Author: David Great

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has appointed board chairpersons for 42 federal organisations and a secretary to the board of the Civil Defence, Immigration, and Prisons Services. The president appointed former governor of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje, former Rivers senator, Magnus Abe and former All Progressives Congress youth leader, Dayo Israel. Tinubu also appointed a new managing director for the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a director-general for the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI). President Tinubu directs the board chairpersons not to interfere with the management of the organisations, emphasising that their positions are non-executive. All the appointments take immediate effect.…

A former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, has accused ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo of spreading falsehoods about the Mambilla power project to obscure his own record. Agunloye, who served as Minister of Power and Steel between 2002 and 2003 under Obasanjo’s administration, is currently facing a seven-count charge brought by the Federal Government at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. The charges relate to an alleged $6 billion fraud involving the Mambilla Hydroelectric plant. In a statement released on Friday, Agunloye, now the National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), alleged that the government is using him…

A civil society organization, the Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy, has announced plans to sue the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the alleged collection of outdoor advertisement and signage fees in the six area councils of the FCT. In a letter addressed to the minister on January 22 and copied to the Director of the Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage, the group demanded an immediate halt to the fee collection, which it claims is illegal. The organization gave a seven-day ultimatum, threatening to commence legal proceedings against Wike if the practice continues. Mr.…

At least 24 residents of Bida, the headquarters of Bida Local Government Area in Niger State, were hospitalised after the outbreak of a mysterious illness in the town. Reports indicate that 20 of the affected individuals have since been discharged following more than a week of treatment at the Federal Medical Centre and Umaru Sanda Ndayako General Hospital, Bida. The illness, which caused sudden collapse and loss of communication abilities, has left many residents worried. Providing an update on the situation, Niger State Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr. Bello Tukur, said the outbreak was linked to untreated severe…

More than 460 illegal immigrants, some with criminal records including sexual assault, domestic violence, drug offenses, and weapons violations, have been apprehended in the United States. Fox News reports that the arrests were carried out by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the initial days of President Donald Trump’s administration. According to the report, “between midnight January 21 and 9am January 22, a 33-hour period, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, ERO, arrested over 460 aliens.” Those taken into custody include individuals with criminal histories of sexual assault, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, drug and weapons offenses, resisting arrest, and…

Dora Chichah, wife of suspended Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Daniel Oghenerukevwe, has revealed how faith and prayer of popular NSPPD pastor, Jerry Eze shaped their relationship and eventual marriage. Chronicle NG recalls that Rev. Oghenerukevwe, who hails from the Catholic Diocese of Warri, Delta State, was suspended after marrying in Dallas, Texas, without completing the canonical process required to be released from his priestly vows. According to the diocese, although the priest formally requested release from Holy Orders on November 30, 2024, he did not provide the necessary documents before proceeding with the marriage. Photos of their wedding quickly went…

The United Nations will seek $910 million this week to help address a humanitarian crisis in northeastern Nigeria, which has been gripped by an Islamist insurgency since 2009 and was ravaged by flooding last year, according to documents released on Wednesday. According to UN records seen by Reuters, 7.8 million people in the three northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe require assistance, with the UN aiming to support 3.6 million of them. According to the documents, it is the most expensive humanitarian disaster in West and Central Africa, costing more than Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger combined. Nigeria…

The trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, continued at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, 22 January 2025, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presenting its eighth witness, Abdullahi Suleman, a bureau de change operator. According to Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Suleman narrated how more than N22 billion was allegedly funnelled from the Federal Ministry of Power into his business accounts during Saleh Mamman’s tenure as minister. The naira equivalent was subsequently converted to US dollars. Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Suleman disclosed that funds…

Barcelona are the latest side to be linked with Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic as the Serie A outfit prepare to make a huge decision on his future. Juventus parted with a cool £66.6m to sign Vlahovic in 2022 and have watched him score 53 goals in 126 appearances across all competitions, including seven strikes in Serie A this season. The conundrum for Juventus concerns Vlahovic’s contract. He has entered the final 18 months of his contract and reports suggest the Italian giants are increasingly fearful of losing him on a free transfer, with talk of a new contract failing to…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu Zonal Command, has apprehended 37 individuals suspected of engaging in internet fraud in Awka, the capital of Anambra State. In a statement released on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency disclosed that the arrests were based on credible intelligence linking the suspects to online fraudulent activities. “The all-male suspects were arrested in a sting operation at Commissioners’ Quarters, Dr. J. O. Ukwutinife Close, Ifite, Awka, Anambra State, following credible intelligence linking them to fraudulent internet activities,” the statement read in part. The EFCC further revealed that six luxury cars, several laptops, and mobile phones…