Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A banker, Ugenyi Kalu, was convicted by Justice R.A. Oshodi of a Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on February 12, 2025, for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme. The convict, who was the head of the Lagos Region of NEXIM Bank, was charged with official corruption and gratification by the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Kalu was arraigned on a five-count charge related to receiving illegal monetary benefits. One of the counts stated that in November 2016, Kalu received a sum of N4,000,000 from Obi Ogoh, a beneficiary of a loan extended to…

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has announced the elevation of three Commissioners of Police (CPs) to the prestigious rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and the promotion of 16 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) to substantive Commissioners of Police (CPs). This significant move is part of the PSC’s ongoing efforts to bolster leadership within the Nigeria Police Force. The newly appointed AIGs include CP Garba Ahmed of the Yobe State Command, CP Nemi Edwin Osigoboka Iwo of Border Patrol, and CP Salman Garba Dogo of the Kwara State Command. Each of these officers has demonstrated exemplary leadership in…

The Nigeria Police Force has disbursed a total of N20.84 billion to 7,171 families of slain officers between 2020 and 2025. This was revealed today by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, during a ceremony where cheques were presented to the next-of-kins of officers who died in the line of duty. Addressing the gathering at the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Peacekeeping Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja, the IGP disclosed that since 2020, the Force had successfully distributed N17.8 billion in insurance benefits to 6,465 families in eight different phases. He further announced that an additional N2.99 billion had been disbursed…

A group of civil activists from the Organisation of Justice for Equity Sustenance has demanded that Mrs. Omowunmi Isaac, the Commissioner for Finance in Ondo State, provide proof of her controversial claim that Betty Akeredolu, the wife of the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, was responsible for his death. The activists, speaking at a press conference in Abuja, revealed they had come into possession of a WhatsApp conversation where Mrs. Isaac allegedly claimed that the late governor did not succumb to cancer, as widely believed, but was instead killed by his wife. According to the group, Mrs. Isaac contends that…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a legal threat to DAAR Communications Plc, owners of African Independent Television (AIT), and Channels Television, accusing them of broadcasting false reports that its operatives had invaded the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, February 17, 2025. In a letter dated February 17, 2025, and signed by Chief Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, on behalf of the DSS, the agency demanded an immediate retraction of the story and a public apology from both television stations. The DSS condemned the reports, claiming they falsely portrayed the agency in a negative light. The letter, titled…

The Edo State House of Assembly has passed a new law that imposes the death penalty for individuals convicted of kidnapping, a move seen as a direct response to the alarming rise in abductions across the state and the nation. The landmark legislation, known as the Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition Law 2025, was approved during a plenary session on Tuesday. The bill was introduced and debated amidst the growing wave of kidnapping incidents, which have put immense pressure on both state and federal authorities to take decisive action. Majority Leader Charity Aiguobarueghian led the motion for the House to enter…

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has stated that the political elites in Nigeria will improve their actions when the citizens of the country collectively reject bad behaviour. Jonathan made this remark in Abuja on Tuesday, during the public presentation of two books—‘Readings on Election Security Management’ and ‘Selected Readings in Internal Security Management’—authored by former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase. Jonathan, who served as president from 2010 to 2015, expressed deep concern over the current state of elections in Nigeria. He lamented that the country’s electoral system often experiences misconduct, which he attributed to the acceptance and celebration of wrongdoings…

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has successfully intercepted 13 Nigerian women en route to Baghdad, Iraq, where they were intended to be exploited for sexual and labor purposes. The victims, aged between 19 and 39 years, were allegedly deceived by unregistered labor recruiters linked to a larger trafficking syndicate operating between Nigeria and the Middle East. NAPTIP’s spokesperson, Vincent Adekoye, confirmed the interception, revealing that the women were stopped at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja just before their departure for Iraq. The operation was carried out in collaboration with partner agencies, acting on…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all banks and financial institutions to publish details of dormant accounts, unclaimed balances, and other financial assets on their websites. This directive is outlined in a new circular issued by the apex bank on Monday, titled Guidelines on Management of Dormant Accounts, Unclaimed Balances, and Other Financial Assets in Banks and Financial Institutions in Nigeria. A dormant account is defined as any bank account that has not been active for at least one year. Under the new guidelines, financial institutions are required to display key information about these accounts, including the names…

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced new penalties for individuals and businesses involved in electricity meter bypassing and unauthorized access. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the measures, part of a revised ‘Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering, and By-pass,’ were posted by the commission on its official X page on Tuesday. NERC said the policy, which aims to curb electricity theft, came into effect on January 22, 2025. According to NERC, the new penalties align with the Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection Regulations (CPR) 2023, which permit Distribution Companies (DisCos) to disconnect unauthorized connections without prior notice…