Author: Chronicle Editor

The trial of the former governor of Kebbi State, Usman Sa’idu Dakingari for alleged N450 million fraud has been adjourned till October 26, 2020. This followed the stalling of the case in court on Wednesday, October 8, 2020 due to absence of the trial judge, Honourable Justice Sunday Bassey Onu. Dakingari is standing trial alongside two others, Sunday Dogonyaro and Garba Rabiu Kamba for allegedly receiving the said sum from the former minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke for the purpose of influencing the 2015 general election. The day’s matter was for continuation of cross-examination of Prosecution Witness Four (PW4),…

President Donald Trump has refused to take part in a virtual TV debate with his Democratic rival Joe Biden. The commission deciding the format of the 15 October debate in Miami said it would have to take place virtually. It made the decision after Mr Trump was diagnosed with coronavirus. He was treated in hospital, discharged and has no current symptoms, his doctor says. He said he would not waste his time on a virtual debate he said had been ordered to “protect” his rival. The first debate descended into insults and interruptions. US media used words like “chaos” and…

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, has confirmed the rescue of the 25-year-old female lawyer, Bisola Paulette Ajayi, from her abductors. Mukan while briefing newsmen at the State Police Headquarters, Moscow road Port Harcourt on Thursday, disclosed that the victim was rescued by operatives of the Anti-Kidnap Unit from a deep forest in Etche Local Government Area of the State. He said Ajayi was rescued along with another kidnap victim by the police team. Ekiti: Driver crushes policeman to death Ajayi was kidnapped by gunmen who were dressed in military uniform at her residence in Rumuokurusi, Obio/Akpor Local…

President Muhammadu Buhari has presented N13.08 trillion 2021 budget before a joint National Assembly on Thursday urging the legislators to ensure the January to December budget cycle. The President also noted that crude oil is benchmarked at $40 and that Nigeria needs to do more to raise taxes and revenue. Of the N13.08 trillion, N3.124 trillion was budgeted for debt servicing, Statutory Transfers of N484.49 billion and Sinking Fund of N220 billion (to retire certain maturing bonds). The budget referred to as “Budget of Economic Recovery and Resilience” highlighted some of the problems with revenue and what the government must do…

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that all necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that the October 10 gubernatorial election in Ondo State is peaceful, transparent and credible. President Buhari also assured the electorate in Ondo of the provision of adequate security to forestall any breach of the peace by unscrupulous elements. In a video message to party supporters at the grand finale of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for the Ondo Governorship Election, the President urged the electorate to turn out en masse to vote on Saturday without fear of molestation. He expressed confidence that the…

Ronald Lauder, a former US Ambassador to Austria, investigations have shown, is a major figure in Alta Semper Capital, the United Kingdom private equity management firm seeking to forcefully seize Nigerian-founded pharmacy retail chain, HealthPlus. Lauder, Chairman of Clinique Laboratories, a subsidiary of the Estée Lauder Company, one of the world’s leading skin care products manufacturers and marketers, co-founded the firm in 2015 with Harvard-trained Afsane Jetha, CEO of the firm. Alta Semper Capital which, last month attempted to oust HealthPlus founder, Mrs. Bukky George, also has as investors Richard Parsons, Chairman of Rockefeller Foundation; International Finance Corporation (IFC), the…

At least eight persons have died in Baruwa area of Lagos following a gas explosion on Thursday morning, the state emergency agency has confirmed. Providing updates on the incident, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) explained that 25 houses were gutted by the explosion. In an initial disaster assessment, LASEMA noted that, “Casualties are still being assessed but eight fatalities have been identified so far. The agency added that, 25 houses (mostly bungalows), 16 lock up shops and one primary school were also burnt by the resulting fire. JUST IN: Gas station explodes in Lagos “The explosion which occurred…

A live TV debate between the candidates for vice-president ahead of next month’s US election has seen fierce clashes over the coronavirus pandemic. Democrat Kamala Harris accused Donald Trump of “the greatest failure of any presidential administration” in history. Vice-President Mike Pence, a Republican, said her party’s pandemic plan amounted to “plagiarism”. Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads Mr Trump with 26 days to go to the vote. Mike Pence interrupted Kamala Harris 16 times during the #VPdebate based on the NBC data. Harris repeatedly made clear that she wouldn’t stand by as it happened. “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking,” she…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 155 confirmed new coronavirus cases in the country on Wednesday. The 155 cases announced by the Centre for Disease Control takes the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 59,583. The NCDC also announced the discharge of 95 patients from isolation centers across the country with no new death reported. Lagos state, the epicentre of the virus in Nigeria reported 84 new confirmed cases taking the total number of confirmed cases in Lagos alone to 19776. Nigeria announces 118 new coronavirus cases Rivers state reported 31 new cases, Kaduna state recorded…

A gas station has exploded in Baruwa area of Lagos on Thursday morning, the state emergency agency has confirmed. The explosion reportedly occurred at around 6am this morning as residents woke up to the shock of the explosion. A gas station exploded in Baruwa area of #Lagos around 6am on Thursday morning.@lasemasocial has already activated an emergency response team. pic.twitter.com/KPPwu2Qm12 — Chronicle NG (@chronicle_ng) October 8, 2020 According to the Director General of the Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency has activated an emergency response plan. He said emergency responders have been mobilised to the explosion…