Author: Chronicle Editor

The Insight by Lateef Adewole There was an incident on Sunday 4th of October, 2020, that broke my heart. I had an interaction with a long time good friend of mine when he commented on my previous Saturday’s article: “NIGERIA @60: WHO STOLE MY COUNTRY?”. The discussion dovetailed into how we are now so divided as a country by tribes and religions. He concluded that the country needs urgent restructuring, just like many have been clamouring for. He narrated a recent experience of his when he attended an interview. It was for a top position in a downstream Oil and…

South East Young Progressive Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared support for moves by the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC. Umahi reportedly told PDP leaders at a meeting, in Abuja, on Tuesday, that he was leaving the party because of its refusal to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the South East. The National Convener of the Group, Comrade Paschal Candle, described Umahi’s move as legitimate and timely, saying the governor has the total support of the progressive youths of APC in South East. In a statement…

The Commander, 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo on Saturday told the Lagos State Panel of Inquiry and Restitution that the order for the deployment of soldiers to the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20 came from President Muhammadu Buhari. Taiwo, under cross examination from the Lagos State counsel at the panel, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu lacks the authority to give order to the army He said the best the governor could do is to request for deployment. The Nigerian Army stated that no one was felled by bullets fired by its…

A magistrate’s court in Abuja has ordered the police to investigate the senior pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi; former Super Eagles star Kanu Nwankwo; music star Davido and 47 other Nigerians for allegedly promoting the #EndSARS protests. The order issued by Hon. Omolola Tolulope Akindele, Presiding Chief Magistrate II, Abuja, followed a request by human rights activist, Kenechukwu Okeke. Okeke, in a criminal suit filed before the court, alleged that the defendants acted in a manner “with intent to assist in the promotion of an unlawful assembly under the guise or composition of #EndSARS.” He alleged that the…

The Nigerian Army on Saturday denied that it was looking for celebrity disk jockey (DJ), Catherine Udeh, alias DJ Switch. The army gave a blow-by-blow account of its own version of the events surrounding the October 20 shooting at the Lekki Toll gate, Lagos. It said it had neither threatened nor was after any #EndSARS protesters. There are unconfirmed reports that Switch has been granted asylum in Canada following alleged death threats for her involvement in the #EndSARS protests. She had live-streamed the Lekki shooting via Instagram and alleged that some protesters were shot and that some victims were taken…

The Nigerian Army on Saturday publicly gave a blow-by-blow account of its own version of the events surrounding the October 20 shooting at the Lekki Toll gate, Lagos, and declared that no one was felled by bullets fired by its men. The army said soldiers deployed to the scene used blank bullets containing only gunpowder. It denied shooting at or killing anyone at the scene, whether with blanks or live ammunition, contrary to claims by several petitioners and protesters. Some #ENDSARS protesters and human rights groups had claimed that soldiers killed and carted away bodies of several protesters. But the…

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has deepened its retail products and services with an aim to delivering services aimed at meeting the needs of its customers across Africa. These services and product offerings, targeting at all classes of customers have been specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of individual customers of the bank, in line with the Customer First policy of the bank. UBA’s Head of Retail Liabilities, Ogechi Altraide, who spoke in a virtual international media parley with a diverse group of journalists and publishers from all over Africa, pointed out that UBA was well prepared ahead…

The federal government of Nigeria is planning to borrow $750 million on behalf of states to stimulate local economies and trigger recovery from COVID-19. Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, made this disclosure in Abuja on Friday at the inauguration ceremony of the Federal Steering Committees of the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (N-CARES). According to the Finance Minister, the Nigerian Government “is in the process of accessing a World Bank loan of $750 million on behalf of the states to stimulate the local economy and support vulnerable household consumption”. In going to borrow…

The Federal High Court in Lagos was told on Friday that Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel, spent N1.4 billion state funds to defend his 2015 election victory. An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigating officer, Abdulraman Arabo, told the court that Udom hired Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to represent him at the tribunal where his victory was being challenged. But in a swift reaction on Friday, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Comrade Iniobong Ememobong, challenged the anti-graft agency to prove its allegation against Governor Emmanuel in a court of competent jurisdiction. Arabo had told the…

The crisis in Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated on Friday, following the setting up of a parallel zonal reconciliation committee by the former Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose faction. The party now has two reconciliation panels that are not on the same page. Two days ago, a zonal faction, led by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State set up the reconciliation committee headed by former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Rising from a factional zonal meeting in Lagos, the aggrieved chieftains also charged the new committee to pursue reconciliation with vigour and sincerity. The six-member reconciliation panel, headed by…