Author: Platform Times Newspaper

…Warns Foreign Aid Is Shrinking, Unsustainable The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has called on Nigeria to reduce its dependence on foreign aid for healthcare financing and instead focus on mobilising and maximising domestic resources to sustain its health system. Country Director of the Foundation, Uche Amaonwu, made the appeal while moderating a panel session at the Agenda-2025 National Health Financing Dialogue in Abuja, organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Amaonwu warned that continued reliance on Official Development Assistance (ODA) leaves Nigeria vulnerable to shocks, citing recent aid cuts that severely affected national health programmes. “It’s…

… Policy freed up funds once gulped by petrol subsidy … Nigerians still groan under soaring cost of living The Federal Government on Friday said the monthly allocations to state governments have doubled since the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this at the National Health Financing Dialogue in Abuja, noting that the reform, though painful, has restored fiscal balance across tiers of government. Edun explained that prior to the reform, the subsidy regime consumed about 2.5 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while largely…

Residents of Malabo in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State have cried out for urgent government intervention following the outbreak of a strange ailment that eats away the flesh and damages bones of its victims. The disease, which residents described as beginning like an ordinary boil before bursting and spreading into deep wounds, has left scores of people in excruciating pain and unable to carry out their daily activities. One of the victims, Mrs. Phibi Sabo, narrated her ordeal to journalists on Friday. “It started like a boil with pains, later got swollen and burst, then began to eat…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 26 suspected drug traffickers and recovered a staggering 41,410.53 kilogrammes of illicit substances during its operations in Edo State in August 2025. The State Commander of the agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this in Benin while presenting the monthly progress report on Friday. He said the intensified clampdown also led to the destruction of large cannabis farms and the dismantling of notorious drug joints across the state. According to him, the arrested suspects comprise 22 men and four women. Cannabis accounted for the bulk of the seizures, with 41,387.36kg recovered, representing over…

The Abia State Government has dismissed six workers in the Ministry of Justice after they were found guilty of manipulating the state’s payroll system to receive salaries above their entitlements. The Chairman of the Abia State Civil Service Commission, Mrs. Eno Jerry-Eze, disclosed this in a statement issued in Umuahia on Friday. She explained that the fraud was uncovered during an internal audit and administrative inquiry. According to her, the investigation revealed that the officials deliberately exploited salary records for personal gain, thereby defrauding the state. Those dismissed include Dickson Eze, a Principal Accountant (SGL 12); Esther Emeruwa, Senior Accountant…

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has issued a stern warning that its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch will begin seeking alternative employment from Monday, September 8, following alleged anti-union practices by business moguls, Aliko Dangote and his cousin, Sayyu Aliu Dantata. The union, in a statement jointly signed by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, accused Dangote and Dantata of barring newly recruited compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered tanker drivers from joining existing labour unions. According to NUPENG, the move violates Nigeria’s labour laws and global best practices. “We condemn in absolute terms…

A senior lecturer at the University of Lagos, Dr. Samuel Ojogbo, is under investigation following allegations that he sexually assaulted a 20-year-old undergraduate student in his office. The incident, according to a police report, allegedly occurred on August 22, 2025, around midday, when the victim, a 300-level student, visited the lecturer’s office. She claimed that Ojogbo forcefully violated her, after which she was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. The student lodged a formal complaint with the police on August 28, prompting an official investigation into the case. Confirming the development, the management of UNILAG said the matter…

The Federal Government has announced that beginning from January 1, 2026, every taxable Nigerian—individuals and corporate entities—must obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) in line with the newly signed Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025. The policy, which also covers non-residents supplying taxable goods and services in the country, was disclosed by the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji, during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday. Adedeji explained that President Bola Tinubu signed the tax reform bills into law in June 2025 as part of efforts to modernise the nation’s tax system, expand the revenue base…

The Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa’kamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) in Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State has announced the closure of its 40-year-old Friday Mosque after devastating floods submerged the building. The mosque, located in Layi Quarters and constructed in 1985, was shut down following expert warnings that the structure could collapse after water penetrated deep into its foundation. Announcing the decision, Sheikh Khalil Kasim said Friday congregational prayers would now hold at Masjid Ibn Taymiyya in Gurara, which was previously used only for the five daily prayers. “As a result of the flood that submerged the mosque, prayers will no…

The Chief Judge of Kano State, Justice Dije Audu Aboki, has ordered the release of six long-term inmates during her inspection visit to correctional facilities across the state. The inmates, who had spent several years in custody without trial, regained their freedom after the CJ reviewed their cases. According to a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Kano Command, CSC Musbahu Lawan K/Nasarawa, the prisoners were victims of stalled trials, missing case files, and lack of active prosecution. Justice Aboki explained that the exercise was part of her commitment to decongest custodial centres…