Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has suspended its nationwide indefinite strike for four weeks following a series of marathon conciliatory meetings with the Federal Government and the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding. NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, confirmed the suspension late Saturday, describing the move as a “gesture of good faith” to allow the government implement critical outstanding items in the association’s 19-point demand. He noted that although the MoU captured “significant progress,” several issues remain unresolved, stressing that the four-week window would determine whether the doctors would resume their total industrial action. Suleiman said the government…

Aishah Waliyullah The Aare Mayegun of Owu Kingdom, Prince Kazeem Adeyanju Olanrewaju Bakinson, has launched a major youth empowerment initiative that has already attracted more than 125 participants—far above the initial target of 10—to be trained in drone mapping and related digital skills. Speaking during the onboarding session held at Owu Club, Abeokuta, Bakinson described drone mapping as a vital emerging industry with a “strong value chain” capable of transforming young people into highly employable specialists. “I am a GIS expert, and I’ve seen drone mapping as an area with enormous potential the youth can tap into,” he said. “We…

A consultant psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Dr. Folakemi Ogundele, has warned that the lifestyle choices people make in their youthful years heavily influence the peace, stability, and health they enjoy in old age. Dr. Ogundele gave the advice on Tuesday in Abeokuta while delivering a public lecture organised by the Beauty of Aging Initiative (BAI) in partnership with Infolite Books. The event, themed “Mental Health of Senior Citizens: Our Roles,” held at the Press Centre, Iwe Iroyin, drew participants from diverse sectors, including students from higher institutions. Speaking on the lifelong impact of early habits, Ogundele stressed…

Renowned historian and global African studies scholar, Professor Toyin Falola, has challenged African universities to reinvent their knowledge systems by breaking away from entrenched Western epistemic dominance and embracing a future built on indigenous intellectual traditions. Falola, the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities and University Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, issued the charge on Thursday while delivering the 17th Convocation Lecture of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, titled “The Future of Knowledge.” The event held at the Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Faculty of Law Auditorium. Speaking before academics, students, and policymakers, Falola…

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has honoured Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, with an Award of Excellence, describing him as the Most Labour-Friendly Governor in Nigeria. The award was presented during the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Thursday, November 27, 2025, at the Conference Hall of Zeus Hotel & Suites, Mabushi, Abuja. The Lagos State Chairman of the union, Comrade Balogun Olusegun, received the award on behalf of the governor. The NEC meeting—the first since the union’s national conference in August 2024, held 15 months ago—had in attendance key dignitaries, including the Minister…

The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has raised fresh alarms over Nigeria’s worsening security vulnerabilities, revealing that terrorist groups have shifted from conventional mobile networks to satellite-based communication systems. The agency’s Director-General, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, disclosed this on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, warning that shutting down mobile networks during security operations no longer disrupts criminal activities. “It breaks my heart when state governments shut down communication on our mobile phones, because most of them are not actually communicating through mobile networks. They are making it through the satellite platform. The terrorists are using…

… No Nigerian Life Should Be Lost To Violence” … Urges Modern Technology To Track Criminals  Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Nigerians to embrace international assistance in the fight against rising insecurity, insisting that no apology is owed for seeking help from the global community. Speaking on Friday at the Plateau Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival in Jos, Obasanjo lamented the daily loss of lives across the country, stressing that the government must deploy modern technology to track and apprehend criminals. “In these days of technology, there should be nobody who can hide after committing a crime,”…

Michael Babatunde The Ogun State Government has  ordered the temporary closure of seven lead-acid battery recycling factories in Ogijo, Sagamu Local Government Area and   imposed a temporary ban on the exportation of lead ingot from the state. The emergency measures followed a PLATFORM TIMES investigative report exposing widespread lead contamination in Ogijo, which drew attention to the health and environmental risks associated with the local recycling industry. Leading the government’s inspection team, Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, confirmed that the shutdown is part of immediate containment efforts while comprehensive assessments are conducted. The team included experts from the Ministries…

 A notorious bandit commander in Katsina State, Isiya Kwashen Garwa, on Thursday released 37 kidnapped victims, including men, women, and children, while accusing the Nigerian government of oppression, injustice, and decades of mismanagement that, he claims, have fueled the cycle of banditry and rural violence in the Northwest. The handover took place at Bakori Local Government Area, where the victims were received by Hon. AbdulRahman Ahmad Kandarawa, the Member representing Bakori Constituency in the Katsina State House of Assembly, in the presence of the local government chairman. In a video sighted, Garwa appeared in a tactical jacket, armed and flanked…

Lagos State has recorded a sharp decline in HIV testing, with only 222,415 tests conducted, representing 28.9 per cent of last year’s total, as disruptions from a U.S. foreign aid freeze continue to impact critical health interventions. Dr. Animashaun, a state health official, attributed the drop to the 90-day suspension of U.S. foreign aid, enacted under President Donald Trump’s January Executive Order “Reevaluating and Realigning U.S. Foreign Aid”. The order temporarily halted funding for health programmes, including HIV testing and counselling across the state. “These pauses in community activities slowed essential interventions, limiting access to testing, counselling, and psychosocial support,”…