Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Daud Olatunji The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Gombe Zonal Directorate has arraigned a government official, Usman Mallam, on charges of willful obstruction of investigation and destruction of official EFCC documents.  The official was dragged before Justice TG Ringim at the Federal High Court in Gombe State faced a one-count charge  for allegedly tearing the EFCC’s official investigation letters. Mallam, who serves as a desk officer responsible for responding to official correspondences in the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in Gombe State, reportedly  torn letters which  were integral to the Commission’s investigation activities related to…

The Proprietor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Prince Adesegun Ajibola, SAN, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, describing him  as a “worthy and exemplary Ambassador” of the university.  Ajibola in a statement issued on Friday, praised Oba Ogunleye for his remarkable contributions across various sectors, particularly highlighting his unwavering commitment to the growth and development of Crescent University from its early days. Ajibola noted that Oba Ogunleye’s involvement with Crescent University was not merely ceremonial.  He recalled the late Oba’s steadfast support and close relationship with the university’s Founder, His Excellency Prince Bola Ajibola, from the…

Daud Olatunji  The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued an urgent plea to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to sign and implement the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement.  The Coordinator of ASUU’s Lagos Zone, Professor Adelaja Odukoya, made the appeal during a press briefing held at the Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State.   According to Prof. Odukoya, addressing these issues promptly could prevent the nation’s universities from facing imminent collapse and avert another round of avoidable industrial action driven by the deteriorating conditions of service for lecturers. “By not signing and implementing the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement…

 The Agege Local Government Area  council of Lagos State  has announced the suspension of all school food vendors as a preventive measure against cholera outbreak . Ganiyu Egunjobi, the chairman of the council,disclosed this to  journalists on Friday, saying  the urgency of the situation and the steps being taken to mitigate the spread of cholera.  Egunjobi stated, “We have suspended all school food vendors to ensure the safety of the pupils and students.”  He added that the  suspension aims to reduce the risk of cholera transmission through contaminated food within school premises. Th b council said it  has initiated a…

The Federal Government has approved a substantial sum of N21 billion under the Presidential Metering Initiative. The government says the  initiative is aimed at addressing the country’s metering gap by providing meters at no cost to unmetered power users.  This was  announced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) through an order, numbered NERC/2024/072, titled “Order on the Operationalisation of ‘Tranche A’ of the Meter Acquisition Fund.” In its announcement, the NERC emphasized that the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) scheme would expedite the deployment of meters, thus reducing the commercial and collection losses faced by power distribution companies (Discos).  The…

Forty-one years ago, the retiring miracle-performer Jonah Olukayode Odugbose was a taxi driver plying Airport road from his Oworonsoki house to other destinations in and around Lagos State. Olukayode, in his quest for survival, having stayed with several families members and friends in places like Sapele and Mamu in old Western Region “decided to return to Lagos”. Though, not an atheist, Olukayde wouldn’t identify with any religious doctrines be it Islamic, Christianity or Traditional. Suddenly, the agile, hardworking and promising young man who focused keenly on becoming a great achiever as well as taking his siblings into limelight had a…

Daud Olatunji In a significant move to enhance healthcare services in Nigeria, Egbin Power Plc and Sahara Group Foundation have donated a fully-equipped Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the General Hospital Ijede in Lagos.  This newly built 5-bed ICU is expected to significantly improve the hospital’s capacity to handle critical patient care and emergency responses, aligning with the goals of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages. During the commissioning ceremony, Mokhtar Bounour, CEO of Egbin Power, highlighted the donation as a reflection of the company’s long-standing commitment to…

Daud Olatunji On Thursday, a wave of protest surged through the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), following the tragic death of a student, Ayodele Israel.  The incident has sparked accusations of negligence against the university’s medical officials by the student body, who believe this alleged negligence led to the demise of the 100-level Agricultural Economics and Farm Management (AEFM) student at the College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD). The protesting students, carrying placards demanding justice, threatened a confrontation with the school authorities over Ayodele’s death.  They claimed that the campus medical staff failed in their duties, which…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved its judgment in the high-stakes appeal involving Martin Amaewhule, a former speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and 24 other appellants against the current Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, and five other respondents. This decision follows a virtual hearing on Thursday where both parties presented their final arguments. Amaewhule and his co-appellants are challenging a ruling by a Rivers State High Court that resulted in their removal from office.  They are seeking a stay of execution on this high court judgment, which not only ousted them but also sought to invalidate any…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may soon embark on another industrial action, intensifying their mobilization efforts among members across the nation.  The President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodoke, confirmed the potential strike during a statement on Thursday, expressing deep concerns over the government’s persistent failure to honor agreements and sign newly negotiated terms with the union. Professor Osodoke highlighted the union’s frustrations, noting that the government has repeatedly ignored the union’s plights.  “We are mobilising our members currently as we may possibly embark on strike action but we will meet soon to determine that,” Osodoke said.  “The government…