Author: Chronicle Editor

Nigerian workers at US oil major Exxon Mobil Corp have gone on strike in protest over the sacking of workers, oil labour union officials said on Thursday. Nigerian labour unions have criticised oil companies for sacking workers in the last few months and held a number of strikes. Abel Agarin, who chairs the Lagos zone of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), said members of his union were on strike in protest at the sacking of 150 workers in December. He said 82 were PENGASSAN members. UAE princess, seven daughters face trial for slavery “We…

Eight members of the Abu Dhabi royal household who are accused of treating 20 domestic workers like “slaves,” are being tried in absentia in Brussels on Thursday. Princess Hamda Alnehayan, the widow of the sheikh of Abu Dhabi, and her seven daughters are accused of treating their domestic workers in an “inhumane and degrading” way. They are also accused of confiscating the passports of their employees, and refusing to pay their salaries. Lawyers said that the domestic workers, who had been hired as nannies, cooks and domestic helpers, had to be at the princesses’ disposal day and night, and were…

The Court of Appeal in Lagos on Thursday reversed the sentence on Raymond Omatseye, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). He had been sentenced on allegations of N1.5 billion fraud. Justice Yargata Nimpar, who read the decision of the court, said the High Court which tried him, did not properly evaluate the evidence before it. The Federal High Court, Lagos, on May 20, 2016, presided by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, sentenced Omatseye to five years in jail over an alleged N1.5 billion contract scam. Nimpar said: “The prosecution should not ride roughshod over the Constitution.…

The Nigeria Union in South Africa said on Wednesday that two Nigerians were shot dead in Western Cape Province of that country. Mr Mike Ibitoye, the Chairman of the Union`s chapter in the province, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Cape Town, South Africa, that the Nigerians were shot by unidentified assailants. “Mr Ernest Ughakwesili, 42, native of Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, was shot in a night club by gunmen at Strand Area of Cape Town on Sunday. “The assailants escaped after the shooting and the victim died before being rushed…

…Tinubu gives guidelines, urges party leaders, members to embrace peaceful conduct Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday charged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State to work round the clock to ensure that the party wins all available elective positions in the forthcoming July 22 Local Government elections. Governor Ambode, who addressed members of the party at a stakeholders meeting held at the APC Secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Lagos, which attracted thousands of faithfuls and top chieftains of the party, said it was important for the party to come out tops in the elections,…

The Cross River Police Command on Wednesday said it had arrested a couple for allegedly selling their six-year-old daughter for N400, 000. Presenting the couple before newsmen, Mr Hafiz Inuwa, the state Commissioner of Police, said the suspects were arrested at Ikom Local Government area on April 26 following a tip-off. Inuwa said that the couple sold the child to enable them to offset their house rent and open up a small provision shop. “On April 26, 2017, following a tip-off, our men arrested a couple, George-Sunday Udoh and his wife Victoria, for allegedly selling their daughter at the cost…

Four thousand policemen will be deployed to Minna, Niger State for the wedding of Halimat Babangida, daughter of former military President, retired Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida on Friday. The wedding is taking place amidst concerns over the General’s health. He recently returned from Germany, where he sought some medical help. Since then, he has kept off from public functions. Halimat is the second daughter and last child of the family. She was born by his late wife Maryam while the military ruler presided over the affairs of the country at Dodan Barracks in Lagos. Babangida ruled from Lagos between August…

Paul Pogba’s world-record transfer from Juventus to Manchester United last year is the subject of a FIFA inquiry. Football’s world governing body has written to the Premier League club “to seek clarification on the deal”. It is believed to concern who was involved in the £89.3m transfer, and how much money was paid to them. A United spokesman said: “We do not comment on individual contracts. FIFA has had the documents since the transfer was concluded in August.” Pogba, 24, is in his second spell at Old Trafford, having left the club for Juventus for £1.5m in 2012. The France…

US has announced additional $500 million in humanitarian assistance to support the people affected by the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria and neighbouring countries. The other countries are Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Mr. Nathan Holt, the Deputy Director, Office of West African Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs at the US Department of State, made this known via teleconference on: ‘Nigeria, a critical US partner’, in Washington, D.C on Wednesday. The amount is different from the additional $30 million released on April 28, by the US Government through the World Food Programme. Holt, noted that the US Government had…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Wednesday that another batch of 250 Nigerians would voluntarily return to the country from Libya on Thursday. NEMA’s spokesman for South-West Zone, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the returnees were expected to arrive at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO)/Hajj Camp section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at about 3. 00 p.m. More than 253 Nigerians had on April 25 voluntarily returned from Libya aboard a chartered Libya Airlines — Airbus A330-200 — with registration no. 5A-LAT. The returnees comprise 102 males,…