Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday, released a report, estimating that nearly 13 million lives were claimed by the COVID-19 pandemic within just two years since its emergence.  The study, which analyzed global mortality trends, underscored the profound impact of the virus, which swiftly ascended to become the leading cause of death in the Americas, while ranking as the third highest cause of mortality worldwide in 2020, subsequently climbing to second place in 2021.  According to WHO. Between 2019 and 2021, global life expectancy plummeted by 1.8 years, effectively regressing to levels last seen in 2012.  Similarly, healthy life…

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) Secretariat is facing a major scandal following allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement by its Director-General, A B Okauru.  The accusations were detailed in a petition submitted to the Forum’s Chairman, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq of Kwara State, by Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the NGF Director of Media and Public Affairs. In the petition dated May 17, Bello-Barkindo outlined numerous instances of alleged fraudulent activities and financial impropriety under Okauru’s leadership.  He called for a forensic audit of the NGF’s financial records spanning the last 15 years, emphasizing the need to expose the depth of the alleged corruption.…

In a sweeping move, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has terminated the employment of over 200 officials, adding to the  list of ongoing retrenchments within the institution.  This latest round of layoffs follows the earlier dismissal of 117 staff members between March 15 and April 11, 2024.  The recent terminations affect a broad spectrum of positions including directors, deputy directors, assistant directors, principal managers, senior managers, and lower-ranking staff. Sources within the bank confirmed the sackings on Friday, highlighting that the affected individuals include older directors who had previously escaped retrenchment.  A  source said  “It is true and confirmed.”…

A magistrate court sitting in Ilaro, sentenced two cable thieves ; Hussain Waziri, 36, and Mustapha Aliyu, 33 to one year imprisonment. The convicts were arraigned on Tuesday,  before Magistrate M.T. Otayemi Osikoya with  two counts of  conspiracy to steal and the theft of armoured cables from Dangote Cement Company. The convicts pleaded  guilty to both charges. The court sentenced them to one year imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently. Operatives of  the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Ogun State Command  had apprehended two notorious cable thieves targeting critical infrastructure at the Dangote Cement Factory…

Love, they say, makes the world go round. But what happens when love doesn’t quite spin in sync? One-sided love, a heartache familiar to many, paints a picture of affection unreturned, desires unmet, and emotions left dangling in the air like a broken promise. Picture this: you’re head over heels for someone who barely gives you a second glance. Your heart beats a little faster when they’re near, but theirs remains unmoved. Welcome to the world of one-sided love, where the path to happiness is littered with obstacles like love bombing and gaslighting. Love Bombing: Love bombing is a manipulative…

The Ogun State Muslim Council (OMC) has commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for the fund provided to augment the shortfall in the Basic Travelling Allowance (BTA) for the state pilgrims schedule to perform 2024 Hajj. The Council in a statement by its Secretary-General, Kamaldeen Akintunde, described the Governor’s action as a gesture that will enhance unhindered Hajj conduct and smooth performance of the rites by the pilgrims, noting that it will equally ease the affairs of the pilgrims while in the Holy land. The Council described the Governor as a faith minded personality who exhibited the Islamic principles of tolerance, caring,…

A remarkable event unfolded in the heart of Abeokuta as Captain Idowu Isreal Kehinde, the Acting Commandant of the Royal Shepherd (R/S) Abeokuta Area Divisional Command, exchanged vows with his beloved bride, Kehinde Serah, in a ceremony adorned with paramilitary precision and spiritual fervor. Gathered at the majestic Christ Apostolic Church Essien Regional Headquarters in Isale Ake, Abeokuta, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, were ministers, families, friends, and well-wishers, all witnesses to this unique matrimonial affair. The holy matrimony, conducted under the auspices of the R/S of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria and Overseas, marked a significant milestone as the first-ever…

A 48-year-old man, Charles Chukwudi, has been arrested by police for  allegedly forging stamps of Lagos Magistrates and impersonating a police officer.  Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this, saying, the arrest   follows a series of discreet investigations by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). PLATFORM TIMES reports that Chukwudi’s  alleged fraudulent activities came to light when court officials noticed irregularities in documents purportedly issued by the magistrates. It was further gathered that upon further scrutiny, the  officials alerted the police, triggering a thorough investigation that led to Chukwudi’s capture within the premises of Tinubu…

‘Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has accused Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, of encouraging his supporters, known as ‘Obidients’, to attack individuals with opposing views online during the lead-up to the presidential election. Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, has been at the center of a social media storm as his fervent supporters, the ‘Obidients’, have gained a reputation for aggressively trolling those who criticize or hold differing opinions.  This contentious dynamic came to a head in May 2023, when Obi visited Soyinka following a wave of social media criticism directed at the literary icon by…

Festus Daumiebi, an indigene of Igbomotoru community in Bayelsa State, has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian Army, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Defence Staff General Chris Musa, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.  The suit, which demands N20.4 billion in damages, seeks reparation for the alleged infringement of Daumiebi’s fundamental rights following an invasion and property destruction in his hometown. The case, filed under reference number FHC/YNG/183/2024 at the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, is led by a legal team headed by Prof. O. F. Emiri SAN.  The suit…