Author: Chronicle Editor

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has ordered investigation into alleged extortion of truck drivers by soldiers on the Maiduguri-Gamboru Ngala road in Borno. The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman said in a statement on Sunday that the order followed the complaint by a man, who identified himself as “DanBorno” on his Twitter account. According to Usman, DanBorno alleged soldiers collected N300,000 from each truck driver to escort the long queue of vehicles on that road. “The Nigerian Army has noted with great concern an allegation of complacency and extortion against soldiers “Consequent upon this,…

The Buhari presidency has acknowledged and apologised for the errors made in listing late Senator Francis Okpozu and two others among chairmen and members of boards of government agencies and parastatals. The President’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu admitted the errors and said “no human undertaking can be free of mistakes”. He said the errors identified with the list were not enough to describe the exercise as scandalous, insisting that “there is no scandal”. The President’s spokesman explained that the names of dead appointees in the list came about because the list had been compiled by the former Secretary to the…

Nigeria’s vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has noted that the Buhari administration is committed to promoting the establishment of privately financed modular refineries so as to increase local refining capacity, create jobs, ensure peace and stability in the Niger delta region. The initiative which featured prominently in recent talks between the Federal Government and the oil-producing areas, as represented by PANDEF, will also reposition the petroleum industry and ensure self-sufficiency of petroleum products, while serving as a disincentive for illegal refineries and oil pollution. At an end-of-the-year review meeting of the Niger Delta Inter-Ministerial Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,…

Cristiano Ronaldo has asked that Real Madrid set their selling price for a potential transfer at a “realistic” total of 100m euros (£89m). The 32-year-old forward is ready for a move away from the club. (Daily Record) Chelsea forward Eden Hazard, 26, has not rejected a contract extension with the Premier League champions, despite claims from his father that he wants to move to Real Madrid. (Independent) Antonio Conte is also preparing to make another bid for Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, 24. (Telegraph) Manchester United are monitoring Napoli midfielder Jorginho, 26, as a replacement for Michael Carrick. (Manchester Evening News)…

No-one really enjoys a long airport stopover, but for one Zimbabwean family, Bangkok’s main airport has been home for nearly three months. According to the Thai immigration bureau, the four children under 11 and four adults arrived in Bangkok in May, but are refusing to return to Zimbabwe for fear of persecution. Their plight came to light after someone who said he worked at Suvarnabhumi airport posted a photo on Facebook showing himself giving a little African girl a Christmas present. In the now deleted post, Kanaruj Artt Pornsopit said the family had been living in the airport for nearly…

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI} says Nigeria lost 2.27 billion dollars and N60.99 billion to the Offshore Processing Arrangement (OPA) and crude for product swap arrangement, valuation issues, crude oil and petroleum products losses. NEITI stated this, in its ‎2015 Oil and Gas Industry Audit, released Friday in Abuja. It said that a net loss of 723 million dollars was recorded through the Offshore Processing Arrangement, meaning that the value of refined products that the country received through OPA was less than the value of the crude given by 723 million dollars, even after allowances had been made…

Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated Liberia’s president-elect, George Weah, telling him that democracy goes beyond the election day. Jonathan, who had just returned from Monrovia after leading the National Democratic Institute (NDI), International Elections Observation Mission to Liberia, posted the goodwill message to Weah on his Facebook page, on Friday. Jonathan, advised Weah to maintain his open door policy in his new position, saying “everybody is a winner when democracy wins, and democracy has won today”. Weah, a retired international footballer and standard bearer of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) was declared winner on Friday after…

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday appointed 209 board chairmen and 1,258 members of government owned agencies and parastatals, redeeming a part of the pledge he made 31 October at the National Executive Committee meeting of his All Progressives Congress. More appointments are on the way, said Mr. Boss Mustapha, secretary to the Government of the Federation, who announced the latest massive batch of appointees. At the APC NEC meeting, President Buhari also hinted he would expand his cabinet by appointing more ministers. The latest appointments, the largest President Buhari ever made since 2015, saw Malam Wada Maida, a former editor-in-chief…

The Nigerian Army has carried re-deployment and posting of 399 principal officers, commanders and General Officers Commanding. Most of the redeployed officers are from the Defence and Army Headquarters, Corps Commander and General Officers Commanding (GOCs). Army spokesman Brig.-Gen Sani Usman said on Friday in Abuja that the redeployed officers included Maj.-Gen.l R.O Yusuf, Commander Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) who is now the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army). Maj.-Gen. A.A Salihu, Chief of Defence Communications will now take over as Commander, TRADOC; Maj.-Gen. L.O Adeosun, from Defence Headquarters, has been appointed Commander, Infantry Corps. With the posting ,…

Rilwan “Real One” Oladosu, the lightweight boxer who won the N2.5 million cash prize attached to the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy for the best boxer at GOtv Boxing Night 13, has thanked GOtv, sponsors of the event. He was voted best boxer on account of his performance in the bout against Kehinde “Ijoba” Badmus at the event, which held on Boxing Day at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island. Speaking in Lagos yesterday, Oladosu said the cash prize will motivate him to aim higher. “I am happy at what GOtv is doing for boxing. Boxers are being encouraged and made to…