Author: Chronicle Editor

Cristiano Ronaldo expects to continue his “trajectory” and win more trophies at Real Madrid after scoring the winner against Gremio in Saturday’s Club World Cup final. The Portugal international, 32, curled home a free-kick as Real became the first team to win back-to-back titles. Ronaldo won a fifth Ballon d’Or earlier this month and crowned himself “the best player in history”. “The numbers speak for themselves,” he said. “I am very happy, I remain very motivated to keep winning things at a collective and individual level. “I still feel strong enough to continue my trajectory as a player and to…

Manchester City marched to their 16th successive league win as they thumped Tottenham to extend their Premier League lead to 14 points. City took the lead when Ilkay Gundogan headed in from Leroy’s Sane’s corner before Kevin de Bruyne smashed home the second after the break. Raheem Sterling tapped in for 3-0 from Sane’s pass and added his second when he slotted under keeper Hugo Lloris. Christian Eriksen fired in a consolation for Spurs in stoppage time. READ: Southampton poor run continue as Marcos Alonso hand Chelsea three points City could have had another but Gabriel Jesus missed a penalty…

Embarrassed by the high number of Libyan returnees from Edo state, Governor Godwin Obaseki has appointed a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration. Abaseki announced the appointment of a Benin based Human Rights Activist and President, Initiative for Youth Awareness on Migration, Immigration, Development and Reintegration (IYAMIDR), Mr Solomon Okoduwa. He has been at the forefront on the awareness on the dangers of illegal migration and benefits of getting engaged back home in Nigeria and Edo in particular. NAN reports that Edo has witnessed an unprecedented returnees from Libya within the last six weeks. READ: ECOWAS…

President Muhammadu Buhari has advocated regional mechanism for evacuation, resettlement and empowerment of stranded ECOWAS citizens abroad. The President made the call at the opening of the 52nd ordinary session of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Abuja on Saturday. He said the mechanism, when functional, would assist in addressing the menace of irregular migration by citizens of ECOWAS member countries. According to him, such mechanism will also address constant threat of violent terrorist groups in the region. He enjoined ECOWAS leaders to step up dialogue with their European partners to jointly address the challenge, which…

A Nigerian military official says four abducted Chinese nationals have been rescued after a gun battle with sea pirates. Army spokesman Major Ojo Adelegan says the four expatriates were kidnapped Friday while travelling from Lagos to Ondo state in the south. He says the military received a distress call and captured one of the kidnappers. He says some of the Chinese nationals were wounded and all are receiving treatment. READ: FAAC distributes N609.95bn to Federal, States, Local governments The military declines to give names or other details. China’s embassy has not yet commented. Kidnapping for ransom is common in Nigeria…

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has distributed N609.95 billion to Federal, States and Local Government as revenue generated in November. This is N77.25 billion more than what they shared in October, Mr. Ahmed Idris, the Accountant-General of the Federation said. The distribution is also timely as it will enable states and local councils to pay workers ahead of Christmas, in the opinion of the Chairman, Commissioners of Finance Forum, Mr Mahmoud Yunusa. Idris said that after the cost of collection deductions by FIRS, Customs and DPR, the Federal Government received N248.2 billion, representing 52.68 per cent; the states got…

Chelsea edged past Southampton thanks to Marcos Alonso’s winner to move level on points with second-placed Manchester United in the Premier League. Alonso’s long-range free-kick beat Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster to put the hosts ahead in injury time of a first half the hosts had dominated. Eden Hazard thought he had doubled the Blues’ lead after the break, but Cesc Fabregas was flagged offside in the build-up. Pedro hit the post and Fabregas shot wide as Southampton, now winless in five matches, rode their luck at Stamford Bridge. It is an eighth win in 10 league games for Antonio Conte’s…

Newcastle suffered a fourth defeat in a row as Arsenal moved back into the top four with a narrow victory. Mesut Ozil’s brilliant volleyed goal in the first half was enough for Arsene Wenger’s side, who dominated until a late rally from Newcastle. Ainsley Maitland-Niles hit the side-netting for Arsenal before the break, but Newcastle had chances in the second half for Jacob Murphy and Ayoze Perez. The result puts Arsenal into fourth place while Newcastle have now claimed just one point from the last 27. Newcastle only came to life in the latter stages, with Perez failing to take…

Thirty six state governors in Nigeria have refused to pay an unnamed consultant its five per cent consultancy fee from the Paris Club refund thereby stalling the payment of salaries to civil servants. The consultant has filed a suit against the states at Federal High Court Abuja for reneging in payment of the consultancy fee for services rendered in recovering Paris Club refund. Further withdrawals from the Paris Club refund by the states government may have been stalled due to the court case. A highly placed source at the Presidency, told NAN on Friday night that the consultant rendered services…

A Canadian billionaire and his wife have been found dead at their home in Toronto in circumstances that police described as “suspicious”. The bodies of Barry Sherman and his wife Honey were found in the basement by an estate agent, reports said. Mr Sherman was the founder and chairman of pharmaceutical giant Apotex, which sells generic medicines around the world. He was one of Canada’s richest men and a prominent philanthropist. There was no sign of forced entry to the property, police said in a statement Friday evening. Local media reported that investigators were not searching for a suspect at…