Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Nigerian Army  has refuted  the allegations of mass killings by troops of Operation Udo Ka in the South-East region. The Army described  as ‘false and mischievous’ the allegation by a  self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa. Ekpa had in a now viral video accused the military of mass killing of innocent Igbos at Oliver and dumping them in the River. But, the Director, Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Wednesday, said contrary to the false report, investigations revealed that the troops in the video footage were not personnel…

Twenty-five students from Ajayi Crowther University have been arraigned in the Chief Magistrate Court, Ibadan Magisterial District, for their alleged involvement in the murder of fellow student Alex Timileyin.  The students are accused of beating Timileyin to death over allegations of mobile phone theft. The tragic incident occurred on May 24, 2024, at Shepherd Inn, a hostel on the university premises.  The assault, which reportedly lasted for several hours, resulted in Timileyin’s death. Following their arraignment, the court has ordered the students to be remanded in prison until July 8, pending trial. The arraigned students include Kumolu Opeyemi Daniel (21),…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has  discontinued its case against popular celebrity bartender, Pascal Okechukwu, widely known as Cubana Chief Priest.  This development unfolded at a Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, where the court granted the EFCC’s motion to drop the charges. Cubana Chief Priest faced a three-count charge, including allegations of spraying and tampering with Naira notes during a social event at Eko Hotel in Lagos.  The anti-graft agency arraigned him on April 17, asserting that his actions violated Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act of 2007, which prohibits the abuse of the national…

By Idris Katib Students of Crescent University, Abeokuta have recorded another feat by emerging in the first position of debate competition organized by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. The Debate Competition was part of the activities to mark the 70th Anniversary of MSSN and the 2024 edition of Jihad Week of OAU. In the competition, contestants from Crescent University, Muhsin Adedamola Ashimi, Olakehinde Haneef and Aisha Jami’u showed their stuff with a performance that evoked a standing ovation from the audience, outclassing the contestants from the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife to a second position.…

Luqman Soliu If not for politics of retrogression played by the trio of Osinbajo. Adams Oshiomole and Tinubu, Ogun won’t have relapsed this far. For 5 years, Adatan road of less than a Kilometer in the heart of Abeokuta couldn’t be completed  Even Amosun dualized Lafenwa-Rounder road was reduced to a lane ditto to Ilisan-Ago-Iwoye road not leaving Abeokuta-Sagamu road earlier designed to be 8 lanes but just torched and reduced to 4 lanes. Abeokuta – Sango road has worst experience as the road turns to one of the worst roads in Ogun State. Even roads constructed by the current…

Aisha Ademigbuji  I never knew that our taste in books would change as we grow older. My taste in books did change as I grew, but I didn’t really pay much attention to it until I came across an article about the best books to read during different life stages. As a little girl in primary school, you would never see me pick up a book that didn’t have illustrations—it was a deal breaker. My childhood friend, Kemi, was gifted foreign books by a kind neighbor, and she was always ready to share them with me. One book that left…

Daud Olatunji The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) announced that 176 Boko Haram insurgents have surrendered, while 57 other individuals suspected of involvement in terrorist activities in the Lake Chad region have been apprehended. This development was disclosed by Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Ali, the Force Commander of MNJTF’s “Operation Lake Sanity II,” during a press conference at the Officers Mess of Theater Command, JTF Operation Hadin Kai at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri on Tuesday. Maj.-Gen. Ali detailed the extensive operations initiated to purge the Lake Chad area of remaining terrorist elements. The operation, which began on April 23, 2023, has seen…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has stated that there are no plans to withdraw the licenses of three banks.  This clarification follows regulatory actions taken against Heritage Bank Plc on Monday, June 3, 2024. In a press statement issued by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Haka Sidi-Ali, the CBN addressed the circulating misinformation.  “The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to some information circulating in the public domain, suggesting that the CBN is set to revoke the licenses of three additional banks following its regulatory action against Heritage Bank Plc,” Sidi-Ali said.  “The…

In a significant move to honour one of Nigeria’s most celebrated literary figures, President Bola Tinubu has renamed the Arterial Road N20 from Northern Parkway to Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX) as the Professor Wole Soyinka Highway.  This decision came upon the recommendation of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration. President Tinubu, in his announcement, highlighted the monumental achievements of Professor Wole Soyinka, noting that he was the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.  Soyinka, a distinguished playwright, poet, and novelist, received the Nobel Prize in 1986, becoming the first sub-Saharan African to be honoured in this category. …

Daud Olatunji  The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have jointly demanded that President Bola Tinubu’s administration reverse the recent electricity tariff hike and abolish the classification of customers into bands.  This call was made following a joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the NLC’s National Headquarters on Tuesday. The NEC meeting, the highest decision-making body of the Organised Labour, was convened to deliberate on the federal government’s offer of a higher national minimum wage, following the commencement of an indefinite nationwide strike action.  The communique, signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC President…