Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Daud Olatunji In a shocking revelation, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) disclosed that over $8.3 billion in revenue has gone unremitted to the Federation Account by privately owned oil companies and federal government agencies since 2011.  Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, the Executive Secretary/CEO of NEITI, made this alarming revelation during his testimony before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts. Dr. Orji, who was presenting a comprehensive report on the $74.386 billion spent on fuel subsidies by successive administrations since 2011, highlighted the extent of the revenue mismanagement within Nigeria’s oil sector.  The report compiled the actual amount…

Daud Olatunji In a significant policy shift, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has decided to halt nighttime sting operations in all its commands.  This decision comes as part of a broader reevaluation of arrest and bail procedures.  The move was prompted by a recent high-profile arrest of 69 suspected internet fraudsters in Osun State. Mr. Ola Olukoyede, the Chairman of the EFCC, issued the directive in Abuja on Wednesday, underlining the organization’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.  The statement was released by Dele Oyewale, the Head of Media and Publicity for the EFCC.  It confirmed that…

A 61-year-old pastor told an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Wednesday that his tenant, Godwin Emmanuel defiled and impregnated his 16-year-old daughter. Lagos State government had arraigned Emmanuel before the court on a one-count charge of defilement to which he pleaded not guilty. The prosecution told the court that Emmanuel allegedly defiled the pastor’s daughter between April and July 2021 at Ajangbadi area of Badagry. Prosecution counsel said the offence contravened the Criminal Laws of Lagos State. Following his not-guilty plea, state counsel, Ms Abimbola Abolade invited the pastor to testify before the court. The witness…

Smugud Olatunji In a bold shift to evade the relentless enforcement efforts of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) along the nation’s borders, smugglers have increasingly turned to the waterways for their illicit activities.  This development comes as the NCS reveals that approximately 90 percent of illicit drugs entering Nigeria from the West African sub-region now flow through the country’s water routes. Investigations into this burgeoning trend have unveiled a complex network wherein contraband goods destined for Nigeria are initially shipped to neighboring countries within the sub-region. From there, smaller boats are employed to transport these illegal shipments discreetly into the…

Daud Olatunj In a dramatic turn of events in Owerri, the capital of Imo state, the police command clarified that they did not arrest Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).  The situation unfolded on Wednesday when Ajaero was reported to have been taken into custody by heavily armed police officers at the Imo council secretariat of the NLC.  The headline of a “president’s arrest” quickly grabbed attention, but the reality was different. Benson Upah, the media head of the NLC, had initially reported the arrest, stating, “President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, was…

Daud Olatunji In the midst of the escalating political crisis in Rivers State, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a firm stand on the importance of maintaining his political base for relevance.  With ongoing discussions about the potential impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the oil-rich state is embroiled in turmoil, and Wike, a former Rivers State Governor, has emphasized the significance of retaining his political stronghold. Addressing a gathering of South-South leaders at his office on Tuesday, Wike staunchly defended his position, asserting that losing his political base would render him politically irrelevant.  He made…

In a stark revelation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has bemoaned the persistent lack of access to electricity in Nigeria, despite the privatization of the power sector a decade ago.  Speaking at the 10th-year anniversary of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) Market Participants and Stakeholders Roundtable held in Abuja, President Tinubu highlighted the troubling reality that more than 90 million Nigerians still do not have reliable access to electricity. The President’s concerns were echoed by his Special Adviser on Power Infrastructure, Sadiq Wanka, who represented him at the event. Wanka emphasized that the national grid serves only approximately 15 percent…

Daud Olatunji Details of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambitious N2.17 trillion supplementary budget proposal sent to the National Assembly have emerged, shedding light on exorbitant spending plans for the State House, Air Fleet, SUVs, and even the unconstitutionally recognized Office of the First Lady. The title of the 2023 Supplementary budget Bill is “A Bill for an Act to authorize the issuance of N2,176,791,286,033 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation. In a jaw-dropping revelation, the Federal Government intends to allocate a whopping N28 billion for the State House, with a significant portion earmarked for a N4 billion renovation…

Daud Olatunji In a resounding affirmation of his commitment to the progress and prosperity of Ogun West Senatorial District, the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun reiterated that the region will remain a central focus of his administration’s socio-economic priorities. Speaking at the Yewa Division Town Hall meeting held in Ilaro, the capital of the senatorial district, Governor Abiodun, represented by his Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, emphasized that Ogun West holds a pivotal place in his government’s developmental agenda. The governor highlighted the district’s significance as the industrial capital of Nigeria, boasting the highest concentration of factories and industrial hubs in the…

In a spine-chilling revelation, a 14-year-old Junior Secondary School 2 student, Joy Afekafe, has unveiled the horrifying details of how she and two of her classmates orchestrated the murder of Dr. Funmilola Adefolalu, a respected lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry at the School of Life Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State.  The shocking incident transpired on October 28, 2023, and has sent shockwaves throughout the community. Joy Afekafe made her chilling confession during an interview with reporters at the Bosso Police Station under the Niger State Police Command in Minna on Tuesday. Afekafe, a student at Day…