Author: Chronicle Editor

Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River has described as tragic and horrifying, the loss of several lives at a viewing centre in Calabar, the Cross River capital on Thursday. The governor said this in a statement issued by Mr Christian Ita, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary in Calabar on Friday. Ayade also said it was heart wrenching that the lives of the young men were lost through electrocution. “The incident marks a dark chapter in the life of the state where the precious lives of football lovers have been lost. “At this point in time,…

At least 30 persons died of electrocution on Thursday night in Calabar while watching the Europa Football League match between Manchester United and Anderlecht. Twenty eight of the victims died on the spot while two died in the hospital. About 50 others were injured. The incident happened at around 9.30 pm at Nyagasang area of Atimbo in Calabar Municipality local government area of the state. NAN learnt the electrocution of the victims happened when a nearby transformer exploded twice during the match. The second time, the high tension wire snapped and dropped on the viewing centre built with zinc. An…

Russia’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Jehovah’s Witnesses were an “extremist” organization and must disband and hand over all property to the state, local media said. The religious grouping confirmed the ruling about its “liquidation” in Russia. “We are greatly disappointed by this development and deeply concerned about how this will affect our religious activity,” Yaroslav Sivulskiy, a spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia, said in emailed comments. “We will appeal this decision, and we hope that our legal rights and protections as a peaceful religious group will be fully restored as soon as possible.” Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia…

Tragedy struck all the way in Calabar, on thursday night, when at least 30 football fans were electrocuted while watching a football match. The sad incident occurred when high tension cable broke off and fell on a viewing centre where they were gathered, leading to their electrocution. According to multiple sources, the fans stormed the viewing center in Atimbo area of Calabar to watch the football match between Manchester United and RSC Anderlecht of Belgium when the tragedy struck. It is not yet certain the exact official figure of casualties from the accident, but sources on ground say no fewer…

More than 30,000 militants from over 100 countries arrived to the Middle East in the past years to join terrorist organizations, such as Islamic State, ISIS and Al Qaeda. UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov disclosed this in a report to the UN Security Council meeting. He said during the debates on the Middle East situation that organizations listed as terrorist by the UN Security Council and other bodies, have thrived in the climate of weak governance and the absence of human rights that pervade the region. “It is estimated that over 30,000 foreign terrorist…

Half a century ago, a softly spoken Nigerian tramped the streets of London with his Irish wife searching for a room to rent. Door after door was slammed in his face. ‘No Blacks, no Irish, no dogs,’ he was told. Such was the man’s gentle nature, instead of anger, he held his wife and teased, ‘well, at least we don’t have a dog.’ That man was Michael Nwanoku. In less than a year from that moment, he would have the first of his five children with his wife, Margaret. Today, one of his daughters, Chi-chi Nwanoku, 60, is about the…

Nine Nigerian soldiers were killed and 14 others are missing feared abducted after an attack this week by suspected Boko Haram jihadists in the violence-torn northeast, security sources said Thursday. Authorities had on Tuesday said five soldiers were killed and five others injured in the raid on a military post near the village of Sabon Garin Kimba about 140 kilometres (90 miles) from Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram. “The number of fatalities on our side has risen to nine with the discovery of four more bodies of our troops,” said a military officer with knowledge of the incident. “Since…

At least 53 people have been arrested in the northern Nigeria state of Kaduna for conspiring to celebrate a gay wedding. The accused, arrested last Saturday, have denied the allegations, with their lawyers saying they were illegally detained. The court released the group on bail and the case was postponed to 8 May. Gay wedding and other homosexual acts are banned in socially conservative Nigeria and are punishable by up to 14 years in jail. During a court appearance in Chediya-Zaria, the group pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, unlawful assembly and belonging to an unlawful society. Defence lawyer…

Tianjin Quanjian are working on a deal to sign Chelsea striker Diego Costa when the Chinese transfer window re-opens on June 19, according to Sky sources. The Chinese Super League club tried to sign Costa during the January window, but their owner Shu Yuhui has confirmed that talks to take Costa to China are still continuing. Tianjin are believed to be ready to make Costa the best-paid player in the world, by offering him a contract worth £650,000 a week after tax. Costa’s £150,000-a-week Chelsea contract runs out in the summer of 2019. He has scored 17 Premier League goals…

Marcus Rashford’s extra-time goal sent Manchester United into the Europa League semi-final at the expense of Anderlecht on a night of tension at Old Trafford. The Europa League has acquired huge significance for United and manager Jose Mourinho as it offers a potential route into the Champions League, away from the battle for top-four places in the Premier League – making this victory crucial. United took the lead on the night and in the tie when Henrikh Mkhitaryan drilled in a low finish in the 10th minute but Anderlecht restored parity when Sofiane Hanni scrambled home an equaliser after 32…