Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A Delta State High Court sitting in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area, has sentenced two men, Mr. Bright Ossai and Mr. Izagwu Obodo, to die by hanging after being found guilty of armed robbery and murder, respectively. In a case that gripped the community, Mr. Bright Ossai was convicted of robbing one Mr. Hycent Abandy of his Denstar motorcycle while armed with a gun at Owessi Street, Kwale.  According to court proceedings, Ossai was apprehended at the scene after Mr. Abandy raised an alarm that drew the attention of nearby residents.  The police, responding swiftly to the scene, rescued…

The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), has shared the sum of N1.358 trillion among the Federal Government, States and Local Government Councils (LGCs) for the month of July. This is contained in a communique issued after FAAC meeting for August on Friday in Abuja. According to the communique, the N1.358 trillion total distributable fund comprised statutory revenue of N161.593 billion. It also comprised Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N582.307 billion and Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N18.818 billion. Also included in the total distributable revenue was Exchange Difference revenue of N581.710 billion and Solid Mineral revenue of…

Daud Olatunji In a turn of events concerning the ongoing dispute over the seizure of Nigeria’s presidential jets, the Chinese firm Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited has expressed its readiness to engage in negotiations with the Nigerian government to resolve the matter amicably.  The dispute arose from a revoked export processing zone management contract between Zhongshan and the Ogun State government, dating back to 2016. On Thursday, August 15, 2024, Zhongshan issued a statement reaffirming its confidence in the legal process that had previously ruled in its favor.  The company emphasised its rights under international law, highlighting that an…

Emmanuel Oludare The Trade Leaders Council of Nigeria has appointed former Ogun State House of Representatives member, Hon. Jelili Kayode Amusan, as the Patron of the Association. This was announced in a statement issued by the Council after a meeting of its Central Working Committee.  The statement, signed by the President, Prince Femi Egbodofo, and the Secretary General, Mr. Fijabi Saheed Abiola, highlighted that Hon. Amusan was chosen due to his significant contributions to national development and his active efforts to enhance the standard of living for the members of the Association. “We are pleased and delighted to inform you…

The Police Command in Kaduna State says it has detained two suspects for allegedly burying a man alive in Zaria. The command’s Spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Thursday in Kaduna. Hassan said that the detention of the two suspects in Zaria for alleged complicity was sequel to a viral video showing a person buried with only his head left out. He said that immediately the police got wind of the video, efforts were made to locate the 20-year-old victim, from Gauraki village in Kufena ward, Zaria council area, and possibly detain the culprits…

The De Renaissance Patriots Foundation has vehemently rejected the characterization of their group as a “far-right” entity, responding to a recent article by columnist Lekan Sote.  The article, published in The Punch on August 7, 2024, criticized the group’s advocacy for indigenous rights in Lagos, likening their stance to far-right movements in other countries. Sote’s column had pointed to the De Renaissance Patriots’ desire to “develop indigenous culture, use indigenous language, and allow indigenes to reclaim the Lagos government,” associating this with exclusionary politics. He also referenced historical events, including the excision of Lagos divisions by General Yakubu Gowon, as…

The Nigerian Senate has firmly denied allegations that each senator in the Red Chamber receives N21 million in monthly salaries and allowances, clarifying that the figure being circulated pertains to running costs, which are entirely separate from personal salaries. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Senate’s spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, who represents Ekiti South, addressed the claims made by his colleague, Senator Sumaila Kawu, during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service on Wednesday.  Kawu had asserted that he receives a total of N21 million monthly, which includes both salary and allowances. However, Adaramodu refuted this…

Daud Olatunji In a development that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic and legal circles, a Chinese firm, Zhongshan, has secured a $130.6 million compensation judgement against Nigeria, culminating in the seizure of three presidential jets by a French court.  This complex case, which has unfolded over 12 years, traces back to a joint venture agreement between the Ogun State Government and China’s Guangdong Province to establish the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ) in Igbesa, Ogun State. The OGFTZ was envisioned as a massive industrial hub covering 2,000 hectares, intended to stimulate economic growth and attract significant foreign investments to…

In a dramatic escalation of Nigeria’s international legal woes, a French court has authorised the seizure of three presidential jets linked to the Federal Government of Nigeria over an unresolved business dispute between Ogun State and a Chinese firm, Zhongshan. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the seizure is part of a broader legal battle that has already seen Nigerian-owned properties in the United Kingdom confiscated. The aircraft, which are part of the Nigerian presidential air fleet, include a Dassault Falcon 7X located at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, a Boeing 737, and an Airbus 330 stationed at Basel-Mulhouse Airport in…

The Baale of Kuto, Alhaji Chief Muftau Kehinde, has vehemently denied allegations that his son, Fatai Kehinde, was involved in cult activities, following his brutal murder in Kuto on August 9.  Kehinde, who expressed his deep grief and disbelief over the tragic incident, called on the police to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring the culprits to justice. Fatai was killed by suspected cultists on Friday in Kuto . Speaking about the events leading up to his son’s death, the ages man recounted that he had left Fatai’s shop around 7 p.m. the previous evening.  Chief Kehinde , Jaguna Ijemo …