Author: Platform Times Newspaper

…New Platform To Replace Outdated Manual Asset Declarations By 2026 ….Unexplained Wealth Will Trigger Automatic Alerts For Further Investigation The Federal Government has begun developing an Artificial Intelligence-driven platform designed to instantly verify assets declared by public officials and flag unexplained wealth as part of renewed efforts to curb corruption. The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Dr Abubakar Bello, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, saying the digital platform would become operational by the first quarter of 2026. Bello said the initiative would replace the existing manual asset declaration system, which he described…

Professional surveyors have offered to deploy advanced mapping technologies, including drones and sensor-based imaging, to help Nigeria’s security forces identify and dismantle bandits’ hideouts, particularly in forested areas across the country. The Chairman of the Association of Private Practising Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN), Federal Capital Territory chapter, Mr Emmanuel Omuya, made the offer on Saturday while addressing journalists at the association’s fourth-quarter 2025 general assembly in Abuja. Omuya said resident surveyors possess the technical expertise and equipment required to support intelligence-led military operations, urging the Federal Government to strengthen collaboration with the profession as insecurity continues to spread nationwide. According…

An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the kidnapping of a retired ExxonMobil worker, Mr Idongesit Demas Udom, and the amputation of his hand after collecting a ₦5m ransom. The convicts—Chinatu Iwe Abraham, 38, from Isiala Ngwa in Abia State; William ThankGod Sunday, 30; Ubon Monday Ebebe, 30; and Saturday Jonah Udo, 43—were found guilty of conspiracy, kidnapping and wounding with intent to maim, disfigure or disable. Delivering judgment after a four-hour reading, Justice Gabriel Ette held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying on the…

In a major political shake-up in Taraba State, Governor Dr Agbu Kefas on Sunday formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the move was driven by his desire to align with President Bola Tinubu’s development vision for the country. Kefas completed his defection after registering as an APC member and receiving his membership card at a brief ceremony conducted by executives of the party in the state. The governor disclosed that a public declaration ceremony to formally announce his switch would be held in the coming days. Speaking shortly after…

A fresh crisis has hit the Accord Party in Osun State as another faction on Sunday produced a separate governorship candidate ahead of the 2026 election. The factional primary, held in Osogbo, resulted in the emergence of Mr Clement Bamigbola as the party’s candidate, barely four days after Governor Ademola Adeleke was announced as the Accord Party’s flagbearer in a parallel exercise. Adeleke had emerged earlier in the week from a primary conducted under the leadership of Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem, shortly after his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party. However, the process was immediately rejected by a faction of the…

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has launched fresh investigations into corruption allegations involving former ministers, serving top government officials and other senior public office holders across the federal and state levels, signalling a renewed push against high-profile graft. The CCB Chairman, Dr Abubakar Bello, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, revealing that at least one former minister has already been dragged before the courts, while others, including a serving senior official, are currently under investigation. “We have started investigating high-profile individuals. There is a former minister we have already taken to court,”…

The Federal Government has banned the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in all public and private secondary schools across the country, in a decisive move to curb examination malpractice. The directive, issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, is aimed at checking the growing abuse of so-called “special centres” and other examination irregularities that have continued to undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s education system. According to a statement released on Sunday by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Folasade Boriowo, the policy will take effect from the 2026/2027 academic session.…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it recovered a total of ₦37.44 billion and $2.35 million in 2025 through asset seizures and forfeitures, describing the figure as one of the highest annual recoveries in the history of the commission. The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this in Abuja during the commission’s End-of-Year Engagement, which also featured a send-off ceremony for retiring staff and the presentation of annual merit awards. In a statement issued on Sunday by the commission’s spokesperson, Mr Okor Odey, Aliyu said the recoveries reflected what he described as a…

Abeokuta Polo Club has announced plans to host its maiden Polo Festival in partnership with MTN Nigeria, in a move expected to elevate the city’s profile as an emerging hub for elite sports, lifestyle and tourism in the South-West. The historic festival, the first of its kind in Ogun State, is designed to blend the rich heritage of polo with contemporary social and cultural experiences, attracting polo enthusiasts, corporate executives, high-net-worth individuals and socialites from across the country. President of the Abeokuta Polo Club, Dr. Sheriff Adams Abdulrahman, described MTN’s support as a major endorsement of the club’s vision to…

The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) on Friday marked a major milestone as it hosted the 10th edition of the Lagos Public Relations Industry Gala and Awards (LaPRIGA 2025), honouring outstanding professionals, agencies and organisations shaping Nigeria’s public relations landscape. The anniversary edition, held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, attracted a cross-section of communication experts, corporate leaders, public sector executives, academics and media practitioners, reinforcing LaPRIGA’s reputation as Nigeria’s flagship PR awards and one of the most credible platforms in Sub-Saharan Africa. With the theme “Nox Excellentia – Night of Excellence,” the event…