Author: Platform Times Newspaper

…. Ogun, Imo, Edo Among States Yet To Establish Functional Regulators … Illegal Permits, Coordination Gaps Deepen Sector Uncertainty Daud Olatunji Nigeria’s push to decentralise electricity regulation is facing serious headwinds as at least 16 states struggle to establish effective regulatory systems, raising fears of worsening power supply challenges for consumers across the country. Findings from the sector indicate that several states, including Ogun, Imo, and Edo, are yet to operationalise their State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs), despite formally assuming regulatory powers under the Electricity Act 2023. The situation has sparked concern within the industry, with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory…

A legal practitioner, Bernard Okpi, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging a bilateral health agreement between Nigeria and the United States over allegations that it could expose sensitive medical data of Nigerians to foreign control. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/15/549/2026 and filed on 16 March, is aimed at stopping the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 19 December 2025 between both countries. Okpi is asking the court to determine whether the agreement violates Nigerians’ constitutional right to privacy and existing data protection laws. Joined as defendants in the case are the President,…

President Bola Tinubu has declared that Nigeria’s economy has exited what he described as a prolonged “dark tunnel” of uncertainty, expressing optimism about the country’s future while urging citizens to sustain hope and confidence in the ongoing reforms of his administration. Tinubu gave the assurance on Wednesday in London during an exhibition tagged “Nigeria’s Modernism,” held as part of his two-day state visit to the United Kingdom. According to him, the administration was elected to “renew everybody’s hope,” adding that his government remained committed to delivering policies that would improve the lives of Nigerians both at home and in the…

The Ogun State Police Command has launched a full-scale investigation into the death of a female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Victoria Ariyo, who reportedly died following complications linked to a suspected abortion procedure. Ariyo, who was serving in Abeokuta South Local Government Area, was said to have undergone the procedure before her condition deteriorated, leading to her death. Her remains have since been buried at Kobape Cemetery along the Kobape–Sagamu road in Abeokuta. The police confirmed the incident on Thursday, noting that detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department have taken over the case to determine…

The Convener of a political and development advocacy group, the United Premier Movement (UPM), Chief Olalekan  Shoyinka, popularly known as Ayinla Egba, has commended the Executive Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government, Hon. Balogun Olaniyi Afeez (BOA), for flagging off the rehabilitation of the 1.266-kilometre Isale-Oja Kuto Road and bridge project. The commendation was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Convener of the group, who described the intervention as timely and people-focused. Shoyinka noted that the project addresses the long-standing infrastructural challenges that have plagued residents, traders and commuters in the area for over two decades, particularly…

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on the Nigerian military and security agencies to intensify offensive operations against terrorists, insisting that security forces must “take the war” to insurgents rather than wait to be attacked. The monarch made the appeal on Wednesday night while announcing the end of Ramadan and declaring Friday as Eid-el-Fitr. His remarks followed Monday’s deadly bomb explosions in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, which left at least 23 people dead and over 100 others injured. The coordinated attacks struck a busy market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the…

The House of Representatives has warned that Nigeria may be plunged into another round of petrol scarcity within the next 48 hours if urgent steps are not taken to address disruptions in the fuel supply chain. The Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Ikenga Ugochinyere, raised the alarm on Thursday during a press briefing at the National Assembly in Abuja, describing the situation as a looming crisis capable of worsening the hardship faced by Nigerians. Ugochinyere said findings from the committee’s oversight revealed that the country was already facing critical bottlenecks that could trigger nationwide fuel shortages, long queues…

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has issued a stern warning to residents aiding insurgents, declaring that collaborators with Boko Haram will be treated as traitors and decisively dealt with amid renewed attacks in the state. In a statewide broadcast on Thursday in Maiduguri, Zulum attributed the recent spike in violence to intensified military operations that have dislodged insurgents from their enclaves, forcing them to infiltrate civilian communities. He described the development as “deeply concerning,” but maintained that security agencies remained in firm control of the overall situation. “The recent spike in activity by these criminal elements is a direct consequence…

Nigeria has emerged as the country with the highest increase in terrorism-related deaths globally, despite an overall decline in such fatalities worldwide, the 2026 Global Terrorism Index has revealed. The report, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace, ranked Nigeria fourth among countries most impacted by terrorism, noting a sharp deterioration in the country’s security situation. According to the index, terrorism-related deaths in Nigeria rose by 46 per cent in 2025 to 750, representing the largest increase recorded globally within the period under review. The report attributed about 80 per cent of the fatalities to activities of Islamic State…

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has declared that he has no regrets over decisions taken during his tenure, despite facing multiple criminal charges. Malami made the assertion shortly after regaining freedom from custody, vowing to vigorously defend himself against allegations of money laundering and other offences brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The ex-minister is standing trial alongside his wife, Asabe, and son, Abdulaziz, on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged financial crimes. The defendants, however, have pleaded not guilty. Speaking in an interview with DCL Hausa on Wednesday, Malami…