Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Daud Olatunji Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has addressed recent speculations surrounding his October 3 meeting with the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman.  In a statement delivered during a meeting with the leadership of the Abuja National Mosque Management Board, Wike categorically denied taking sides with Israel against Palestine, emphasizing that he does not possess the constitutional authority to determine Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with other nations. Wike asserted, “I have read from various social media platforms that we had a meeting and that we are doing this and that with Israel. ” I am here with…

Daud Olatunji Kogi State, Nigeria – In a surprising turn of events, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has vehemently denied the reported assassination attempt on his life.  This denial came shortly after his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, issued a statement claiming that gunmen in military uniforms had waylaid the governor’s convoy and opened fire. Fanwo’s statement, released on Sunday, described how assailants dressed in military attire targeted Governor Bello’s convoy while he was en route from Lokoja to Abuja for official engagements.  The alleged attack occurred at three different points on the Lokoja-Abuja highway, with the…

Daud Olatunji In a bid to address the overcrowding crisis in correctional facilities, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, recently announced a plan to pay N500 million in fines imposed on over 4,000 convicts across Nigeria.  This initiative garnered attention and commendation from various quarters, but it has also faced scrutiny from human rights lawyer Femi Falana. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB), has called on the Interior Minister to reconsider the N500 million payment plan.  Falana suggested that the allocated funds should be redirected…

Daud Olatunji The Court of Appeal in Abuja has delivered a groundbreaking verdict today, nullifying the election victory of Senator Simon Mwadkwon, the Senate Minority Leader representing Plateau North Senatorial District in the National Assembly.  The decision was unanimous among the three-member panel, with Justice Daudu Williams leading the proceedings. The court’s judgment hinged on its assertion that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not validly nominated Senator Mwadkwon.  Specifically, the panel held that the PDP failed to comply fully with court orders, as 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) did not participate in the congress leading to Mwadkwon’s nomination. This…

Israel Adeleke A controversial cleric, Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, popularly known as Odumeje, who is based in Onitsha, has warned Nigerian pastors not to pray for Israel in its ongoing war with Hamas in Palestine. He stated that they should instead pray for Nigeria and its president, who does not know left from right. Addressing his congregation in a video that has gone viral on social media, Odumeje threatened to render any pastor who prays for Israel deaf and dumb. He said, “Your own country, Nigeria, you have not prayed for your president, who does not know left from right. If I…

Israel Adeleke A Nigerian man who attempted to break the Guinness World Record by walking from Lagos to Port Harcourt in five days has been hospitalized after completing the feat. The man, who goes by the name Wene Port Harcourt on Facebook, posted a photo of himself lying on a hospital bed on October 22, with the caption: “Unimaginable pain. I give everything time, distance? Time. Scars? Time. Disbelief? Still, time. Until then, Wene is home!” Wene had embarked on the 5-day marathon walk on October 17, starting from Lekki Toll gate in Lagos and ending at the Rivers…

Aminat Gusanu Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has appealed to security agencies to identify and prosecute herders who are alleged to have attacked farmers in Iwere-Ile, Oyo State, and various communities in Ogun State. In a statement issued on Sunday, Igboho emphasized the need for ensuring the safety of farmers in Yoruba land and throughout Nigeria, urging the authorities to address the security challenges promptly. The statement read: “We are calling on the Police, the Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigerian Army to address the…

Daud Olatunji A group has taken a significant legal step to prevent members of the House of Representatives from acquiring a fleet of 360 sports utility vehicles (SUVs), valued at a staggering N57.6 billion.  The organization, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has approached the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking an injunction to halt the delivery of these luxury vehicles to lawmakers. SERAP’s move comes in response to reports that each SUV in question would cost taxpayers a minimum of N160 million, raising concerns about the extravagant expenditure. In an official statement released on Sunday, Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director…

Daud Olatunji In a recent string of successful operations, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has unveiled a series of international drug busts and seizures, highlighting the ongoing battle against drug trafficking in Nigeria.  Among the notable arrests, a Madrid-based ‘businessman,’ Sherif Egbo Ally, was apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while attempting to board an Air France flight to Paris, France. On the 14th of October, Egbo was taken into custody after a body scanner revealed that he had ingested illicit drugs. Subsequent observations in the Agency’s exhibit recovery room led to the astonishing discovery…

Daud Olatunji In a startling development, Nigeria’s palm oil imports from Malaysia, a prominent global producer, have skyrocketed by 65.3% during the first nine months of 2023. Data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Council indicates a substantial increase from 2022, with imports surging to 234,324 metric tons.  Despite the government’s protective measures, concerns loom over the local palm oil industry’s viability. Nigeria, one of the world’s largest consumers of palm oil, is grappling with a significant rise in palm oil imports from Malaysia. According to the latest data obtained from the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, imports surged by a staggering…