Author: Chronicle Editor

Justice Bello Duwale of the Sokoto State High Court, sitting in Sokoto on 11 December, 2020, convicted and sentenced three top officials of the Sokoto Medical and Health Workers Union: Ibrahim Dan-Dede, Suleiman Ibrahim and Habibu Musa, to two years imprisonment without an option of fine for obtaining Three Million Three Hundred Thousand Naira (N3,300, 000.00) by false pretence. The convicts were prosecuted by the Sokoto Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,on a two-count charge. Count one reads: “That you Ibrahim Dan-Dede while being the Chairman, Suleiman Ibrahim while being the Secretary and Habibu Musa while…

Former Liverpool, Aston Villa and France manager Gerard Houllier has died aged 73. Houllier spent six years at Anfield between 1998-2004, winning four major trophies including the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup in 2001. After two years with Lyon, Houllier returned to the Premier League in 2010, replacing Martin O’Neill as manager of Aston Villa. He stepped down from his role at Villa Park in June the following year, shortly after falling ill with heart problems. The Frenchman spent 38 years as a manager, also taking charge of the France national team, Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain, where he…

The US has issued an emergency order after revealing that its treasury and commerce departments had been hacked. All federal civilian agencies have been told to disconnect from SolarWinds, a computer network tool that is being exploited by “malicious actors”. The US has not publicly identified who is behind the attack. The incident comes less than a week after cyber security firm FireEye disclosed that its hacking tools had been stolen in a breach. In its order, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said the current hack had a high potential to compromise government systems. Tech firm SolarWinds,…

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina state is yet to establish communication with the abductors of 333 students kidnapped from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara. Before this mass abduction, Katsina, along with other states in the Northwest, has been battling with banditry. Only 426 pupils out of the total population of 884 in the hostel could be accounted for on Saturday. But Governor Masari told Minister of Defence Gen. Bashiir Magashi (rtd), who led service chiefs to the state on a mission to rescue the kids that 333 pupils were still missing. Masari said the abductors, believed to be bandits, were…

Electors will gather in state capitols across the country on Monday to formally vote for Joe Biden as the next US president, effectively ending President Donald Trump’s frenzied but failing attempt to overturn his loss in the November 3 election. The state-by-state votes, traditionally an afterthought, have taken on outsized significance this year in light of Trump’s unprecedented assault on the nation’s democratic process. Pushing false claims of widespread fraud, Trump has pressured state officials to throw the election results out and declare him the winner. In the United States, a candidate becomes president not by winning a majority of…

Boss Mustapha, the Secretary To The Government of The Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 has gone into self-isolation after some members of his household tested positive for coronavirus. Mr Mustapha disclosed that him and his wife tested negative but will remain in self-isolation and will work from home. “I would like to inform the general public that some members of my household tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday evening,” he said in s statement on Sunday. Boss Mustapha added that, “Although they are currently asymptomatic, they have been isolated and are receiving care in one of the…

Liverpool missed out on the chance to go top of the Premier League and were somewhat fortunate to come away with a draw from a game in which they were second best for large periods to an impressive Fulham. Mohamed Salah earned them their point, firing a low penalty under home goalkeeper Alphonse Areola after Aboubakar Kamara leapt in the wall and blocked a Georginio Wijnaldum free-kick with his arm. Bobby Decordova-Reid had given Fulham the lead during a first half that the home side dominated and would have scored more but for returning Reds goalkeeper Alisson. The Brazilian, who…

Jose Mourinho refused to blame Hugo Lloris after the keeper’s mistake denied leaders Tottenham victory at Crystal Palace before their top-of-the-table game at Liverpool on Wednesday. Harry Kane put Spurs on course for a sixth win in seven league games with a shot from 30 yards which Vicente Guaita should have saved. But Palace deservedly equalised when Jeffrey Schlupp bundled home after France World Cup winner Lloris could not hold Eberechi Eze’s free-kick. “My goalkeeper is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League so I would never be critical of the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, period,” said Mourinho.…

Nigerians will acquire houses built by the Nigerian government for as low as N2 million, as the housing scheme of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) kicks off. The social housing scheme is expected to create 1.8m jobs as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) commits initial N200 billion facility to the project which kicks off this week. The Social Housing scheme of the ESP will build about 300,000 very affordable houses for Nigerians. This week the portal to invite Nigerians interested either as beneficiaries of the Social Housing or as delivery partners would be launched by the Family Homes Fund,…

A pastor serving with ECWA Gospel Kubwa, Kuta, Pastor Jeremiah Ibrahim has been killed by armed bandits in Chukuba village in Shiroro LGA of Niger state. This was following an attack by armed gunmen in Chukuba village. An eyewitness said that the Pastor had gone to check his farm in Chukuba and decided to visit a colleague who was the Resident Pastor of Chukuba where he was attacked and killed. The gunmen also kidnapped the wife of the Resident Pastor of Chukuba and other community members who are still in custody of the bandits. The deceased was buried on Friday…