Author: Chronicle Editor

President Donald Trump is being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller for possible obstruction of justice, US media reports say. They say senior intelligence officials will be interviewed on whether Mr Trump tried to end an inquiry into his sacked national security adviser, and about the firing of FBI chief James Comey. Mr Trump tweeted that the move was the latest action in a “phony story”. Mr Mueller is leading an FBI inquiry into Russian meddling in the election. President Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia, describing the ongoing inquiry as a “witch hunt”. The latest development was…

An Ibadan Customary Court on Thursday dissolved the 26- year-old marriage between Wasiu Adebisi and Idowu Adebisi, based on the husband’s complaint that he could no longer cope with his wife’s stealing habit. The couple has four children. The President of the court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, granted Adebisi’s prayer considering that Idowu had failed to honour series of summonses to defend herself. Balogun ordered that the two older children be in the custody of the plaintiff, while the younger children remain with the defendant. FIRS to recruit 7,500 graduates as tax advocates He also ordered the plaintiff to pay N6,000…

The Federal Government says it will recruit 7,500 graduates as Community Tax Liaison Officers to raise tax awareness among citizens. The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, along with the Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr BabaTunde Fowler made this known at a joint press briefing on Thursday in Abuja. Adeosun said that the recruits would be expected to go to schools, churches, mosques, markets and other social places to educate people on the tax system and let them know their obligations. She said that through this initiative, the government expected to increase the number of tax payers by…

Striker Alvaro Morata, 24, could complete his £65m move from Real Madrid to Manchester United by early next week. (Daily Mirror) Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe has said he will have to “sort” through his offers this summer, with Arsenal and Real Madrid both keen on the 18-year-old. (Daily Mail) Liverpool must pay Roma £35.5m if they want to sign 24-year-old Egypt winger Mohamed Salah.(Daily Mirror) Arsenal remain determined to resist any offer from Manchester City or Chelsea this summer for 28-year-old forward Alexis Sanchez.(Independent) Southampton are considering a move for former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel after sacking Claude Puel.(Daily…

Southampton have sacked manager Claude Puel after one season in charge. The 55-year-old Frenchman, who was appointed in June 2016, led Saints to eighth in the Premier League last season despite losing 16 games. They also reached the League Cup final, their first major final since 2003. Man United sign Victor Lindelof for £31m A Southampton statement read: “The search for a new management team is under way ” We are confident that we will find the right fit in line with the long-term vision of the club.” Puel spent four years as manager of Nice before replacing Ronald Koeman,…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has now officially cancelled the results of 59,698 UTME candidates over examination malpractices. JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja at a news conference at the end of an enlarged meeting with external examiners and other stakeholders in the conduct of the 2017 UTME. According to him, 1,386 candidates have their results cancelled over examination malpractice; 57,646 results were also affected as a result of centres-induced malpractices while the results of 666 candidates were cancelled due to multiple examinations. The cancelled results were fewer than the 76,923 initially…

The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, has sealed the premises of the Golden Tulip hotel, owned by Kenneth Gbagi, a former Minister of State for Education. The hotel, located at Effurun, in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta state, owes Value Added Tax totalling N15.6m incurred between 2014 and 2016. CCT Trial: ‘I harbour no grudge’ says Saraki Anita Erinne, who led the FIRS enforcement team, showed the hotel officials a distraint warrant before ordering the premises sealed until the debt is paid. Effort by Gbagi to plead that the hotel should not be sealed was rebuffed by the FIRS…

The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki has described his almost two years long trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) as a torturous one. Saraki in an official statement on his acquittal by the tribunal said that although he went through a crucible trial, he harboured no grudge for anyone despite the roles they might have played in the trial. He said that it was rather time for celebration of the victory of democracy and sign that the innocent still have a chance in the judiciary. Saraki he is humble by his acquittal called on all his…

Egypt’s parliament has given its approval to a controversial plan to transfer sovereignty of two largely uninhabited islands to Saudi Arabia. The deal, to hand over the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir, was agreed during a visit to Egypt by Saudi King Salman in April 2016. It sparked rare protests in Egypt, with the president accused of “selling” the islands in return for Saudi aid. The deal has been subject to challenges in court over the past year. But parliament has insisted the issue lies in its jurisdiction. Final approval is now needed from President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has blacklisted 48 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres over their involvement in extortion and organised examination malpractices during the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja at a news conference at the end of an enlarged meeting with external examiners and other stakeholders in the conduct of the 2017 UTME. Oloyede, who also announced the cancellation of the results of 59,698 candidates who sat for the examination, said another 24 CBT centres had been suspended for one year for failing to live up…