Author: Chronicle Editor

A Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Friday ordered that five strokes of the cane be given to a 25-year-old man, Mustapha Abubakar, for attempting to steal a jeep tyre cover.‎ Abubakar of no fixed address had pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of criminal trespass and attempt to commit an offence. The judge, Mr Mohammed Marafa, also warned Abubakar to desist from committing crime, adding that if brought back to court again, he would face the consequences. The prosecutor, Babajide Olanipekun, had told the court that Abubakar criminally trespassed into a compound along pipeline, Kubwa, Abuja on November…

Everton manager Sam Allardyce says the club is negotiating with Arsenal to sign Theo Walcott on a permanent deal. Allardyce said the 28-year-old forward would be a “fantastic addition”, who would offer “goalscoring threat”. He added: “If it’s possible to be over the line I’d be delighted. It’s not imminent but negotiations are ongoing.” Walcott – a two-time FA Cup winner with Arsenal – has featured 395 times for the club but has played just 47 minutes in the Premier League this season. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says he has informed Walcott he wants him to stay but added on…

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has set a Premier League record by being named manager of the month four consecutive times. The 46-year-old was named winner of December’s award as his side produced six league wins and a draw. Chelsea boss Antonio Conte won the award three times in a row in 2016. City scored 19 goals in December and bagged four on three different occasions and saw off Spurs, West Ham, Bournemouth, Newcastle, Swansea, Leicester and Manchester United. READ: CHAN: Video Assistant Referee debuts in Africa Tottenham striker Harry Kane was player of the month for December to equal…

US President Donald Trump has reportedly lashed out at immigrants in a foul-mouthed Oval Office outburst that a UN spokesman later condemned as “shocking”, “shameful” and “racist”. UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said: “If confirmed these are shocking and shameful comments from the president of the United States, I’m sorry but there is no other word for this but racist.” Mr Colville spoke of a 2016 presidential campaign speech in which Mr Trump called Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists, and to his response last year to a white supremacist march that ended in violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, when…

Traditional chiefs in central Ghana have banned menstruating girls from crossing a river. The chiefs said they are enforcing a directive from the river god, according to a BBC report. But children have to cross the River Ofin to get to school in Kyekyewere, in the Upper Denkyira East district. So this means girls cannot attend school while they are on their periods. However, it is not just on period days: a second order from the river gods bans all girls from crossing the river on Tuesdays. READ: No preferred bidder in 9mobile takeover – NCC UNICEF’s menstrual hygiene ambassador…

Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, has reacted to reports in the newspaper and online that there is a preferred bidder to acquire 9mobile, formerly Etisalat. The Nigerian regulator said that the exercise leading to the acquisition of the debt-laden company is strictly by the book, noting that, no bidder is favoured above others. “Our attention has been drawn to newspaper publications alleging that a preferred bidder has been anointed to acquire 9Mobile and otherwise speculating on the outcome of the ownership transfer process,” NCC spokesperson, Tony Ojobo said. He then went on to explain the process leading to the takeover. “For…

Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, have set a January 16 deadline for receipt of binding offers from prospective bidders to acquire debt-laden telecom firm 9mobile, the telecoms regulator said on Thursday. NCC alongside the central bank approved the deadline after 9mobile’s board requested a time extension, the Nigerian regulator said. It added that Barclays Africa will review bids submitted before the deadline and make recommendations to 9mobile. Nigerian lenders picked Barclays Africa to try to find new investors for 9mobile after banks took over the telecoms firm, formerly called Etisalat Nigeria, for defaulting on its loan. “The winner will now apply…

Pan-African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA), has changed the face of Nigerian e-banking with the introduction of Leo, UBA Chat Banker that enables customers make use of their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions. At the official launch of Leo, UBA’s Chat Banker, which took place in Lagos on Thursday, customers of the bank were given a step by step demonstration on the novel way of delivering lifestyle and quality banking through the Facebook Messenger chat platform. This is the first time that a financial institution in Africa has come up with this manner of…

A Nigerian man, Chidimma Obodoechina Amedu has taken Facebook post to a whole new level when he posted an unusual advert on 30 December 2017 asking any woman interested in being his wife to reply. He also said he was ready to tie the nuptials knots on 6 January, 2018. “Am of age and I am ready to say I do and am wasting no time. “Send in your applications – the most qualified will be married on January 6, 2018. Application closes 12 midnight, 31/12/2017,” Amedu posted. He then followed up with subsequent posts. “Am serious about this oh…

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology will deployed midway through the African Nations Championship (CHAN), which kicks off Saturday with hosts Morocco among the title favourites. The system allows off-field match officials to assist referees in “game-changing” situations such as goals, penalty kicks, straight red cards and cases of mistaken identity. It has been trialled in the Italian Serie A and German Bundesliga this season and debuted in England this week. VAR is scheduled to be used in Morocco from the quarter-finals of a unique national team competition as participation is restricted to footballers playing in their country of birth. The…