Author: Platform Times Newspaper

In a noteworthy development during the 2024 budget defense session on Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Information expressed reservations about the allocated budget of N1 billion for the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.  Senator Kenneth Eze, the Committee’s Chairman, questioned the adequacy of the funds, emphasizing the critical role of the ministry in shaping public perception and maintaining communication between the government and the citizens. Senator Eze highlighted the meagre capital expenditure budget as a major concern, expressing doubts about the ministry’s ability to effectively carry out essential programmes such as the national values and attitudes re-orientation campaign, the…

In a surprising turn of events at the National Assembly, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, found himself in the midst of a mild drama as the power went off during his presentation defending the N344 billion budget for the Ministry of Power and its agencies. The incident occurred during a joint committee session where lawmakers, both from the House of Representatives and the Senate, had gathered to scrutinize the proposed budget allocation. Just as Minister Adelabu was articulating the reasons behind the substantial budget request, the room plunged into darkness. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power,…

The Nigerian Navy Ship NNS Beecroft, on Tuesday, intercepted a huge wooden boat, laden with over 120 bags of narcotics suspected to be Cannabis Sativa. In a statement by the Base Information Officer, NNS Beecroft, Sub Lieutenant Hapinness Collins, said the intercepted cannabis sativa weighs about 5,250 kilograms along with two foreign suspects, off Lagos Anchorage. According to Collins, the Ghanaians, Emmanuel Doedcher and Godswil John Olamide, were arrested in the early hours of 7th December 2023. The statement read, “In a feat of maritime security prowess, under the ongoing operation WATER GUARD, the Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft’s Patrol Team,…

Daud Olatunji In response to a viral video depicting a customs officer soliciting a ₦5000 bribe from a passenger at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it has initiated a thorough investigation into the matter. The National Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, stayed this in a statement issued on Tuesday. He said preliminary findings indicate that the incident occurred at the New Terminal within the departure hall of the airport and was recorded by the affected passenger. Accoridng to him, the video showcases the customs officer making an inappropriate request…

Daud Olatunji In a bid to address challenges such as rural-urban migration and rising transportation costs, the Ogun State government has introduced a comprehensive transportation system.  The State Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Gbenga Dairo, stater this  while speaking in Abeokuta on Tuesday, outlined the ambitious plan. He  highlighted  its collaborative development with the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (UKFCDO) and experts from Olabisi Onabanjo University. The initiative, already in the early stages of implementation, aims to provide an affordable, safe, and sustainable transportation system that caters to both rural and urban areas.  The recently launched Compressed Natural Gas…

The So-Safe Corps in Ogun State have recovered four motorcycles carrying 22 sacks of Indian hemp and apprehended two suspected illicit drug dealers at Abule Sikiru, along Igbo-Ora Road in the Abeokuta North Local Government Area. The Commander of the corps, Soji Ganzallo, dislcosed on Tuesday that, “at about 0230hrs on the 11th of December, 2023, the Oke Ogun Area Command officers of the Corps, while on routine patrol at Abule Sikiru, along Igbo-Ora Road in Abeokuta North Local Government area, spotted four Bajaj motorbikes.” Ganzallo, who spoke through a statement signed by the So-Safe Corps spokesperson, Moruf Yusuf, explained…

Daud Olatunji,Abeokuta In a chilling revelation, Nigerian music producer, gospel singer, and radio presenter, Olayinka Joel Ayefele, has come forward with a spine-tingling encounter with suspected ritualists and kidnappers.  Ayefele, who hosts the popular radio programme “Oriyomi,” disclosed that he received a warning from an unknown number, cautioning him to refrain from discussing the activities of ritualists and kidnappers on air. The incident unfolded during Ayefele’s Sunday evening programme, where he featured a survivor of a recent kidnapping that occurred in Ibadan.  The victim, who mysteriously escaped from the clutches of ritualists, shared his harrowing experience of being kidnapped in…

In a compelling session before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations on Monday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, emphatically denied any plans for an increase in current tax rates.  Edun addressed concerns raised by lawmakers regarding the potential escalation of tax rates, assuring them that the government’s focus is on broadening the tax bracket to include more individuals and entities. Edun articulated, “There is no plan for an increase in the tax rate as such. The plan is to increase the revenue from taxation.” He highlighted the government’s ambition to elevate taxation…

In a significant policy shift, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has temporarily halted the acceptance of new loan applications under its development finance intervention funds.  This change was communicated through a circular addressed to the Chief Executives of banks and signed by Sa’ad Hamidu, the Acting Director of the Development Finance Department at CBN. The circular, titled “Suspension of Acceptance of New Applications under the Existing Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Development Finance Intervention Programme,” outlines the CBN’s decision to withdraw from direct development financing interventions. Instead, the apex bank aims to transition into a role focused on limited…

A highly anticipated judgment is set to be delivered on January 8, 2024, by the High Court in Maitama, Abuja, in the enforcement of a fundamental rights suit filed by Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).  The trial judge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, fixed the date after hearing submissions from lawyers representing parties involved. Emefiele had filed the suit against the federal government, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the commission itself. The allegations include a breach of fundamental rights to life,…