Author: Chronicle Editor

UEFA has issued the following statement regarding this morning’s draw for the round of 16 of the Champions League. The statement reads: ‘Following a technical problem with the software of an external service provider that instructs the officials as to which teams are eligible to play each other, a material error occurred in the draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. As a result of this, the draw has been declared void and will be entirely redone at 15.00 CET today, Monday 13 December 2021. The draw will be streamed live on uefa.com. We apologise for the inconvenience…

Lionel Messi will face rival, Cristiano Ronaldo when Paris Saint Germain take on Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League. Messi, 34, who was recently crowned Ballon d’Or joined PSG in the summer while Ronaldo, 36, returned to Old Trafford in same transfer window. The mouthwatering fixture is one written in the stars and could possibly be the last match that these football legends face off in the prestigious Champions League. Holders Chelsea have been drawn to face French champions Lille, while six-time winners Liverpool come up against Red Bull Salzburg. Premier League champions Manchester City take…

The UK says the travel red list it imposed on certain countries is set to be scrapped as soon as this week. This decision comes barely 48 hours after the Nigerian government vowed to impose similar sanctions on the UK, Canada and Saudi Arabia. The emergence of Omicron forced thousands of travellers into hotel quarantine at a cost of £2,285 per person for ten days. But just a fortnight after the list was introduced, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is said to have convinced colleagues it should be replaced with testing for the fully vaccinated. The move is expected to be…

One of the major contenders for the national chairmanship of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mallam Saliu Mustapha has described the inaugural speech of the new national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Iyorchia Ayu as the continuation of a bare-faced attempt by the party to hoodwink Nigerians to return it to power in 2023. He said in a statement he personally signed that the opposition party is largely responsible for the mess President Muhammadu Buhari and APC have been cleaning up in the last 6 years. Mustapha said, “Like many stakeholders in the ruling party, I find it…

Some telephone shops at the Computer Village market in Ikeja, Lagos state have been gutted by fire in the early hours of Monday. The damage caused by the fire was stemmed thanks to the swift response by Fire Service operators in the Ikeja area. Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Adekunle Ajisebutu, explained that cause of the fire could not be determined as at press time. He said, “There was a fire incident at 18, Otigba Street, Computer Village, Ikeja early hour of today. The fire engulfed a shopping complex. Olasoji, Azeez installed as Babaloja, Iyaloja of Computer village “As soon…

Barcelona are planning moves for Chelsea and United States winger Christian Pulisic, 23, Germany defender Antonio Rudiger, 28, and Spain full-back Cesar Azpilicueta, 32. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish) Leeds United remain keen on a deal for Chile striker Ben Brereton Diaz, 22, despite Blackburn Rovers putting a £25m price on him. (Sun) West Ham are targeting English defender Nathaniel Phillips, 24, as a replacement for injured Italian Angelo Ogbonna, 33, but Liverpool are demanding £10m to let him go. (Sun) Bayern Munich’s French winger Kingsley Coman, 25, is stalling on signing a new contract at the Allianz Arena, and…

Gunmen have kidnapped a husband and wife in Ugwunagbo Local Government Area of Abia State. Sources said the couple were owners of a private school in Umuobasi Ukwu, Umugo community. The incident occurred at about 9:00pm on Saturday. It was gathered that the kidnappers who operated in a black Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) trailed the couple while they were on their way back home. They had gone to buy things that the school was to use for its graduation ceremony on Sunday in the same community. A source said: “They (husband and wife) were on their back after buying things…

Police have arrested Pastor Peter Taiwo of Christ Apostolic Bible church in Alaja Oke, Saje area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, for defiling a 16-year-old chorister of the church. Also arrested alongside the pastor is his wife, Elizabeth Taiwo, who connived with her husband by aiding and abetting the alleged crime. The pastor and his wife were arrested on Friday following a complaint reported at Adatan divisional headquarters by the victim, who told the police that while she was in the church for choir practice when the pastor’s wife called her out and directed her to go meet the…

A violent mafia-style gang in Nigeria linked to murder and fraud has infiltrated the country’s political system and launched a global scamming operation well beyond Nigeria’s borders, according to thousands of hacked documents and testimonies seen by the BBC. The ‘Black Axe’ gang has been operating for decades in Nigeria and is among the country’s most-feared organised crime syndicates. Membership of these syndicates, known as “cults” or “fraternities”, is outlawed in Nigeria. For the past two years, BBC Africa Eye has been following the Black Axe, speaking to former members and combing through thousands of leaked documents that appear to…

Gunmen have kidnapped at least 11 people, including a Muslim cleric, in two separate attacks in Sokoto state, Nigeria, reports say. They happened on Friday and Saturday in the Sabon Birni area of the northwest state. Nigeria’s National Security Adviser Maj Gen Ali Monguno was visiting the region at the time and reiterated the government’s commitment to tackling growing insecurity. Sokoto Attack: Death toll rises to 43 Dozens of passengers were killed in the state last week when gunmen ambushed and set fire to their bus. On Friday, there were protests in several cities calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to…