Author: Chronicle Editor

There was a plot to abduct the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, in the thick of the announcement of the results of the 2015 presidential poll, a new book has revealed. The revelation was made in a book, ‘On a Platter of Gold: How Jonathan won and lost Nigeria,’ written by a former Minister of Sports, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi, who is now the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress(APC). Jega was to be forced to resign or declare the election as inconclusive after the abduction by rabid loyalists of former president…

An American tourist has been killed in a shark attack off the remote Costa Rican island of Isla Del Coco. The woman, who has not yet been identified, is understood to have been attacked by a tiger shark while diving with a group of tourists. The Costa Rican environment ministry confirmed the attack took place on Thursday afternoon, around 330m (530km) from Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Read Also Police thwart jail break in Bayelsa The woman was removed from the water and treated for severe bites to her limbs, but later died. The dive master also suffered a shark bite,…

Barely three weeks after 10 suspects escaped from police detention facilities in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, another attempt was averted on Friday. Mr Asuquo Amba, Bayelsa Police Commissioner, confirmed the attempted escape in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He said the incident occurred in daylight on Thursday when the suspects were taking their bath. He explained that the suspects in the cell had overpowered the policeman who had come to open the burglar proof for them. “What saved the day was the outer gate which was still under lock at the time of the attempted escape.…

The England football team will play Belgium, Tunisia and Panama in their World Cup group after they were handed a favourable draw for next year’s tournament in Russia. Gareth Southgate’s team avoided the likes of Argentina, Brazil and Germany and will play their opening match against Tunisia on Monday 18 June (7pm). The Three Lions then face Panama on Sunday 24 June (1pm) before taking on Belgium on Thursday 28 June (7pm). Hosts Russia will play Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the World Cup at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on 14 June. Spain, the 2010 World Cup winners, will…

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have drawn Argentina once again in the World Cup, the fifth time since 1994. In the draw held for the 32 competing nations in Moscow today, Nigeria and Argentina were drawn together in Group D. The two countries first met in 1994 World Cup. They met again at the group stage three other times in 2002, 2010, 2014. Read Also NAF 414 Special Forces graduate, ready for combat They will meet again in Russia next year. Also in the group are Croatia and Iceland. However, Nigeria will face Croatia in their opening match.

The Nigerian Air Force on Thursday graduated 414 Special Forces of its personnel out of which 396 were airmen, airwomen and 18 were Officers. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar made the disclosure during the combined graduation of Basic Regiment Officers, airmen and Gunnery II Course and Special Forces course 2017, at the Military Training Centre NAF base in Kaduna. The Air Chief was represented by Air Officer Commanding, Ground Training Command, AVM Samson Akpasa. Abubakar said the 414 personnel undergone various special courses, which include intermediate regiment airmen course and special forces course, others are basic…

Two people have been killed after the father of a murder victim detonated two grenades in a courtroom in Ukraine. The father was killed instantly and seven others were injured in the blast, police in Nikipol said. The three defendants were among those wounded. Pictures from the scene showed blood on the floor of the wrecked courtroom. In a statement, police said: “Today, on November 30, at 11.20, in the Nikopol court, during a hearing of the case on murder, the victim’s father pulled out two grenades and blew them up. Read Also US rapper DMX faces 5 years in…

President Mohammadu Buhari has given a directive to raise funds to support agriculture and industry at single digit interest rate. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, at the NACCIMA/NIRSAL agribusiness conference held yesterday in Abuja said the president stated this at the federal executive council meeting. He disclosed that the committee, headed by the Vice President, would ensure they keeping the interest rate at 10 per cent.Stressing the need to restructure agricultural credit, he said: “At the council of ministers meeting, the president gave a directive to raise fund to support agriculture and industry at one digit…

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mr Abubakar Magaji, has owned up to administrative lapses in the purported reinstatement of dismissed former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina. Magaji claimed the responsibility when he appeared before members of House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the “disappearance, reappearance, reinstatement and promotion of Maina,” in Abuja on Thursday. According to him, the reference letter made to inform the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation that Maina resumed duty was a letter sent to the Federal Civil Service Commission. “When I observed this upon resumption from sick leave, I…

The performer, whose real name is Earl Simmons, agreed Thursday to plead guilty to a single count of evading taxes instead of going to trial on the 14 counts he was charged with, officials said. The compromise reduces Simmons possible time in jail from 43 to five years in jail, based on sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors had charged the “Ruff Ryders Anthem” performer with a “multi-year scheme to conceal millions of dollars” from the IRS for his alleged failure to file personal tax returns for several years. DMX sold millions of records between 2002 and 2005, enough to amass a $1.7…