Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Daud Olatunji The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has revealed that the ongoing quick-fix project at the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Limited is on track to be fully operational by December 2024.  This promising update was conveyed in an official statement posted on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s platform over the weekend. During an inspection tour of the Kaduna Refinery & Petrochemicals, where he assessed the progress of the ongoing quick-fix project, Lokpobiri expressed his confidence in the refinery’s timely restoration by the end of 2024.  He emphasized the remarkable progress observed during his…

Daud Olatunji In a somber moment of reflection, the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) community, along with the greater Yoruba nation, mourns the loss of a remarkable council member and esteemed educationist, Iyalode Alaba Oluwaseun Lawson.  She passed away at the age of 72 on the morning of October 28, 2023.  Lawson, a revered figure in the world of education and the Iyalode of Yorubaland, was a serving member of the TASUED Governing Council.  The University Registrar and Secretary to Council, Dapo Oke in a statement on Saturday said Lawson’s  contributions to both the university and the broader educational…

Daud Olatunji The Lamidi Apapa-led  Labour Party has expressed its jubilation over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent Supreme Court victory, affirming his legitimacy as Nigeria’s leader.  The party extended its hearty congratulations to Tinubu, lauding his  triumph as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Supreme Court’s decision effectively put to rest any lingering controversies stemming from the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections.  The Labour Party spokesperson, Abayomi Arabambi in a statement on behalf of the party,  expressed its hopes for President Tinubu to exhibit magnanimity in victory by inviting the party’s leadership as partners in progress,…

The African Development Bank (AfDB), along with partners the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, have announced a substantial investment of $1 billion to establish 24 special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) across Nigeria.  This development follows an initial commitment of $520 million aimed at creating eight SAPZs in the country. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, unveiled this significant investment during his address at the Norman Borlaug International Dialogue, World Food Prize 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. The initiative aligns with the food security and diversification policy of Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu…

By Israel Adeleke Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended 15 suspected internet fraudsters in Enugu, the state capital. The suspects were apprehended on Friday, October 20, 2023, following a tip-off from a reliable source. According to a statement by the EFCC, the suspects are Casmir Ibebuogu Chizaram, Emegbusim Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chinedu Nworji, Nzube Michael, Oranusi Chigozie Sylvester, Francis Mbaeri, Okoro Ugonna Prince, Stanley Amobi, Emegbusim Chukwuka, Nlemoha Kingsley, Ejiofor Franklin, Chidera Peter, Chidiebube Chukwula Peter, Innocent Chukwuka Peter, and Michael Eche. The EFCC reported that it recovered 30 mobile phones,…

Israel Adeleke The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected the label of a terrorist group by the federal government and demanded that the government should appear in court to justify its proscription order. The group, in a statement on Friday, said it is a peaceful movement seeking Biafra’s restoration and had appealed the court’s proscription order since 2018, but the government had been avoiding the hearing. The statement, signed by the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, said the group had been engaging in various peaceful rallies across the world, particularly in Biafra territories, and had no record of violence or…

By Israel Adeleke In a significant investment in agriculture, Ogun State has allocated a total of N135,047,220 to four vital projects throughout 2022, according to the state’s e-procurement website.  These initiatives aim to promote agricultural development and enhance the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen across the region. The projects unveiled by the Ogun State government encompass the establishment of a cotton market, the construction of market stalls in Ogun East and Ogun West Senatorial Districts, the procurement of fishing and fish farm inputs, and the renovation of a central feed depot. An investigation conducted by PLATFORM TIMES in October 2023…

Israel Adeleke A video of a woman crying uncontrollably on the floor after discovering that her OPay account had been emptied has gone viral on social media. The video, posted on TikTok by @brenda_koko, shows the woman in a state of shock and despair as she laments her loss. According to the caption, the woman lost all her money in her OPay account, which is a mobile payment platform that allows users to send and receive money, pay bills, and access other financial services. The video did not reveal the identity of the woman or the location of the incident,…

Israel Adeleke Residents of Lagos’s Borno Way in Ebute Metta are breathing a sigh of relief today as the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources took swift and decisive action to address severe flooding in the area.  The Ministry sealed off eight properties accused of dumping construction materials into drainage channels, exacerbating the flooding crisis. Kunle Adeshina, the Ministry’s spokesperson, made the announcement on Friday, October 27, 2023, through the Ministry’s official social media account.  In a post on the platform, he revealed that operatives from the Drainage Enforcement Department of the Ministry were hard at work removing…

Daud Olatunji In a bold move by both federal and state governments, 24 polytechnics and colleges of education across Nigeria have been transformed into full-fledged universities, with this decision sparking controversy among education stakeholders. Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and education reform activists have strongly criticized this transition, dubbing it a plan to “bury” the essence of technical education in the country.  Over the years, this expansion of universities has drawn scrutiny, particularly concerning its financial sustainability. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has voiced concerns over establishing new universities amid financial constraints, which could strain the resources needed…