Author: Chronicle Editor

German champions Bayern Munich have announced Eintract Frankfurt boss Niko Kovac will succeed Jupp Heynckes as their manager at the end of the season. Heynckes took charge following the dismissal of ex-Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti in October, and led Bayern to their sixth Bundesliga title in a row. The 72-year-old is in his second spell at the club, and could yet win the Champions League again. Former Croatia captain Kovac played for Bayern from 2001-2003. The 46-year-old, who has also managed Croatia, will take up his new role on 1 July and has signed a three-year contract. Kovac, born in…

Liverpool will play Roma in the Champions League semi-finals, with Bayern Munich facing Real Madrid. The Reds, who overcame Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, will host Roma on 24 or 25 April before the return leg on 1 or 2 May. Arsenal will face Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-finals, while Red Bull Salzburg meet Marseille. The Gunners will play the first leg at home on Thursday, 26 April, with the second leg a week later on 3 May. The Europa League final will be in Lyon, France on Wednesday, 16 May, with the winner guaranteed…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the management of the University of Ibadan and Adekunle Ajasin University to “immediately reverse the patently illegal increases in fees. SERAP said the fees would stigmatize students that may be unable to pay, lead to a filtering out of such students and foreclose any realistic possibility that they will contribute in even the smallest way to the progress of our country.” The organization said: “The universities ought to have carefully considered the effects of high fees on accessibility and the vision of education that they seek to achieve. “The universities are advised…

Nigeria’s annual inflation dropped to 13.34 per cent in March, down from 14.33 per cent in February, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday. The annual inflation has now dropped for the 14th consecutive time, Dr Yemi Kale, Statistician General of the Federation/CEO Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics revealed. A separate food price index showed inflation at 16.08 per cent, down from 17.59 per cent while and core inflation drops to 11.2 per cent from 11.7 per cent. March 2017 inflation report published. Headline inflation drops for 14th consecutive time to 13.34% in March 2018, year on year from…

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has clamped down on a petrol station affiliated to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for selling fuel at N181 per litre and under dispensing the product. The station, a serial offender, will be shut for four months, a period within which a decisive action will have been thought out to deter it from further abusing the system. The DPR Zonal Operations Controller for Abuja, Mr Abba Misau, the petrol station located on Kashim Ibrahim Way in Wuse 2 District of Abuja, had also been under-dispensing petrol to customers. He said DPR had to seal…

The Nigerian government has approved the establishment of the Nigerian Army University which will offer both academic and military training. But what do we know about this university and who can apply for admission? Here’s what we know about the Nigerian Army University In June 2017, Nigerian Army met with National Universities Commission seeking approval of the Nigerian Army University. On 11 April, 2018, the Federal Executive Council approved the establishment of Nigerian Army University. READ: Baby born four years after parents’ death The university is designed as a unique and specialised institution that would serve as solutions centre, especially…

A baby has been born in China to a surrogate mother four years after his parents died in a car crash, Chinese media reported. The couple, who died in 2013, had frozen several embryos hoping to have a child through IVF. After the accident, their parents fought a protracted legal battle to be allowed to use the embryos. The boy was born in December to a surrogate from Laos and The Beijing News first reported the case this week. The newspaper explained how the lack of precedent for a case of this kind had forced the deceased couple’s parents through…

Referee Michael Oliver has “a bag of rubbish for a heart”, says Gianluigi Buffon after Juventus were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid. English official Oliver awarded an injury-time penalty to Real for Mehdi Benatia’s foul on Lucas Vazquez and Buffon was sent off for his reaction. “It was certainly a dubious incident. Not clear-cut,” Buffon told Italian TV. Buffon also told Italian media that Oliver should “sit in the stands eating crisps” for “ruining a dream”. ‘He had to understand the disaster he was creating’ Real had led 3-0 after the first leg, but saw their…

Nigeria Stock Exchange lifted a suspension on the trading of shares in oil company Oando on Wednesday, following a directive from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the stock exchange said. Trading on Oando shares had been frozen for six months on the Lagos stock exchanges after the regulator ordered the suspension to probe alleged insider trading and the oil company’s shareholding structure. The shares resumed trade at 6.30 naira, after last closing at 5.99 naira six months ago. The stock exchange notified Oando on the lifting via a letter. It did not provide any reason. In October, SEC said…

Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury-time penalty put holders Real Madrid through to the Champions League semi-finals after holding off a stunning Juventus comeback. Ronaldo’s coolly-taken 97th-minute penalty into the top corner came after Medhi Benatia brought down Lucas Vazquez in the box. Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, in his last Champions League appearance, was sent off by English referee Michael Oliver after awarding the spot-kick, for foul and abusive language. Real, Champions League winners in three of the past four seasons, came into the second leg leading 3-0, helped by Ronaldo’s stunning bicycle kick. But the Serie A leaders got off to a…