Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The House of Representatives has launched an urgent investigation into the prolonged detention of 11 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel and a C-130 aircraft by Burkina Faso’s authorities. The lower chamber directed its relevant committees to work with security and diplomatic agencies to secure the swift release of the crew and aircraft. The probe followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Retired Air Vice Marshal Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo, representing Ekiti South West/Ikere/Ise-Orun Federal Constituency, during Tuesday’s plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. Burkina Faso’s military-led government, through the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), claimed that the…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that it received a formal petition from billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote accusing the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, of corruption and financial impropriety. ICPC spokesperson John Okor Odey, in a statement on Tuesday, said the commission will investigate the allegations thoroughly. “The ICPC writes to confirm that it received a formal petition today, Tuesday, 16th December 2025, from Alhaji Aliko Dangote through his lawyer. The petition is against the CEO of the NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed,” he said.…

Former First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has revealed that she has no intention of remarrying following the death of her husband, former President Muhammadu Buhari, as she turns her focus to family, philanthropy, and healthcare, according to a new book by journalist Niyi Omole. The book depicts Mrs Buhari’s post-presidency life as a deliberate retreat from the political spotlight, allowing her to pursue a quieter, more personal existence after decades of public scrutiny and political pressure. Omole noted that the former First Lady now spends more time with friends, associates, and her grandchildren, aiming to be an active presence in…

The Nigerian Society of Engineers has taken a major step towards operational efficiency and sustainability with the commissioning of a 6000W/10KWh solar-powered inverter system and an 18-seater Ford Transit bus for its Abeokuta Branch, PLATFORM TIMES reports. The projects were inaugurated on Tuesday at the branch secretariat, with the President of the NSE, Mrs Margaret Oguntala, leading the ceremony. The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Public Works, Babatunde Adesina, performed the symbolic tape-cutting for the solar installation. Oguntala described the newly commissioned assets as strategic investments aimed at strengthening the Society’s capacity, improving service delivery and promoting…

Aishah Waliyyulah  The Ogun State Teaching Service Commission has defended its newly introduced whistleblower policy, insisting that public secondary schools in the state have enough teachers but suffer from poor distribution, particularly between urban and rural areas. The TESCOM Chairman, Mr Abiodun Sanyaolu, said the policy was designed to strengthen discipline, accountability and real-time monitoring of teachers, not to witch-hunt staff, as critics have suggested. Sanyaolu spoke during an interaction with journalists, where he clarified that while the Ministry of Education is responsible for education policy and infrastructure, TESCOM remains the employer and regulator of secondary school teachers, with oversight…

Billionaire industrialist and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), calling for the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, over alleged corruption and financial impropriety. In the petition dated December 16 and addressed to the ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Dangote accused the NMDPRA boss of living far above his lawful income as a public officer, alleging that Ahmed spent more than $7m on the education of his four children in Switzerland…

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation has commenced the payment of insured deposits to customers of the defunct Aso Savings and Loans Plc and Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc following the revocation of their operating licences by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The NDIC, which has been appointed liquidator of the two mortgage banks, said eligible depositors would receive up to ₦2m per account as insured deposits, assuring that balances above the threshold would be settled later as liquidation dividends after the recovery of assets and outstanding loans. In a statement on Monday, the corporation urged affected customers to submit…

Tragedy struck the Maraba Quarters area of Kano on Monday morning when an elderly Islamic cleric, Ladan Zubairu, was brutally murdered inside a mosque while calling worshippers to the dawn prayer. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the cleric was at the Yusuf Garko Mosque performing the first adhan (call to prayer) when the assailant struck. Witnesses said the attacker entered the mosque shortly after the first call and launched a violent attack on the cleric as he sat briefly to recite supplications ahead of the second call. Confirming the incident, the deceased’s son, Isa Kasim, told journalists that his father’s throat…

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State is set to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, citing deepening internal crises and mounting political risks within the opposition party, his aide has said. The governor’s Political Adviser, Istifanus Nwansat, disclosed the planned defection on Monday in Abuja, saying the decision followed a careful assessment of the prevailing political realities ahead of future electoral contests. According to him, the protracted leadership crisis rocking the PDP has weakened the party’s capacity to offer a viable platform for serious political actors, making continued stay increasingly unsafe for elected officials.…

… Says Fiscal Reforms, Digital Drive Surge …2025 Inflows Already Exceed Full-Year Figures Of Past Two Years Daud Olatunji The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has reported a significant surge in Nigeria’s federation account, with total accruals rising to N23.06tn between January and October 2025, surpassing full-year revenues recorded in previous years. The Chairman of the commission, Mohammed Shehu, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a two-day national stakeholders’ discourse on “Enhancing Fiscal Efficiency and Revenue Growth under the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025.” Shehu said the latest figure marked a sharp improvement on the N11.93tn recorded in 2023…