Author: Platform Times Newspaper

In a spirited move to boost morale and performance, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has promised a cash reward of N2.5 million for each gold medal won by the state’s athletes at the forthcoming National Sports Festival, which kicks off on Sunday. The governor, who made the announcement during a visit to the athletes’ camp at Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area, also pledged N1.5 million for silver medalists and N1 million for those who win bronze. Additionally, each Ogun athlete participating in the festival is to receive N50,000 within 24 hours, the governor assured. “I understand that when…

An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abubakar Abdulkadir Mayos, has returned the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) of a pilgrim which was found at the Yola Hajj Camp in Adamawa State. The incident, which took place on Saturday, saw Officer Mayos handing over the sum of $505 and 30 Saudi Riyals—equivalent to N822,038.07 at official exchange rates—to the rightful owner, Maimuna Salihu, a pilgrim from Taraba State. The handover was conducted on Sunday, May 18, 2025, in the presence of officials from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), including the Commission’s Liaison Officer and the…

The Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has appointed Professor Carol Chinyelugo Arinze-Umobi as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, with effect from Monday, May 19, 2025. Professor Arinze-Umobi, a Professor of Human Rights and Family Law at the university’s Faculty of Law, was nominated by the Senate and subsequently approved by the Council in line with Section 5(13) of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 2003. Her appointment was confirmed in a letter dated May 16, 2025, signed by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Barrister Olugbenga Kukoyi. The letter noted that her tenure, as stipulated…

The Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, has lauded the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, for what he described as “exceptional leadership” and rare honesty in public service. In a letter dated May 16, 2025, Prof. Gbajabiamila commended Oloyede’s management of JAMB over the years, highlighting his recent public admission of technical challenges experienced during the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as a hallmark of integrity and accountability. “We have been following, with keen interest, your exceptional leadership of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) over the years.…

The Defence Headquarters on Saturday said troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with hybrid forces and other security agencies, sustained intensified operations across the country last week, neutralising terrorists, rescuing 146 kidnapped victims, and disrupting illegal oil operations. Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, noting that the coordinated efforts were aimed at creating safe corridors for farming and improving food security in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive. “Between May 8 and 15, troops launched renewed offensives to dismantle terrorist enclaves and criminal hideouts across multiple theatres…

No fewer than 33 states in Nigeria have collectively repaid N1.85 trillion in domestic debts over an 18-month period, with Ogun, Lagos, Delta, Imo, and Cross River emerging as the top performers in debt settlement, a new report by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has revealed. According to the report, Delta State topped the list of states with the highest repayments, offsetting N265.83 billion of its N465.4 billion domestic debt, representing a significant reduction in its financial obligations. Lagos State followed with a repayment of N96.23 billion, while Imo (N94.70 billion), Cross River (N85.91 billion), and Ogun (N81.35 billion) rounded…

A tragic incident has occurred in Delta State where a 16-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his younger sister while playing with a firearm belonging to their father. The unfortunate event was confirmed by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle. According to the police spokesperson, the teenager was handling the weapon carelessly when it discharged, fatally striking his sister. DSP Edafe disclosed that the children’s father, who identified himself as a hunter, admitted that his son had developed a habit of playing with his hunting rifle.…

No fewer than 37 people have been confirmed dead following a tragic boat mishap that occurred on Thursday evening in the Gbajibo-Mudi community of Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. The ill-fated boat, reportedly overloaded with over 100 passengers, was en route to a community in neighbouring Niger State when it capsized at about 6:00 p.m. Eyewitness accounts and local sources told The PUNCH that the majority of the passengers were traders travelling for commercial purposes. The incident has plunged the riverine community into mourning, with search-and-rescue operations still ongoing. Chairman of the Kaiama Local Government, Abubakar Abdullahi, and…

Former Vice President and founder of the American University of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has revealed a deeply personal story about his early struggles with education, stating that his father was once jailed for refusing to enrol him in school. Atiku made the revelation while addressing the graduating class of 2025 at the American University of Nigeria, Yola, where he emphasised that education remains the most powerful tool for both personal and national development. “My father was jailed for resisting my enrollment in school,” Atiku told the graduates. “We started from nothing — sitting on the bare ground, writing with our…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will not defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite serving in President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Wike made this known in a recent interview with BBC Pidgin, stating that his commitment to the PDP remains intact even as he contributes to the success of the All Progressives Congress-led federal government. “I can’t do that, I’m not afraid – how will I build a house and you now ask me to vacate the place?” Wike queried. “It’s you that will leave the house, not me that built…