Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A nationwide electricity blackout looms as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has ordered gas producers to halt supplies to power generation companies (GenCos) over unpaid debts. The NMDPRA said the debts, totaling over N2 trillion, have significantly hindered gas producers’ ability to sustain operations. The agency urged gas off-takers, particularly GenCos, to promptly settle payments for gas supplied to avert further disruptions. The directive was announced during a stakeholder sensitisation workshop on wholesale supply operations in Nigeria. Represented by Joseph Tolorunse, the NMDPRA Chief Executive Officer, Farouk Ahmed, disclosed that the directive was issued following complaints…

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Remi Tinubu, has raised alarm over the persistent burden of tuberculosis (TB) in the country, describing it as one of the leading causes of death despite significant progress in tackling the disease. Speaking on Tuesday at the 2024 National TB Conference in Abuja, themed ‘Public-Private Partnership and Integrated Service Delivery: Panacea to End TB in Nigeria,’ Mrs. Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s alarming TB statistics. According to her, “The country ranks as the sixth highest burden country globally and the first in Africa. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 reveals that Nigeria recorded…

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disbursed a total of N110 billion to students in public tertiary institutions across the country, the fund’s Managing Director, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, has disclosed. Sawyerr revealed this during the inauguration and induction of NELFUND SERVICOM members in Abuja on Tuesday, noting that the disbursement figures are constantly updated due to frequent payments. “We’ve just approved a new batch of N110 billion for disbursement to students. “About 60 per cent of that amount is going directly to institutions to cover tuition fees, while 40 per cent is allocated for students’ upkeep,” he said. “The…

Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force have arrested three suspects and recovered counterfeit currencies totaling an estimated N129.5 billion in Gwale, Kano State. The arrest, which took place on December 8, 2024, resulted in the seizure of counterfeit notes in multiple currencies, including $3,366,000 in fake US dollars, 51,970 counterfeit CFA francs, and N1,443,000 in counterfeit Nigerian naira. The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed the development in a statement on Tuesday, identifying the suspects as Nura Ibrahim, Muhammed Muntari, and Usman Abdullahi. “This momentous achievement was recorded on the 8th of December 2024, at Gwale, Kano State,…

A self-proclaimed pastor, Terry Tinate Augustus, popularly known as “Black,” has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a violent kidnapping syndicate linked to multiple abductions, including a recent high-profile case in Lagos. Augustus, from the Ajapa community in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, was apprehended on December 8, 2024, in Alape, Ilaje Local Government Area, through a coordinated operation by the Amotekun Corps and the Special Assistant to the Ondo State Governor on Pipeline Surveillance and Waterways Security, Engineer Alore Omosuyi. The arrest followed intelligence provided by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Special Squad .…

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has appointed five additional resident and visiting Imams to serve at the National Mosque in Abuja, bringing the total number of Imams at the mosque to eight. The new appointees, announced during a press briefing at the mosque’s boardroom on Tuesday, include Prof. Ilyasu Tochukwu Usman (visiting Imam, Enugu State), Prof. Luqman Zakariyah (resident Imam, Osun State), Sheikh Abdulkadir Salman PhD (visiting Imam, Kwara State), Barr. Haroun Muhammed Eze (resident Imam, Enugu State), and Prof. Khalid Aliyu Abubakar (visiting Imam, Plateau State). The Secretary-General of NSCIA, Prof.   Is-haq Oloyede, highlighted that the…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has disclosed that at least 10,000 Nigerians were detained for immigration offenses in African and European countries in 2024. The revelation came during the 10th Annual National Migration Dialogue, which was held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday. Themed “Beyond Borders: Celebrating Migrants’ Legacy, Protecting Their Rights,” the dialogue also coincided with the commemoration of International Migrants Day. While expressing concern over the figures, Shettima highlighted the critical role of Nigerian migrants in global economic growth, noting that Nigeria remains the leading source of diaspora remittances in West Africa. “In…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised alarm over Nigeria’s escalating debt profile, describing it as a looming burden on both the present and unborn generations. Speaking during a Zoom interactive session titled “Boiling Point Arena” on Sunday, Obasanjo called for urgent measures to address the nation’s fiscal challenges and ensure sustainable development. Recent data  indicates that Nigeria’s debt surged by N12.6 trillion in just three months, reaching an unprecedented N134.3 trillion ($91.3 billion) at the close of the second quarter of 2024. This represents a 10.35% rise from the N121.7 trillion recorded in the first quarter, reflecting a worrying trend…

The Director-General of the National Blood Service Agency, Prof. Saleh Yuguda, has raised alarm over Nigeria’s critical blood shortage, disclosing that the country supplies less than 30 per cent of its blood needs. This shortfall, he said, contributes significantly to preventable deaths, particularly among road accident victims. Speaking at the third National Blood Donor Day celebration held at the Family Worship Centre, Abuja, on Sunday, Yuguda lamented the reluctance of healthy Nigerians to voluntarily donate blood. The event aimed to encourage voluntary blood donation and enlist the support of religious leaders in mobilizing their communities. Yuguda stated, “Blood is a…

The Ogun State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has announced that its 2024 Annual Convention will hold on Saturday, December 14, at the Simeon Adebo Library, Abeokuta. The event, scheduled to begin at 12 noon, promises an engaging discourse and celebration of literary excellence. The Chairman of ANA Ogun, Dr. Chris Omotosho, disclosed that the convention’s theme, “Survival Strategies for Writers in a Depressed Economy,” will be delivered by Olori Ameenat Adeleye Matemilola, wife of the Olowu of Owu. In addition, the Chairman of Justrite, Dr. Ayodele Aderinwale, has been designated as the Chairman of the occasion,…