Author: Chronicle Editor

Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Thursday ordered the release of the chairman of Capital Oil and Gas limited, Ifeanyi Ubah, held by the State Security Services for alleged “economic sabotage”. The court directed the SSS and its director general, Lawal Daura, to release Mr. Ubah from detention if no criminal action is instituted against him within 48 hours of his judgement. “An order is hereby made, directing the 4th and 5th respondent being, the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Department of State Security Service (DSS) to within 48 hours of…

Militia violence in Central African Republic has killed almost 300 people and displaced 100,000 recently, the United Nations and the government said on Thursday, in the worst displacement since a 2013 civil war. The violence marks a sharp escalation in the long conflict that began when the mostly Muslim Seleka rebel coalition overthrew then-president Francois Bozize in 2013, prompting reprisals from Christian anti-balaka militias. The UN humanitarian office and the minister of social affairs said in a joint statement that the clash in the last two weeks has hit the towns of Bria, Bangassou and Alindao, all hundreds of kilometres…

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has delivered a dispassionate call for the nation to stay united, amid renewed agitation for a breakup and the creation of an independent state of Biafra. Mr. Osinbajo said Nigerians should think more of what unites them than what separates them. “No country is perfect; around the world we have seen and continue to see expressions of intra-national discontent,” the acting president said. “The truth is that many, if not most nations of the world are made up of different peoples and cultures and beliefs and religions, who find themselves thrown together by circumstance.” Mr. Osinbajo…

Two soldiers have been arrested in Edo for allegedly disrupting the sitting of a mobile court at Oba Ovoranmen Square in Benin. The Spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, DSP. Moses Nkombe, confirmed the arrest of the soldiers on Thursday in Benin. He said that the State Criminal Investigation Department had taken over the investigation of the matter. “It is true, soldiers went to the mobile court to free some suspects. Our policemen resisted them.” The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that five soldiers stormed the court on Wednesday, after a retired soldier failed to secure the release…

The Federal Government has declared Monday, May 29, as Public Holiday to celebrate the 2017 Democracy Day. The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the ‎ declaration in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. The minister‎ congratulated Nigerians for witnessing yet another Democracy Day, marking the second year anniversary of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government. ‎Mr. Dambazau assured Nigerians of the government’s continued efforts at achieving its three main targets of guaranteeing security, revitalising the economy and tackling corruption. “While a lot has been achieved in the areas of security, particularly in the North-East, and in tackling corruption, recent statistics…

The Senate on Thursday passed first tranche of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), titled the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) 2017. The bill, which is expected to take care of the governance aspect of the industry, scaled third reading following presentation of report of Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream, Downstream, Oil and Gas). If assented to by the President, the Act will unbundle the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into two companies: Nigeria Petroleum Assets Management Company and the National Petroleum Company. According to the bill, the two companies shall be created and supervised by the Ministry Of Petroleum…

The Federal Government plans to tackle post-harvest losses put at nine billion dollars annually through multiple approaches, including setting up of staple crops processing zones. Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Agriculture, made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja, at a stakeholders’ conference organised by Akassa Development Foundation (ADF). Akassa is a community in Bayelsa in the southernmost part of Nigeria. The theme of the stakeholders’ conference is: “ Sustainable Development and Security in the Niger Delta beyond Oil.’’ The minister, represented by Eniye Amloakederem, Senior Technical Adviser on Agric-business, listed the approaches to include-storage, development of cold chains,…

The Edo Government on Thursday commenced the demolition of buildings with unapproved plans, beginning with the pulling down of N800 million shopping complex in Benin. According to the government, the complex housing 218 lock-up shops, was constructed in contravention of the approval plans issued by the government. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Gov. Godwin Obaseki, recently warned that as part of its urban renewal plan, illegal structures and buildings with unapproved government plan would be demolished. In line with plan, the government relocated all motor parks from the city centre (Ring Road) a forth night ago. The…

A U.S. Navy destroyer in the vicinity of a man-made island in the South China Sea was told to leave the area by Chinese warships, a Chinese defense official said Thursday. Ren Guoqiang, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman, said China sternly warned the U.S. over its patrol near the disputed territory and that the moves were “not conducive to peace and stability” in the region, Reuters reported. The destroyer was less than 12 nautical miles from a man-made island, he said. The USS Dewey, a guided-missile destroyer, made the passage near the Mischief Reef. The patrol was the first “freedom…

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney says he has “more or less” decided his future at the club. The 31-year-old has played a bit-part role for United this season, coming on as a last-minute substitute in the Europa League final triumph over Ajax. “There’s lots of offers on the table, both in England and abroad,” he said. But United’s all-time leading scorer with 253 goals said he would only move to former club Everton if he stayed in the Premier League. It is understood Rooney does not want the issue to drag on until the final day of the transfer window…