos Water Corporation has announced the disengagement of 391 redundant staff as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and meeting the evolving demands of the organization,” the statement said. According to the statement, the move aimed to streamline the workforce in response to the persistent challenge of water scarcity…

Prof. Muhammad AbdulAziz, the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi state, has advocated drug tests for lecturers to sanitise the university system. Mr AbdulAziz stated this in a valedictory speech to the Senate of the University at a handing-over ceremony to his successor, Prof. Sani Kunya, the new acting Vice Chancellor of the institution. While commending the decision by the federal ministry of education to introduce drug tests for students seeking admission to all universities, he said such tests should be extended to lecturers. According to him, it would further sanitise the university system and…

A  Federal High Court in Akure, Ondo State capital, has issued an Order of Mandamus compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make public its audited financial statements for the years 2021 and 2022.  The decision, handed down by Hon. Justice T.B. Adegoke on Thursday, stems from a suit filed by lawyer Femi Emmanuel Emodamori against the electoral body. In addition to the 2021 and 2022 financial records, the court also directed INEC to disclose the audited financial statements related to the 2023 election incomes and expenses of all registered political parties in Nigeria.  This move aims to enhance…