Author: Chronicle Editor

The January transfer window has closed in England and Scotland after a hectic final few hours of business. The most expensive incoming transfer was Southampton’s £14m signing of Italy striker Manolo Gabbiadini from Napoli, while Crystal Palace agreed a loan deal for Liverpool and France defender Mamadou Sakho very late on. Elsewhere, Burnley broke their transfer record to sign Republic of Ireland winger Robbie Brady from Norwich, while Odion Ighalo was the major exit, joining Chinese Super League club Changchun Yatai for £20m from Watford. See below for a full list of the deadline-day deals and see every Premier League…

Nigeria’s naira was quoted as low as 499 to the dollar on the black market on Tuesday, 39 per cent weaker than on the official market, where the central bank has been selling the greenback to support the local currency. On the official market, the naira was quoted at 305.25 on Tuesday, the level it has been trading at since last August. Traders said the dollar was fetching between 495 and 499 naira on the black market. It was quoted at 497 on the black market two weeks ago. The approved bureau de change operators set their first ever reference…

An 18-year-old suspected cultist, Isijola Olusola, was on Tuesday remanded in Olokuta Prison by an Akure Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly conspiring to kill one Wande Osabiyi. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Victoria Bob-manuel, ordered the remand of the accused person in prison custody pending the receipt of legal advice from the state’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). She added that the original copy of the case file is sent to the State Chief Registrar for safe keeping. Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Martins Olowofeso said that the accused conspired with others at large to kill one Wande Osabiyi during a face-off…

I am not a fan of Donald Trump, the incumbent President of the United States. I didn’t stand with him. I stood with her- Hillary Clinton- in the last US Presidential election. No other election in recent American history has been more international in terms of interest and emotional involvement. Trump’s election even divided the Nigerian middle class. Majority of Christians in Nigeria stood with Donald Trump. They liked his anti-Muslim rhetoric, and in a country where religion is such a volatile subject and the Christian community feels as if it is under siege from radical Islamic extremism, it was…

A girl thought to be aged just 10 died after the suicide vest she was wearing exploded in northeast Nigeria, a civilian vigilante said on Tuesday, as another attack killed one at a mosque. Musa Ahmad, who works with the military against Boko Haram Islamists, said the incident happened at about 11:30 am (1030 GMT) in Banki, near the Cameroon border in Borno state. “A girl of around 10 came by the military barracks and was trying to cross the road into the IDP (internally displaced persons) camp,” he told AFP. “She was asked to stop by soldiers. But she…

Here are all the deadline day transfers and deals as the January window comes to an end. Chelsea are interested in signing Celtic striker Moussa Dembele, 20, but the Scottish champions may not be prepared to sell the France Under-21 international for less than £40m. (Sky Sports) Chelsea are trying to rush through a deal for Schalke’s Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Sead Kolasinac, 23, after their Serbia full-back Branislav Ivanovic, 32, agreed to join Zenit St Petersburg. (Mirror) West Brom will make a £10m bid for Southampton’s England striker Jay Rodriguez, 27. (Express) Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez will demand that the Magpies…

Watford striker Odion Ighalo looks like he is on his way to China in a £20million move. Changchun Yatai have a bid accepted by the Hornets for the Nigerian hitman, according to reports. Earlier this month a possible move to West Brom fell through after the Baggies failed to agree on a fee for the 27-year-old. Three other Premier League clubs were also said to be after Ighalo, who was left out of the FA Cup loss at Millwall. Explained manager Walter Mazzarri: “I wanted only players who could concentrate on the game.” Ighalo has scored 40 goals in 100…

A suspected robbery gang on Monday stormed the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) branch along Shell RA Bus Stop in Port Harcourt, Rivers, injuring some persons. An eye witness who spoke in anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that the robbery took place between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. The witness said it was not certain if the gang succeeded in leaving with some amount of money as a soldier was said to have pursued the fleeing robbers with his private car. Sources said the hoodlums escaped through Rumuibekwe Street to unknown destination. Mr Nnandi Omond,…

The UN Children’sFund (UNICEF) has appealed to the United States that the 28 million children who are uprooted by conflicts need to be helped. UNICEF, in a statement issued on child refugees on Monday in New York, said the needs of regional had never been greater than now. The call was not unconnected with the recent Refugee Order signed by US President Donald Trump, temporarily banning refugees into the U.S. from seven countries. The statement said “the needs of refugees have never been greater. “Worldwide 28 million children have been uprooted by conflict, driven from their homes by violence and…

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted 661 pieces of pump action rifles from China, concealed with steel doors and other merchandise goods, which came in through Lagos port. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Alli, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on Monday in Lagos. Alli said that the Federal Operations Unit, while on patrol, intercepted a Mark truck with registration number BUG 265 XG conveying a 40ft container with number; PONU/825914/3 along Mile 2 Apapa Road, Lagos. The consignment was cleared from Lagos port. The comptroller-general said the truck was immediately taken…