Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Fawaz Adebisi In a startling turn of events, the Adamawa State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 36-year-old man, Jaafar Adamu, who stands accused of raping his neighbor’s wife in the Hong Local Government Area of the state. The official statement, signed by the command’s spokesperson, SP Suleiman Yahaya-Nguroje, and released in Yola, the state capital, details the arrest, which took place on September 15. According to Yahaya-Nguroje, the suspect, while wearing a face mask, committed the heinous act against the 23-year-old wife of his neighbor in Angwan Diocese Kala’a in Hong town. However, according to the statement,…

Fawaz Adebisi The Jigawa State police have apprehended six individuals, including a 29-year-old Nigerien national, suspected of being involved in the illegal supply of firearms, acts of vandalisation, and motorcycle theft within the state. Assistant Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, officially confirmed the arrests in a statement released on Wednesday. The two primary suspects implicated in the illegal supply of firearms are Bilal Faraji, a 29-year-old citizen of Niger Republic, and Yusuf A. Yusuf, a 28-year-old native of Kazaure Local Government Area in Jigawa State. Both individuals have been identified as key suppliers of firearms and…

Fawaz Adebisi The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has extended a hand of collaboration to the State of Israel, focusing on bolstering agriculture and improving the security landscape in the nation’s capital. This was revealed during a cordial meeting at the minister’s office in Abuja, where the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Freeman, paid a visit on Tuesday. Wike, in his capacity as the Minister, emphasized the favorable agricultural conditions within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He unveiled plans for the establishment of farms in the region, aimed at providing gainful employment opportunities for the…

In a groundbreaking three-day convention, the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN) made an impassioned plea for the recognition of Sign Language as the official language for the Deaf in Nigeria. The convention, held under the theme “Sign Language Interpreting as a Catalyst for Socio-economic Inclusion of the Deaf,” brought together professionals, advocates, and Deaf individuals in a transformative and enlightening event. ASLIN, known for its commitment to professionalism and capacity building, organized the convention to keep its members updated on international standards and the evolving landscape of sign language development. The event was highly anticipated and set…

Daud Olatunji  Former High Commissioner of Nigeria to the UK, Sarafa Tunji Isola, was honored by the Mayor of Southwark, Cllr Michael Situ, for his outstanding service during Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary celebration.  Ambassador Isola received an Excellent Stewardship Award in recognition of his dedicated service to the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom. Former High Commissioner of Nigeria to the UK, was recently honored in a grand celebration organized by His Worshipful, The Mayor of the London Borough of Southwark, Cllr Michael Situ.  The event, which took place on Sunday, October 1st, 2023, at the Council Headquarters on Tooley…

In a recent revelation, the Federal Government has disclosed that 23 oil blocks, managed by a mix of international and local oil companies under Production Sharing Contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, failed to produce any crude oil in 2021.  This revelation comes from the latest Oil and Gas Industry Report for 2021, released by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), a federal agency. Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) are agreements in which contracted oil companies fund exploration, development, and production of petroleum in a concession area. If successful, these companies pay Petroleum Profit Tax, royalties, and other…

In a bid to revolutionize Nigeria’s energy landscape, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) are pushing for the local manufacturing of solar inverters and batteries.  Experts highlight that solar battery prices have already plummeted by 50 percent, making this the opportune moment to invest in local production. Speaking at the 2nd edition of the Gennex Colloquium 2023 in Lagos, Adewale Bayejo, South West Zonal Coordinator of REA, emphasized the need for domestic manufacturing. Despite the rapid evolution of the global solar industry, high prices persist due to the absence of local production. Bayejo stressed,…

Daud Olatunji  The Federal Government has announced the issuance of licenses to 17 Independent Electricity Distribution Networks operators, with 10 of them already operational, as revealed in the recently published 2022 Market Competition Report by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). In this comprehensive report, the government delved into the intricate details of Nigeria’s power distribution sector, highlighting the progression since the unbundling of the power sector into generation, transmission, and distribution segments in November 2013.  At that time, 11 successor distribution companies emerged, underwent privatization, and have been serving the nation, albeit with ongoing consumer complaints. However, the NERC’s…

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to concerns raised regarding Nigerian inmates serving prison terms in Ethiopia.  PLATFORM TIMES gathered that over 270 Nigerian nationals find themselves incarcerated in Ethiopian prisons, with most of them imprisoned for drug-related offenses. The issue gained attention after a viral video by Dr. Paul Ezike highlighted the alleged mistreatment of Nigerian inmates in Kaliti Prison, Ethiopia. However, the ministry has deemed Dr. Ezike’s narration as exaggerated and unfair to the Nigerian Mission in Addis Ababa, emphasizing that they regularly visit these prisons to ensure the well-being of the inmates. According to spokesperson…

Daud Olatunji In 2022, Ogun State found itself in the national spotlight for road accidents, ranking third in Nigeria for the highest number of road crashes, resulting in the tragic loss of 397 lives.  This shocking data, recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), paints a grim picture of road safety in the region. Among all states, Kaduna took the top spot with 680 fatalities, followed closely by the Federal Capital Territory with 403 deaths. Ogun’s third-place ranking underscores the urgent need for enhanced road safety measures in the state. The South West region also experienced its share…