Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Federal Government has  denied a report that the Murtala Mohammed Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Abuja has been renamed Wole Soyinka Way. The Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Rabiu Ibrahim said this  on Monday in a statement. Ibrahim, said the renaming of the Murtala Mohammed Expressway had never been contemplated by this administration. “For the record, on June 4, 2024, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated a new road in the FCT codenamed Arterial Road N20 (from Katampe to Jahi), which links the existing Outer Northern Expressway (also known as Murtala Mohammed…

The Lagos State Police Command has launched an investigation into the involvement of Zenith Bank staff following the robbery and shooting of a 55-year-old Russian woman, Angelina Gold.  The incident occurred on Friday, June 14, 2024, shortly after Gold withdrew $3,500 from a Zenith Bank Plc branch in Ikeja. Gold, who narrated her harrowing experience, suspects that either someone witnessed her transaction in the banking hall or that bank employees at the branch along Isaac John Street, GRA Ikeja, might have leaked information to the robbers. According to Gold, the robbery occurred less than three hours after her bank transaction.…

A 500-level student at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Modupe Ayandare was found dead off-campus on Monday morning.  Ayandare, who was in the Department of Agronomy, was discovered hanging beside a church she had attended for a vigil service. The heartbreaking discovery was confirmed by the Public Relations Officer of the Students Union Government, Olaogbebikan Noble, who stated that efforts are ongoing to uncover the circumstances surrounding her death.  According to reports, Ayandare’s body was found around 4 a.m. near Spotless Villa, a location close to the church where she had participated in the overnight vigil. In a…

In a shocking and tragic incident, two men have been arrested for allegedly stabbing a sex worker to death at a hotel in the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.  The victim, identified as Zara Tuah, was brutally attacked with a pair of scissors following an argument with the two men in their hotel room. The incident took place on Sunday night, sending waves of shock and fear through the local community.  According to a resident who wished to remain anonymous, “We woke up this morning to the news of the death of a commercial sex worker…

Daud Olatunji  Over 200 applicants of the Ogun State Housing Scheme have vehemently rejected the state government’s decision to increase the price of properties in the Prince Court Estate, Kobape, two years after payments were made, describing the proposed price hike as “daylight robbery.” In a press statement issued on Monday, the applicants expressed their strong opposition to both the options of a proposed refund and the increase in the price of the houses.  They argued that they had fulfilled their part of the agreement and should not bear the consequences of the government’s delays. PLATFORM TIMES had earlier reported…

Daud Olatunji Former Governor of Oyo State and the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, has criticised Governor Seyi Makinde over his remarks concerning the health status of the Olubadan-designate, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.  Ladoja insists that Makinde’s comments on the enthronement process were inappropriate and misinformed. Governor Makinde, during the state burial ceremony for the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, two Saturdays ago, stated that Olakulehin would be enthroned when he is deemed fit for the role.  However, Ladoja countered this assertion, emphasizing that the power to enthrone the Olubadan lies with the people of Ibadanland, not…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the federal government to make food security a top priority by providing single-digit interest loans to farmers, aiming to further open up the agricultural sector to more participants.  Speaking at the 2024 edition of Agriconnect in Lagos, Obasanjo highlighted the significant potential of agriculture to boost Nigeria’s economy, stressing that “any country that offers more than a single-digit loan to people in agribusiness is not helping farmers.” As the chairman of the summit, themed “Bridging the Divide: Fostering Collaboration and Innovation for a Sustainable Agricultural Future,” Obasanjo emphasized the urgent need for collaborative…

Daud Olatunji The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organization, Afenifere, has raised urgent concerns over the escalating security situation in Nigeria, particularly in Yorubaland.  The group called on the federal and state governments, along with security agencies, to intensify efforts to halt the persistent kidnappings and the avoidable loss of lives caused by banditry. In a statement issued by Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, the organization’s National Leader, Chief Reuben  Fasoranti, emphasized the critical need for enhanced security measures.   “Efforts need to be geared up to stop men and women of the underworld soonest as they are making virtually…

Daud Olatunji Former President Muhammadu Buhari has voiced his concerns over the unchecked population growth in Nigeria, warning that it could pose significant challenges for future generations.  Buhari made these remarks on Sunday after joining the Emir of Daura, Dr. Faruk Umar Faruk, for Eid prayers at the township Eid ground in Daura, Katsina State. In a statement released by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, Buhari reflected on the massive crowds at the Eid prayers, highlighting the urgent need to address the issue of population expansion.  “There is a need for greater discussion and awareness about this problem, as well…

Daud Olatunji The Hajj pilgrimage, a spiritual journey undertaken by millions of Muslims annually, has recorded  a tragedy  as 23  pilgrims from Jordan, Iran and Nigeria  have died, and 17 remain missing amid soaring temperatures and other issues  in Saudi Arabia. Authorities from Jordan and Iran confirmed the fatalities on Sunday.  Jordan’s foreign ministry reported the deaths of 14 Jordanian pilgrims, and announced that 17 others were unaccounted for.  The ministry later attributed the deaths to sunstroke caused by an extreme heat wave.  Meanwhile, the Iranian Red Crescent Chief, Pirhossein Koolivand, disclosed that five Iranian pilgrims had died in…