Author: Chronicle Editor

The inauguration of the recently created Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has been suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, issued a statement on Tuesday headlined “Suspension of Inauguration of Newly Constituted Board of NNPC LTD.” He stated that the Board’s inauguration, which had been slated for Wednesday, had been indefinitely postponed. “President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the immediate suspension of the inauguration of the newly constituted Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) scheduled for Wednesday 24th November 2021 until further notice,” said Mustapha.…

Authorities say militants from the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram are planning to build a camp in Niger State. Ahmed Matane, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), raised the alarm while briefing reporters in Minna, the state capital, on Tuesday. He lamented the recent increase in bandit attacks on innocent civilians, alleging that they were now coordinating with rebels to exacerbate the state’s security situation. Matane bemoaned the fact that the militants, who had killed hundreds of thousands of people in the North East over the years, were suspected of being present in two…

Manchester United have contacted former Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde about the role of interim manager. Valverde, 57, is one of a handful of potential candidates to take charge until the end of the season before United hire a permanent manager. United are focusing on an interim boss to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They feel recruiting Paris St-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino immediately may not be as straightforward as has been suggested. Former Tottenham manager Pochettino said on Tuesday he was “so happy” at PSG and that he will not be distracted by links to the United job. Valverde fits the template…

A further 700,000 people could die of Covid by March in Europe and parts of Asia, the World Health Organization has warned. The death toll already exceeds 1.5 million in the 53 countries of what the WHO terms as its Europe region. The WHO warned of “high or extreme stress” in intensive care units in 49 of the nations by March 2022. Europe is facing a surge in cases, prompting Austria to return to lockdown and others to consider fresh measures. A number of countries – including France, Germany and Greece – could also soon make booster jabs a requirement…

Barcelona’s Yusuf Demir in action against Benfica in the Champions League. At 18 years and 174 days old, Austria winger Yusuf Demir is the second youngest non-Spaniard to start a Champions League match for Barcelona after Lionel Messi. Barcelona’s hopes of making the Champions League knockout stage hang in the balance after they were held at the Nou Camp by Benfica. On a frustrating night for Xavi’s side, 18-year-old Yusuf Demir, on loan from Rapid Vienna, had a shot tipped behind. Ronald Araujo had a goal disallowed for second-placed Barca, who stay two points ahead of Benfica in third. Barca’s…

Manchester United interim boss Michael Carrick dedicated victory over Villarreal to former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as United booked their place in the Champions League last 16. Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho gave Carrick a win in his first game in temporary charge two days after Solskjaer was sacked. “It’s not been an easy couple of days for anyone at the club and that result almost feels like it’s for Ole,” said Carrick, a Champions League winner with United as a player in 2008. “We had a job to do and things needed to be taken care of.…

Reigning champions Chelsea progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League with an impressive win against Juventus at Stamford Bridge. Trevor Chalobah, who was making his first European start for the Blues, scored the opener when he slammed home a loose ball following a corner after 25 minutes. Chelsea were dominant throughout and got the second goal their performance deserved when Reece James controlled a clearance and volleyed across Wojciech Szczesny into the far corner eight minutes into the second half. A third soon followed with Juventus looking shell-shocked and all at sea defensively as a short, sharp interchange…

The ongoing trial of Emmanuella Eteta Ita, Head of Stakeholders Unit of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, and Surestart School Limited continued on November 22, 2021 before Justice F. Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Abuja with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC presenting two more witnesses. The fourth prosecuting witness, Ijeoma Matilda, an operative of the EFCC, while being led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, told the court that sometime in November 2015, the Commission received an intelligence report alleging that the former Coordinating Director of the FIRS, Peter Hena conspired with the first…

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 arraigned a 29-year-old serial fraudster, Joshua Ajayi Oluwatobiloba, from Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State for offences bordering on personation and cyber fraud. He was arraigned on four counts before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin. Oluwatobi, had sometime in June 2020 been convicted by Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court for similar offence. After spending time at Mandala Correctional Centre, the convict went back to crime, and was again arrested by operatives…

VP, Alaafin headline launch of International Centre For Yoruba Arts And Culture in Ibadan Alaroye Publisher explains mission of the forthcoming Center Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says that the work of centers such as the International Centre For Yoruba Arts and Culture could become a base for how culture can help in building a more inclusive, fairer, and more just society. Prof. Osinbajo, who was speaking this afternoon at the launch of the Centre in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, added that the Centre could strengthen the bonds of unity within an ethnically diverse nation such as Nigeria. “The work…