Author: Platform Times Newspaper

In a disheartening turn of events, the 2024 Batch A, Stream 1 National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members, who embarked on their service journey this February, are grappling with the exorbitant food prices at the Mammy markets located within the NYSC camps. The Mammy markets, established to cater to those unwilling to endure long queues for camp-provided meals, have become a source of distress for Corp members.  Jefferson, a Corp member stationed at the Bauchi NYSC Camp, took to TikTok to shed light on the predicament, revealing that the steep prices in Mammy markets have compelled the majority of Corp…

In a successful intervention, the Ekiti State Police Command has apprehended the suspected abductors of pupils and staff from the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools in Emure Ekiti. During a press conference held on Friday evening at the Command headquarters in Ado Ekiti, the police paraded nine suspects before journalists.  In a dramatic turn of events, one of the suspects was fatally shot as the gang engaged in a gun duel with the police. The incident stems from the evening of Monday, January 29, 2024, when gunmen abducted schoolchildren and teachers along Emure–Eporo Road.  The victims, comprising five students, three…

In a fervent display of commitment to the forthcoming maiden Nigeria Public Relations Week, the Deputy Governor of Ogun State,  Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, has pledged robust support for the event scheduled to take place in Abeokuta from Monday, April 22 to Friday, April 26, 2024. A statement obtained by the committee stated that the deputy governor expressed  her enthusiasm for the decision to hold the week in the  State. The statement further said that   Salako-Oyedele emphasized the state’s renowned pedigree for being at the forefront of various endeavors.  She lauded the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led government for repositioning Ogun State…

Daud Olatunji In a groundbreaking ruling on Thursday, Chief Mukaila Akinwande has been officially declared the legitimate Oluwo of Ijeja Egbaland, Abeokuta, Ogun State,culminating a legal dispute initiated by Chief Aremu Bamgboye. Presiding over the case, Judge Ogunfowora dismissed Bamgboye’s claims and imposed a fine of N250,000. PLATFORM TIMES reports that late Chief Rufus Ogunsola, the former Oluwo who passed away in 2020, was succeeded by Akinwande, facing a challenge from Bamgboye. Despite earlier restraints from presenting himself as Oluwo, Thursday’s ruling pronounced Akinwande as the rightful leader.  PLATFORM TIMES reports that Akinwande had previously received endorsement from the Alake…

By Enoch Oyedibu In the face of economic upheaval, surging commodity prices, and growing dissatisfaction among Nigerians, the governors of six southwest states are charting a controversial course.  Data from Statisense, a platform tracking social issues and government spending, unveils their ambitious plan to allocate ₦214.7 billion in 2024 exclusively for governors’ offices. This eye-catching allocation stems from the colossal combined 2024 budgets, running into trillions and billions of naira, emphasizing a deliberate focus on executive functions. PLATFORM TIMES reports that Lagos State, with its ₦2.2 trillion “Budget of Renewal,” designates ₦66.8 billion (2.95%) for the governor’s office, ostensibly covering…

The Nigerian Customs Service, operating through its joint border patrol team, Sector 4, has successfully intercepted a consignment of sex enhancement drugs valued at N19.6 million along the Sokoto-Jega Road in the Kajiji area. Coordinating Comptroller Kolapo Oladeji revealed in a Thursday briefing that the seizure, based on intelligence reports, aimed to address the health risks posed by these dangerous drugs, some of which bore fake NAFDAC registration and expiration dates. In addition to the sex enhancement drugs, the Customs team also intercepted counterfeit drugs with undetermined duty-paid values. Oladeji stressed the commitment to combating illicit activities that endanger public…

In a harrowing incident, a 22-year-old kidnapper, Ismail Adamu, has confessed to kidnapping and killing 14-year-old Abdullahi Sani before demanding a N4 million ransom from the grieving parents. The tragic victim happened to be Ismail’s neighbor’s son. Ismail recounted to the police the gruesome details of the abduction, revealing that he took the young boy to a secluded area, fatally stabbed him in the neck, and callously threw his lifeless body into a soakaway. Subsequently, he initiated negotiations for a ransom of N4 million from the victim’s father, aided by two accomplices who facilitated the process with a cell phone…

On Thursday, President Tinubu approved changes in the leadership of the health, social, and welfare sectors in the Federation. The President retained Prof Moji Adeyeye as the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC). He also approved the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Director-General/CEO: Dr. Olajide Idris, who will assume office on February 19, 2024. In a statement, the President’s spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, conveyed that these changes align with the President’s determination to bring world-class standards to Nigerian public health administration and manifest…

In a significant development, the Acting American Ambassador and Charge d’Affairs in Nigeria, Mr. David Greene, announced on Thursday the repatriation of 63 looted Benin Bronzes from the United States to Nigeria between October 2022 and December 2023. During the MOU signing ceremony for the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation in Abuja, the Charge d’Affairs highlighted the successful repatriation as a result of the Bilateral Cultural Property partnership agreement between the U.S. and Nigeria. Greene stated, “With that, we intensified joint efforts to identify, intercept, and repatriate looted or other displaced cultural property and related works. These efforts led to…

In a tense confrontation, three members of the Amotekun corps in Osun sustained injuries during a gun battle with herdsmen in the state. The incident unfolded in Kajola village, Atakumosa-West local government area, where farmers reported herdsmen destroying their crops to feed their cattle. According to eyewitness Adio John, the herdsmen, upon spotting Amotekun operatives, became agitated and prepared for battle. Efforts by the corps personnel to arrest the herdsmen escalated into a gun duel, resulting in injuries on both sides. Confirming the incident, Brigadier-General Bashir Adewinbi, the Corp Commander of Osun Amotekun, stated, “Our men went to Kajola village…