Author: Chronicle Editor

Britain’s pound took a battering on Friday after Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party lost its parliamentary majority in elections, potentially disrupting Brexit negotiations. Sterling fell two per cent to 1.2698 dollars after sliding as much as 2.5 per cent to 1.2636 dollars in early European trade “GBP=D4”, its weakest level since April 18. May faced calls to quit after her election gamble to win a stronger mandate backfired, leaving no single party with a clear claim to power just 10 days before the start of negotiations on Britain’s divorce from the European Union. She is due to make a…

Nigeria plans to raise $1.2 billion to upgrade its oil refineries, aiming to end a reliance on oil product imports by 2019, the oil minister said on Thursday. Although Nigeria is an exporter of oil, it is mainly dependent on imports for refined products. That drains the supply of foreign exchange in the country, making it harder for other businesses dependent on imports to succeed. “We are still far from signing any contract with anybody,” said Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachikwu on the financing plan, at a press briefing in the capital of Abuja. “The technical committee…

Chelsea’s Diego Costa, 28, is in talks over a £40m move to AC Milan after the Spain forward revealed the Premier League champions want to sell him. (Daily Mirror) Blues boss Antonio Conte’s decision to get rid of his top-scorer by text and Costa going public on the private exchange has shocked the Chelsea board and is set to cost the club millions. (Daily Mail) Costa has pleaded with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to save his career at Stamford Bridge. (Sun) Bayern Munich will offer Arsenal’s 28-year-old Chile forward Alexis Sanchez £350,000 a week as they look to beat Manchester…

US President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer has rejected allegations made by James Comey, the former FBI director, before the US Senate. Marc Kasowitz said Mr Trump never sought to impede the investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. He suggested that leaks by Mr Comey should themselves be investigated. Mr Comey testified to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday about events leading up to his sacking. FLASH: Theresa May could resign after election losses He went on the record with a number of explosive claims. Mr Comey said: the Russians interfered in last year’s US election Mr…

UK Prime Minister Theresa May could resign after her party lost big to the Conservatives at the polls. The UK looks set to have a hung parliament with the Conservatives as the largest party, with most general election results now in. It means Theresa May faces the humiliation of ending with fewer seats than when she called the election. The Tories are projected to get 318 seats, Labour 261 and the SNP 35. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called on Mrs May to resign – but she said the country needed stability and her party would “ensure” it was maintained. Labour…

Police said 17 persons were killed and 24 people injured when Boko Haram insurgents staged a coordinated attack on Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, on Wednesday night. The Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu, told journalists at a press briefing at the state police headquarters, Maiduguri, that three Boko Haram suicide bombers were shot dead as security personnel battled to repel an invasion late Wednesday. He said one of the attackers, who was also armed with explosives wrapped around his body, was arrested alive. He said the police recovered 14 bodies and 24 injured victims from the scene of multiple bomb…

The Senate has passed a bill to protect whistleblowers and witnesses directly involved in the prosecution of certain criminal cases. The bill, titled Witness Protection Programme (Establishment etc), SB 157, was passed on Thursday, following a report submitted by the committee on human rights, legal matters and judiciary chaired by David Umaru (APC-Niger). It was sponsored by Isiaka Adeleke, the Osun West APC Senator who died in April. When the bill scaled the second reading in October 2016, the Senate had resolved that it be merged with a similar proposal to protect persons making disclosures for public interest and other…

The United Nations has called on different ethnic tribes and groups in Nigeria to be more tolerant to ensure unity and peace in the country. The UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said this in a statement Thursday. Kallon noted with concern media reports of an ultimatum issued by northern youth groups calling for all Igbo people to leave Northern Nigeria by October 1. He noted the ultimatum followed a sit-down-strike observed in the five states in South East Nigeria on May 30, purportedly meant to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Biafra. “We have to work together to resolve…

A 67-year-old man, Olawale Jayeola, on Thursday prayed an Igando Customary Court in Lagos to end his marriage. “My wife will beat me to death one day if I continue with the marriage”, the engineer said of his wife Olatayo. “I have scars all over my body as proofs of her abuse. I live every minute of my life in fear. Save me from the cruel hands of my wife. “I have suffered so much in silence; anytime we had misunderstanding, she would beat the hell out of me. “I have not been at peace since l got married to…

The Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo arrived Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Thursday for a one day official visit. His visit came few hours after Boko Haram terrorists invaded Maiduguri, leaving so many people dead. Osinbajo, who was received by the Borno State Governor, Hon. Kashim Shettima arrived the Maiduguri International Airport at about 10:34 am. The visit according to the Vice President was at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari and its main purpose to see the security situation in the state and also to visit and ascertain the welfare of the…