Author: Chronicle Editor

The Joint Admissions and Matriculations (JAMB) has directed that Computer Based Test (CBT) centres should not collect any money from candidates who would be sitting for the nationwide Mock Examination for its Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination (UTME) taking place today (Saturday). The spokesperson of JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, who made the announcement in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Saturday, urged the public to disregard speculations that the Mock examination had been cancelled. He said, “The UTME Mock examination is now free. In consideration of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we felt that we should also be doing something for the…

At least two bodies were recovered outside a mosque in Maiduguri, Borno State, early Saturday, after two female suicide bombers attacked worshipers there, officials said. The attackers struck as worshipers observed early morning prayers in an area called Jiddari Polo. Five people were injured in the attack, officials said. Police said the girls could not gain much access into the targeted mosque. One of the suicide bombers later detonated an explosive that killed her fellow attacker too, police spokesperson, Victor Isuku, said. A similar attack was carried out on a mosque in the same location on October 23, 2015. About…

Wema Bank aims to grow loans between one and two percent this year, after it achieved 22.3 percent growth last year, to conserve its capital as Nigeria enters a second year of recession, a senior executive said on Friday. Chief Finance Officer Tunde Mabawonku said the bank had repaid a 50 billion naira ($164 million) seven-year loan it got from the central bank last year which knocked its capital ratio to 11.1 percent at the end of December from 15.1 percent a year earlier. He said higher loan charge in 2016 also affected capital ratios which were still above a…

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a committee, headed by Kemi Adeosun, the Finance minister, to estimate the pension liability of the Federal Government. Budget and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma made this known Friday in a statement by his Media Adviser, James Akpandem. Udoma said that the committee would reconcile outstanding pension liabilities and proffer funding solutions. The committee has four weeks to complete its assignment and hand over a report to President Buhari. Other members of the committee are representatives of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of Service of the Federation and…

With just eight games remaining Chelsea are clinging to a precious seven-point lead over second-placed Tottenham, but the Blues are showing a few glimpses of vulnerability. Cesc Fabregas insists Chelsea won`t buckle under the strain of Tottenham`s relentless pursuit as the Premier League title race ratchets up another notch this weekend. With just eight games remaining Chelsea are clinging to a precious seven-point lead over second-placed Tottenham, but the Blues are showing a few glimpses of vulnerability. Antonio Conte`s side ground out a barely deserved 2-1 win over Manchester City on Wednesday just days after crashing to a shock 2-1…

There’s a new staggering twist to the legal saga on late Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc, Mr. Tayo Aderinokun. The drama unfolded when the youngest daughter of the deceased Miss Oluwatise Aderinokun told a Federal High Court in Lagos that her late father’s shares in the bank were fraudulently manipulated, while he was in a coma at a London hospital. Oluwatise, consequently, asked the court to appoint an independent body to oversee the estate of her late father pending the determination of a suit instituted against the bank and the trustees of the estate. In the alternative,…

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is set to miss the last seven games of the season with a knee injury. Mane, 24, was taken off after colliding with Leighton Baines in Saturday’s 3-1 home victory over Everton. Manager Jurgen Klopp said he was “pretty sure” Mane needed surgery, leaving it “pretty much impossible for him to play again this season”. The £34m signing from Southampton has started all but five of Liverpool’s league games this campaign. Of those, three were drawn and two were lost. The Reds are third in the Premier League table with seven games left. Klopp also said…

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday inspected the ongoing rehabilitation of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and said the exercise is going according to schedule. The airport was shut down on March 8 to enable repairs on the runway over a scheduled period of six weeks. Mr. Osinbajo arrived the presidential air fleet wing of the airport from where he was conducted on a tour of the rehabilitation site by the Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Saleh Dunoma. “I have looked round. What I have seen, and from the information from the contractors, from the consultants,…

A Corps member, Anthony Ochai, from Benue State, has died of heart failure in Sokoto, the State NYSC Coordinator, Musa Abubakar, has said. Mr. Abubakar made the disclosure in Sokoto on Friday, during the passing out ceremony of 1,411 corps members deployed to the state under the 2016 batch” A”, Stream One. He said: “The late corps member was serving at the Government Secondary School, Tsamaye, Sabon-Birni Local Government in the state. The deceased was resting after a football match between the various batches of the scheme, suddenly he just collapsed and died. His remains were brought to the Usman…

A pregnant fashion designer, Fatimah Shodunke, on Friday told an Agege Customary Court in Lagos that her husband always abandoned his matrimonial home whenever she was pregnant. The 32-year-old mother of two, who resides on James Street, Ishaga, a Lagos suburb, made the allegation while responding to a divorce suit filed by her husband, Gbenga. She also told the court that Gbenga wanted her to abort her second pregnancy but she refused. “My refusal to abort my pregnancy made my husband to pack out of the house to an unknown destination without bothering about the welfare our first child and…