Author: Chronicle Editor

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday said that the N25billion Employment Trust Fund (ETF) set up by his administration has successfully empowered over 4000 small and medium scale businesses in the last two years as a means to boost the economy of the State. Governor Ambode, who spoke when he received a delegation from Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on a courtesy visit at the Lagos House in Ikeja, said deliberate efforts have been made by his administration to aid businesses and encourage budding entrepreneurs in the State. Alluding to the fact…

Three soldiers were, on Wednesday, sentenced to prison terms by a General Court Martial sitting at 7 Division Garrison in Pompomari, Maiduguri, Borno State, for unlawful possession of firearms. The General Court Martial was inaugurated to try misconduct by officers and men fighting insurgency in the North East. The sentences were announced in a statement signed by Lieutenant-Colonel Kingsley Samuel, Deputy Director, Army Public 7 Division. According to the statement, two of the soldiers, Eric Nwokere and Macaulay Fortune, were attached to Operation Lafiya Dole, the counter-insurgency initiative of the Federal Government. Each of them was sentenced to 23 years…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday sealed the multi-billion naira Enugu Mall occupied by SPAR, a multinational retail outlet. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that EFCC officers stormed the building in the early hours of the day and dispersed all the workers. Mr Chris Oluka, the Head of Public Affairs of EFCC, confirmed the incident, saying that the managers of the building flouted the directive of EFCC on the construction of the building. Oluka said that the officers from Abuja raided the mall and dispersed workers who were recently recruited preparatory to official opening of…

Barcelona are increasingly confident they will be able to sign Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool – especially if Neymar leaves. The Catalan giants believe Liverpool would find it difficult to turn down an offer in the region of £89 (€100m). Barca also believe that although Coutinho loves Liverpool, a Brazilian player would find it difficult to turn down Barcelona. Liverpool’s position has not changed – he is not for sale and he is staying. Liverpool are under no pressure to sell, especially because Coutinho signed a new five-year contract in January. Barcelona have already had a £72m bid turned down for…

A four-story residential building collapsed in Nigeria’s largest city and killed at least eight people, emergency officials and an Associated Press photographer in Lagos said Wednesday. Authorities said at least 15 people had been rescued from the rubble of the building that collapsed Tuesday afternoon. Government officials did not immediately say what caused the collapse in a poor neighborhood of the sprawling city of about 21 million people. Rescue efforts continued overnight and into Wednesday morning. An Associated Press photographer at the scene saw three bodies pulled from the rubble Wednesday, hours after emergency officials put the death toll at…

The Chief Judge of Ebonyi State, Justice Alloy Nwankwo, has freed 38 inmates serving in Abakaliki and Afikpo Federal Prisons during a jail delivery exercise. Nwankwo said that the jail delivery exercise is the constitutional right conferred on the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN) and the chief judges of states by the Nigerian Constitution. A total of 29 inmates were released from Abakaliki Prisons while nine others were released from Afikpo Prisons. Read Also SENATE OKAYS INDEPENDENT CANDIDATURE FOR ELECTIONS He said the exercise was to decongest the prisons by releasing awaiting trial inmates who have been in custody…

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday approved independent candidature for the country’s electoral process. The approval on Wednesday was part of the ongoing amendment of the 1999 constitution. Before now, only political parties could sponsor candidates for elections in the country. The development means candidates can now vie for elective positions without joining a party. Read Also OSINBAJO SWEARS IN TWO NEW MINISTERS Meanwhile, Senate rejected the proposal for Devolution of Power. The amendment had sought to move certain items to the concurrent legislative list to give more powers to the States. During the electronic voting on the amendment of the…

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has sworn in two new ministers — Prof. Stephen Ocheni and Suleiman Hassan — three months after they were confirmed by the Senate. Osinbajo, who swore in the ministers at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in the State House Wednesday, said their portfolios would be announced shortly. Read Also TRUMP BANS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE FROM SERVING IN MILITARY More to follow…

There were concerns Tuesday that about 40 oil exploration workers contracted by Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and members of the Civilian JTF, to search for crude oil in the Lake Chad Basin might have been killed or abducted. The 40 persons included 10 academic and technical staff of the University of Maiduguri’s (UNIMAID) Department of Geology, security operatives and members of the Civilian JTF. They were said to have been ambushed by Boko Haram terrorists around Jibi village situated between Magumeri and Gubio Local Government Areas of Borno State Tuesday…

United States President Donald Trump says transgender people cannot serve in “any capacity” in the military. He tweeted that he had consulted with military experts and cited “tremendous medical costs and disruption”. The Obama administration decided last year to allow transgender people to serve openly in the military. But in June, Defence Secretary James Mattis agreed to a six-month delay in the recruitment of transgender people. Some Republicans have voiced opposition to allowing transgender people to serve at all. The independent Rand Corporation estimated in 2016 that 2,450 of the 1.2 million active-duty service members are transgender.\ READ: Africa needs…