Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday,  fixed March 20 to deliver judgement in a suit filed by Mr Ugochukwu Uchenwa, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, seeking to stop the conduct of elections and examinations on Saturdays. Justice James Omotosho set the date after hearing arguments from both sides of the case. Mr. Uchenwa, an elder of the church, argues that scheduling elections and examinations on Saturdays violates his and other church members’ rights to freedom of worship. He claims it forces them to choose between their religious beliefs and participating in civic duties or educational opportunities.…

In a dramatic turn of events, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has executed a takeover of Union Bank, Titan Trust Bank, Polaris, and Keystone Bank, signalling a significant upheaval in the nation’s banking sector.  The move comes in response to the findings of the Special Investigator, Jim Obazee, whose report implicated these banks in alleged financial irregularities. President Bola Tinubu, acting on the recommendations of the Special Investigator, instructed CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso to dismiss the managements of the four banks and dissolve their Boards.  This directive was promptly executed as the affected banks’ managements were summoned to the…

In a concerning revelation, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), the apex body representing employers, has disclosed that a total of 15 multinational companies have either divested or partially closed their operations in Nigeria over the past three years. The Director-General of NECA, Adewale Oyerinde, expressed his apprehensions during an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, highlighting the far-reaching implications of the substantial job losses across various sectors.  With a combined value-chain staff strength exceeding 20,000 employees, these organisations’ departures are predicted to have dire consequences for organised businesses, labour, government revenue, and households. Oyerinde emphasised, “It is worrisome to note…

President Bola Tinubu has mourned the death of Sheikh Abdul-Hafeez Aṣhamu Abou, Baba Adinni of Lagos and Chairman of the Executive Council of Lagos Central Mosque. Abou died on Tuesday at the age of 101. Tinubu, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale early Wednesday said he mourned the Baba Adinni with a heavy heart. Tinubu condoled with Baba’s family, the Muslim community in Lagos, as well as the Lagos State Government over this very sad loss. The President celebrated the inspiring legacy of service, duty, and sacrifice of Baba, who passed away at 101 years old, noting…

In a shocking turn of events, Wosilat Suleiman, a mother who had just delivered a baby boy via Caesarean Section at Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia, Nasarawa State, fell victim to a cunning yet-to-be-identified woman on Tuesday. The mysterious woman, feigning goodwill, vanished with the one-day-old baby after offering to assist in bathing him, leaving Wosilat in distress. Wosilat recounted, “My relative, who was looking after me, introduced the unfamiliar woman she encountered in the ward before she briefly left to fetch something.  Assuming the woman had a patient in the ward, my relative trusted her to care for…

Daud Olatunji In a distressing incident, Michael Ayinde, 51, and his son, Abiola, 19, faced remand orders from the Family Court in Ibadan on Tuesday over allegations of jointly raping Michael’s daughter, who is also Abiola’s sister. Magistrate Mrs O. O. Ogunkanmi presided over the case, refraining from taking the defendants’ pleas. Instead, she directed their remand at the Abolongo Correctional Facility in Oyo town. The accused, the father and older brother of the complainant, purportedly committed the heinous act at their residence in the Agboti Olosan area, Alakia, Ibadan. Ogunkanmi explained that the remand aimed to await legal advice…

Daud Olatunji In a decisive move to bolster public safety, the Nigeria Police Force  Intelligence Department Tactical Team – DFI-IRT and DFI-STS has  apprehended 67 suspects engaged in a range of criminal activities.  Among them were three suspects  affiliated with a gunrunning syndicate implicated in the Christmas Eve attack on villages in  Plateau state, leading to the death of over 100 persons  . Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, revealing that Ahmed Sulaimon, Balikisu Aliyu, and Aboki Samuel are now in police custody, providing crucial assistance in ongoing investigations. He added that recoveries…

In a groundbreaking revelation, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has  lauded Femi Adesina’s upcoming book, “Working With Buhari; Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023),”. Osinbajo described the book as more than a memoir, saying, it is a  profound conversation with the Nigerian populace unraveling the true persona of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Scheduled for a grand launch on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at the esteemed Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, the book, authored by Femi Adesina, who served as Buhari’s media adviser for eight years, promises an in-depth exploration of Buhari’s presidency, chronicling the author’s experiences, insights, and observations…

The former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP),Peter Obi,has expressed apprehensions regarding the approved N7.3 trillion Ways and Means debt balance.  This debt, a short-term financing tool by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to cover budget shortfalls, is now under scrutiny. President Bola Tinubu, on December 30, 2023, addressed both chambers of the national assembly, urging the securitization of the outstanding N7.3 trillion ways and means debt balance.  Tinubu argued that this move would lead to benefits such as a reduction in debt service costs. In response to this, Obi, in a thread on X, criticised the securitization…

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, disclosed that his administration has successfully empowered approximately 11,885 startup businesses over the past four years.  The beneficiaries primarily include indigent individuals, vulnerable populations, and graduates of Skills Acquisition Centers within the state. Governor Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, emphasised that this initiative aimed to tackle poverty, boost wealth creation, and mitigate the challenges faced by Nigerians due to subsidy removal.  The revelation was made during the 2024 Lagos State Micro-Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI), organized by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. Commending the ministry for driving the…