Author: Chronicle Editor

Nigerian police say they have arrested a man after 40 people were raped in one town over the period of a year. A mother in the northern town Dangora caught the man in her children’s bedroom, according to police spokesman Abdullahi Haruna. The man ran away but neighbours gave chase and caught him, he added. The man was arrested on Tuesday. The police say the spate of rapes included an attack on an 80-year-old and children as young as 10 years old. There has been a recent wave of rapes and killing of women in Nigeria, which have led to…

As news of one the most brutal terrorist attacks on innocent people emerged from the Northeast, President Muhammadu Buhari said he is deeply shocked by the brutal killing of tens of people by the Boko Haram/Islam in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Gubio village, Borno State. The President, who was expecting a detailed briefing by the Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum on the outcome of his visit to the affected communities, said the “primordial nature of the killings is particularly shocking because it happened not long after the Ramadhan and Eid, and the country is preparing to celebrate the Democracy Day.”…

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said over 100 million Nigerians have no identity including the poorest and the most vulnerable groups. The agency’s Director-General, Mr Aliyu Aziz, stated this on Wednesday during a Zoom meeting. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aziz spoke on the topic: Strategic Roadmap for ID Development. He said: “Over 100 million Nigerians have no identity (ID). These include the poorest and the most vulnerable groups, such as the marginalised – women and girls, the less-educated people, migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, people with disabilities and people living in rural and…

The University of Ibadan on Wednesday confirmed that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state graduated from the institution. The university, in a statement by its Registrar, Mrs Olubunmi Faluyi, said Obaseki studied Classics. According to the statement, the governor gained admission in 1976 and graduated in 1979 with a Second Class Honours (Lower Division). “Records of his admission and graduation are intact in the archives of the university,” the statement added. The university made the clarification following the allegation that the three credits scored in the West African School Certificate Examination could not have qualified the governor for admission into…

Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano said on Wednesday that nine persons have died as a result of coronavirus pandemic. He also noted that 53 persons have tested positive to the virus of the 230 results released from the 302 persons tested. Seventy-two other results are being expected. The governor stated these during his state broadcast to the people to update on COVID-19. Nigeria announces 663 new coronavirus cases Obiano said: “Ndi Anambra, following our active search campaign across the state, we have collected 302 samples so far. Of this figure, 230 results have been released to us and 72 results…

Justice Jude Okeke of Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Wednesday slated July 6, 2020, for ruling on the eligibility of a prosecution witness to testify in the on-going trial of former Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal for alleged N500 million (Five Hundred Million Naira), grass-cutting scam. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Lawal, his younger brother, Hamidu David Lawal, one Suleiman Abubakar and Apeh John, alongside Rholavision Engineering and Josmon Technologies, on an amended 10-count charge, bordering on fraud, diversion of funds and criminal conspiracy to the tune of over N500 million (Five…

The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has destroyed a Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) hideout and neutralised some of their fighters at Kacha Korle in the Sambisa Forest general area of Borno State. Major General John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters on Thursday said the operation was executed on 10 June 2020. “Following intelligence reports indicating that the location was being used as a staging area and meeting venue for the terrorists from where they planned and launched attacks against troops’ locations and civilian settlements within the Sector 1 Area of Responsibility, including the Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway,” he…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 409 confirmed new coronavirus cases in the country on Thursday. The 409 cases announced by the Centre for Disease Control takes the total number of confirmed cases to 13873. The NCDC also announced the discharge of 145 patients from isolation centers across the country with 17 new deaths reported. Lagos state, the epicentre of the virus in Nigeria topped the number of confirmed cases with 201 new cases taking the total number of confirmed cases in Lagos alone to 6266. Nigeria announces 663 new coronavirus cases The Federal Capital Territory recorded…

In our series of letters from African writers, Nigerian novelist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani says children are now having to police their credulous parents on WhatsApp. Just a few years ago, local comedians had a field day with jokes about elderly Nigerian mothers and their nonchalant attitudes towards their mobile phones. They needed their children’s assistance to type and send text messages or log in to their accounts and read emails. And their frequent excuse for missed calls was: “My phone was in my handbag.” These days, the jokes have upgraded to Nigerian mothers and their infatuation with WhatsApp, the most…

Nigerian troops have continued their aggressive clearance operations across the North-East by clearing Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters from Mandara Mountains while others were arrested. In a statement by Major General John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, the Defence Headquarters said terrorist hideout on the Mandara Mountains was raided. “On 8 June 2020, troops of 192 Battalion, Gwoza, Borno State conducted a daring and well-coordinated commando raid on a Boko Haram criminals’ hideout at Kwatara on the Mandara Mountains. “The successful operation led to the neutralization of several terrorists while many others fled with gunshot wounds. He said also on 8 June 2020, troops…