Author: Chronicle Editor

Chelsea sealed fourth place in the Premier League to wrap up qualification for next season’s Champions League with a comfortable victory over Wolves. Frank Lampard’s side needed a point from the potentially nervy encounter at Stamford Bridge in order to clinch a top-four place – but they stylishly grabbed all three. Mason Mount’s delightful 25-yard curling free-kick and Olivier Giroud’s effort from close range were just 144 seconds apart on the stroke of half-time and they settled the contest. The loss means Wolves end the season in seventh place, behind Tottenham on goal difference, after Jose Mourinho’s side drew 1-1…

Aston Villa will play Premier League football next season after a draw at West Ham was enough to ensure they escaped relegation on the final day of the league campaign. Hometown hero and captain Jack Grealish looked to have sealed a win for Villa with a powerful strike in the 84th minute, but Andriy Yarmolenko’s deflected leveller soon after made it a nervy finale for the visitors. They hung on though and the point, coupled with a defeat for Watford at Arsenal, ensured Villa’s survival and consigned the Hornets to the Championship next season along with Bournemouth, whose win at Everton was not…

Police in the US city of Seattle clashed with crowds marching in support of anti-racism protests, in one of the most tense of several rallies held across the country on Saturday. Officers used stun grenades and pepper spray, as protesters set a fire and broke windows. The march was in support of ongoing protests in Portland. Forty-five people were arrested while 21 officers were injured. In Austin, Texas one man was killed during a Black Lives Matter march. Police said initial reports suggested the victim might have been carrying a rifle and approached a vehicle, from where a person shot…

Armed bandits launched two attacks within 12 hours on three Southern Kaduna villages of Jema’a and Kaura local government areas killing not less than 10 persons. However, in reaction to the latest attacks, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, had on Friday night extended the 24-hour-curfew imposed on the earlier troubled Zango-Kataf to Jema’a and Kaura local government areas. The governor on his Twitter handle on Friday night, said that, “At the request of security agencies, the Kaduna State Government has extended to Jema’a and Kaura LGAs the 24-hour curfew that is in force in Kauru and Zangon Kataf LGAs…

An Igbo group, Association of New Igbo Democrats, has taken on the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, over his conduct before an ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The committee, which was investigating Ngige’s suspension of the management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), had summoned the minister to explain the reasons for his action. But rather than answer the questions posed to him, Ngige started by saying that members of the committee were his younger brothers, except Hon. James Faleke, a known political ally of the All Progressives Congress (APC)…

The North East Development Association (NEDA) says the allegation of missing N100 billion levelled against the North East Development Commission (NEDC) by the House of Representatives was politically motivated and bound to fail. Director, Liaison Office of the association, Mallam Kabiru Duhu, made the statement during a chat with newsmen in Abuja on Friday. Duhu said the resolution to probe the NEDC, moved by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, was just a smear campaign against the Commission and to the north which would eventually fail. EFCC hands over Badeh’s forfeited property to NEDC According to…

Champions League qualification and the battle to avoid relegation are the major issues at stake as the Premier League season concludes on Sunday. Coronavirus prompted fears the campaign might not be completed but after 92 games in 40 days the top flight is set for a dramatic finale. Leicester City host Manchester United with both teams and Chelsea competing for the two remaining top-four spots. Two of Aston Villa, Watford and Bournemouth will be relegated from the Premier League. Europa League qualification is also up for grabs, with Wolves and Tottenham battling for sixth place, which guarantees a European place next…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan; and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, urging them to use their “good offices and leadership positions to urgently publish all reports of completed public hearings and corruption probes by the National Assembly since the return of democracy in 1999.” The organization also urged them to “disclose the number and details of public hearings and corruption probes by the National Assembly that have resulted in any indictment of suspects, and to name such suspects. The reports should be…

Three people have died after a microlight aircraft crashed into a home in Wesel, in north-western Germany, officials say. The identities of the dead are not yet known. A child was also treated for injuries and shock. The aircraft could have carried two people. Images show severe damage to the roof of the home with emergency workers attending a now-extinguished fire. Police told Bild newspaper the aircraft had taken off from Marl airfield. Police chief Peter Reuters said emergency services were called at 14:42 local time (12.42 GMT), adding: “Three deceased people were found in the attic of the apartment…

At least 10 residents of Edo state were injured following an exchange of gunshots between the camps of Governor Godwin Obaseki and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, his main challenger in the September 19 polls. Benin City, the capital of Edo, was enveloped in tension after suspected political thugs went on the rampage as Obaseki formally launched his re-election campaign. Cars, some of them exotic, campaign billboards and other valuables were damaged in the mayhem near the palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II. “The PDP Guber Candidate in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, was left deflated and completely disgraced…