Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A sweeping reorganisation has hit the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), resulting in the immediate exit of several top-ranking officials. Among those affected are Bala Wunti, former Chief of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS); Ibrahim Onoja, Managing Director of the Kaduna Refinery; and Lawal Sade, the company’s Chief Compliance Officer and a former Managing Director of NNPC Trading. The high-profile dismissals are said to be connected to ongoing internal restructuring at the state-owned oil firm. Industry sources said that the executives were considered close allies of Mele Kyari, who was relieved of his duties as Group Chief…

In a renewed effort to deepen Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy across Africa, the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has deployed 35 medical professionals to Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania. Speaking during the official deployment exercise on Tuesday in Abuja, the Director-General of NTAC, Dr Yusuf Yakub, said the mission aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy through soft power and professional exchange across African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. “Today is a historic day for the Corps. In honour of President Tinubu’s directive and our shared African brotherhood, 35 TAC volunteers—doctors and nurses—are being sent to…

Morenikeji Adebayo The Founder of Household of Love Foundation, Mrs. Antonia Akinlawon, has reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to rehabilitating and empowering street boys in Nigeria, as the foundation unveiled a new home for the initiative on Tuesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Speaking at the house dedication ceremony, Mrs. Akinlawon disclosed that the foundation is set to provide shelter, mentorship and educational opportunities for 14 street boys, in a bid to reintegrate them into society as successful and responsible citizens. She said, “This started five years ago during my search for what I could give back to God. I have nurtured…

Detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on Tuesday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he founded Radio Biafra to promote peace, truth, and fundamental human rights. Kanu made the claim in a recorded video of his interrogation by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), which was played in open court during his ongoing trial for alleged terrorism and treasonable felony. The IPOB leader, who was re-arraigned before Justice James Omotosho on March 21, also admitted in the video that although Radio Biafra was registered in the United Kingdom, its operations…

Daud Olatunji  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a stern warning to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), cautioning them against inadvertently becoming conduits for terrorism financing and money laundering due to regulatory non-compliance. Speaking during a two-day training on “Strengthening a Community of Practice to Improve The CSO Regulatory Environment In Nigeria”  held in  Abeokuta, Ogun State, the EFCC’s Assistant Inspector, Monye Ekene, stressed the urgency for nonprofit entities to align with the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The training was organised by Global Rights as part of an…

Morenikeji Adebayo As part of activities marking the 2025 World Immunisation Week and Polio Awareness Week, UNICEF and the Lagos State Government have renewed calls for strengthened routine immunisation systems to protect children from preventable diseases, especially polio. Speaking during the “#Walk for Polio” event in Lagos, Chief of the UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Ms. Celine Lafoucriere, highlighted the urgency of reaching the over two million Nigerian children who are still “zero-dose” — children who have not received a single dose of any vaccine. “It’s an honour to walk with all of you today,” Lafoucriere told dignitaries, development partners, community…

A tale of calamity Once to my brother narrated: An erudite scholar learned And a nonentity. Literacy met illiteracy By the riverside. On a voyage To a specific destination. Marvelled at his nescience The egghead queried: “Aren’t you educated?” In the negative, the canoeman responded. “You’ve finished,” declared the voice of literacy Unable to decipher its implication, The canoeman smiled. Abruptly, a huge storm overtook the seas The canoeman lost the control Of his vehicle. Everyone for himself, God for all. The canoeman asked the professor: “Aren’t you learned in swimming?” The hydraheaded scholar Answered in the negative. “You’ve…

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has approved the appointment of 168 political aides in a sweeping move aimed at revitalising governance and enhancing inclusive leadership in the state. The appointments, announced on Tuesday in a statement signed by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, span various categories of political aides including Principal Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, and Personal Assistants. According to Gidado, the latest appointments are part of Governor Mohammed’s ongoing commitment to deepen participatory governance, promote grassroots engagement, and deliver improved service across Bauchi State. Of the newly appointed aides, 63 will…

The Federal Government on Tuesday opened its case against Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), with startling revelations about his 2015 arrest at a Lagos hotel, where he was found in the company of a young woman and broadcasting equipment. Testifying behind a screen as permitted by the court for security reasons, the first prosecution witness, identified only as AAA, an 18-year veteran of the Department of State Services (DSS), told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Kanu was apprehended at the Golden Tulip Hotel near Lagos International Airport on October 14, 2015.…

A new consumer outlook report has revealed that Nigerians now spend over half of their monthly income on food, as rising living costs continue to squeeze household budgets across the country. The report, released by Lagos-based marketing communications firm SEID, stated that 50.1 per cent of Nigerians’ earnings are allocated to food expenses. It also found that 18.5 per cent of households have adopted solar energy solutions to cope with increasing electricity costs. The findings were contained in SEID’s inaugural Nigerian Consumer Outlook Report 2025 (NCOR 2025), which surveyed more than 7,000 Nigerians across the country’s six geo-political zones. Speaking…