Author: Platform Times Newspaper

In response to ongoing discussions about a bill proposing a return to Nigeria’s regional government system, indigenes of Lagos State, under the aegis of De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, have vehemently declared that Lagos will not be part of the Western Region or Province. The group, advocating for a standalone status for Lagos, made their position clear in a statement circulated to the media on the night of June 1, 2024. The statement follows widespread circulation of a draft bill on social media, titled ‘A bill for an act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with a new…

 Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has been released from the Kuje Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, after spending 27 months in detention. Kyari, who was the former Commander of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), was granted a temporary two-week bail by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to allow him to conclude his mother’s burial rites. The court’s decision, made last week, provided Kyari the opportunity to honour his late mother, Yachilla Kyari, who passed away on May 5, 2024.  Yachilla Kyari, who left behind ten children, including Abba, her eldest son, was to have her…

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has raised concerns over a staggering 107,646 uncollected passports across the nation.  This revelation came from the Comptroller General of NIS, Kemi Nandap, through a statement issued by the service’s Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Udo. The NIS lamented the difficulty in reaching passport applicants despite numerous efforts, urging those whose passports have been produced to collect them from the various passport-issuing centers.  “Applicants are therefore strongly advised to always provide verifiable addresses and phone numbers when filling out their online passport application forms for easy contact,” stated Nandap. To facilitate the collection process, Nandap announced…

Dr. Rose Agwu, a Nigerian medical doctor, has voiced grave concerns over the alleged invasion of her home by Nigerian soldiers, who took away her teenage brother and sister.  This incident is part of a wider crackdown by the military following a deadly confrontation between soldiers and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). On Thursday, as hoodlums enforced a sit-at-home order declared by IPOB to commemorate Biafra Heroes Day, five soldiers were killed in an altercation at Obikabia Junction in Aba, Abia State.  In response, the Nigerian military pledged to aggressively pursue IPOB members and their militant wing,…

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has issued a notice warning of impending disconnections for several high-profile customers due to outstanding electricity bills.  The announcement, made on Saturday, lists 25 entities that must settle their debts by June 3, 2024, or face disconnection. Some of the affected  institutions include : Nigeria Army, Nigeria Airforce, Defence Headquarters (HQ), Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Kogi State Government, Niger State Government  Nigeria Police Force HQ and Nigerian Army Barracks. The notice reads “this is to inform the general public that AEDC will disconnect all customers with outstanding electricity bills on June 3, 2024.”…

The National Assembly has  disowned a purported bill circulating on social media, which allegedly seeks to revert Nigeria to a regional system of government.  This bill, purportedly titled “A Bill for an Act to Substitute the Annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with a New Governance Model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” has generated significant discussion and concern among citizens and political analysts. Several newspapers reported on Friday that there were plans underway to reintroduce a regional government system in Nigeria, and that the bill was expected to be passed into law before October 1, 2024.  The draft bill…

By Abdussalam Tolani “Among the believers are men true to their pledge to Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow (martyrdom) and he who awaits (his chance). And they didn’t change (the terms of their commitment to Allah) by any alteration”* Q.33: 23 Feeling the icy hands of Death is beyond human indices like wealth, piety, intelligence, social status or family edge. Divorced from passion or compassion, Death turns gains to pains, reduces grace to grass and tears our hearts into tears. If Death weren’t heartless, AbdulLateef Oladimeji Adegbite (“Adaba”; b. 1933 and d. 2012) should be…

Ogun State Government, in collaboration with national bodies, says it is intensifying efforts to sensitize officials on the importance of adhering to data protection laws.  The state Governor, Dapo Abiodun emphasized this necessity during the opening of a one-day workshop themed “Data Protection Act Compliance – An Imperative for A Vibrant Digital Economy.” PLATFORM TIMES reports that the workshop, held at the MITROS Banquet Hall in Abeokuta, aimed to educate government officials on the intricacies of the Data Protection Bill signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on June 12, 2023.  With the participation of the Ogun Bureau of Information…

Enoch Oyedibu Residents of Royal Gardens Estate on Lekki-Epe Expressway gathered en masse on Thursday to protest arbitrary charges, lack of transparency, accountability, and the use of bulk metering within the estate by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company in collusion with Trojan Estate Limited. The developers of the estate, Trojan Estate, currently managed by Rilwan Olakunle Tinubu, are alleged to have violated the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) 2015 regulations, which nullify the use of bulk metering in households under Sam Amadi, its former boss. The Commission agreed in 2015 with the Nigerian Senate’s position on the need to eliminate…

Daud Olatunji & Enoch Oyedibu The Debt Management Office (DMO) recently released a comprehensive report highlighting the staggering debt burden of the six Southwest states in Nigeria.  According to a document obtained, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Lagos, Ekiti, and Ondo states  collectively owe a whopping N4.4 trillion.  Breaking down the numbers provided by the DMO, the debt is categorized into domestic and external components.  PLATFORM TIMES reports that Domestic debt across the states amounts to N1.8 trillion, while external debt stands at a staggering N2.6 trillion, equivalent to N1.7 billion dollars.  Notably, the depreciation of the naira against the dollar has…