Author: Chronicle Editor

Justice E. A. Obile of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced two internet fraudsters: Jonathan Collins and Godspower Ofonime to six years imprisonment for internet related offences. Upon their arraignment by the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on July 6 and July 7, 2021, Collins and Ofonime respectively pleaded “guilty” to the charges preferred against them. While Collins pleaded “guilty” to a two-count charge, Ofonime pleaded “guilty” to a one-count charge, all bordering on impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 22…

South Africa’s former president, Jacob Zuma, on Thursday began a court-ordered prison sentence in spite of days of protests by his supporters. The 79-year-old had long tried to resist, and veterans’ associations supporting him also threatened to destabilise the country if he was arrested. Dozens of them had posted themselves as guards outside his country residence, Nkandla. Zuma is now in the EstCourt Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal, a province on the country’s east coast, according to police. He had decided to surrender to the police, the Zuma Foundation announced. The politician thus escaped arrest by the police. Zuma was sentenced…

Five persons have been confirmed dead while four were seriously injured in an auto crash that occurred around Christopher University on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Thursday. NAN reports that the Divisional Commander, Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Mr. Olusola Ojuoro, who made this known to newsmen in Ota, Ogun, said the accident which involved a truck and a passenger bus occurred at 9.15 a.m. He said that nine persons, six males, and three females were involved in the accident. Ojuoro noted that three females and two males lost their lives in the accident. Many burnt to death as bus…

Embattled former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Adedibu Ojerinde, has been granted bail by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The bail granted was in the sum of 200 million naira (N200,000,000) and two sureties in like sum, who also must be resident in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). According to Justice Egwuatu, one of the sureties must be a professor in a Federal University, and the other, a property owner in Abuja. The residences of the sureties must be verified by the prosecution, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related…

German Minister of State for Culture, Monika Grutters has disclosed that 1,130 artifacts would be returned to Nigeria from the beginning of 2022. Grutters said this on Wednesday during a meeting with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in Berlin, Germany. This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Assistant to the Minister of Information and Culture, Segun Adeyemi. Mohammed at the meeting earlier demanded a full and unconditional return of the 1,130 Benin Bronzes that were looted from the African nation in the 19th century and domiciled in German museums. Grutters at…

The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, has denied receiving N50million from the Federal Government to aid the arrest of Sunday Igboho. The monarch stated this as Yoruba Nation agitators staged a protest on Wednesday in Ibadan, Oyo State. The crowd demanded the release of Igboho’s associates arrested by the Department of State Service, DSS. They also warned the Federal Government to stop further attacks on Sunday Igboho. Mr. Adeola Oloko, the media aide of the Olubadan of Ibadan, said: “The protesters were here. Before they came, we have been hearing through news on social media that Kabiyesi received the sum of…

Paris St-Germain have signed Sergio Ramos on a two-year deal following the defender’s departure from Real Madrid. Ramos, 35, left Madrid after 16 years when his contract expired at the end of June. Spain’s most-capped player won five La Liga titles and four Champions League medals with Real. “I am very happy to join Paris St-Germain,” Ramos said. “This is a big change in my life, a new challenge and it’s a day I will never forget.” PSG chairman and chief executive Nasser Al-Khelaifi said: “Paris welcomes one of the greatest players of our era.” Ramos is PSG’s third signing…

I get confused these days reading many of the posts on social media, and text messages sent through cell phones, because of the kind of new English that young people now write. The English language is without doubt quite dynamic. In the last 200 years, it has lent itself to many innovations, as cultural, religious, and situational codes have transformed the language and extended the dictionary, with new words and idioms. The kind of new English being written by twitter and what’s app users, particularly young people is however so frightening and lamentable, because it is beginning to creep into…

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to expand the jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory Customary Court to undertake the trial of criminal matters. The bill titled: Federal Capital Territory Customary Court Act, 2007 (Amendment) Bill, 2021, was sponsored by Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central). The passage of the bill followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters. Chairman of the Committee, Opeyemi Bamidele, in his presentation, said the primary objective of the bill was to amend the Federal Capital Territory Customary Court Act, 2007. According to the lawmaker,…

Passes bill to establish ICT Institute, receives report on MDAs oversight The Senate on a Wednesday passed a bill to upgrade the Maritime Academy, Oron in Akwa-Ibom state into a full-fledged University of Maritime Studies. Also passed was a bill to establish the Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Ogoja, Cross River state. Both bills were passed by the upper chamber after the presentation and consideration of two separate reports by the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND. Senator Sandy Onuh (PDP, Cross River Central), in a presentation on behalf of the Committee’s Chairman, Ahmad Babba Kaita (APC, Katsina North),…