Author: David Great

Voting for the Russian presidential election, which is likely to see Vladimir Putin re-elected, will be held in four Ukrainian regions the Kremlin claimed to have annexed last year, Moscow said on Monday. The Central Elections Commission said voting in March would go ahead in Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — regions of Ukraine over which Russia still does not have full military control. “The decision was adopted unanimously,” commission vice-president Nikolay Bulayev said, according to the state-run news agency TASS. The election will be held over a three-day period from March 15 to 17, a move that Kremlin critics…

The police command in Enugu says it seized locally fabricated arms and ammunition from suspected criminals. They recovered ATM cards used by criminals to defraud bank customers whose genuine cards they must have swapped. Police operatives also arrested four suspects in connection with the recoveries, the spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, stated on Monday in Enugu.Mr Ndukwe stated that operatives foiled a robbery attempt in the state capital on December 7, where they arrested a 29-year-old male suspect and recovered a locally made pistol from him. His accomplices fled the scene, the spokesman added. “On November 26, operatives arrested a 26-year-old…

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the aggregate value-added tax (VAT) stood at N948.07 billion in Q3 2023. This is according to the VAT Q3 2023 report released in Abuja on Monday. The report showed a growth rate of 21.34 percent on a quarter-on-quarter basis from N781.35 billion in Q2 2023. It said local payments recorded were N522.08 billion, foreign VAT payments contributed N204.58 billion, and import VAT contributed N221.41 billion in Q3 2023. Agriculture, forestry and fishing recorded the highest growth rate at 91.87 percent on a quarter-on-quarter basis. This was followed by activities of extraterritorial organisations and…

Grammy-award-winning singer Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, has announced plans to donate N100 million to children for Christmas. The music star said he is doing this in honour of his late mom, Juliana Morayo Balogun, who died on August 18, 2023.   Big Wiz, as he has been referred to by fans in recent times, announced this via posts on his Insta story on Monday, stating that this will start in the Surulere area of Lagos State. I want to kiss in movies, shoot guns – Wizkid  He wrote, “100M for the kids for Christmas! Lord bless us all…

Following the announcement of the death of veteran broadcaster and journalist Aisha Bello, Nigerians on social media have continued to pour encomiums on the woman, whom many have described as a professional and model broadcaster. Chronicle NG reported earlier on Monday that Aisha Bello’s death was announced on Sunday in a statement by a member of her family. The statement reads, “Innalilahi wa inna Alaihin Rajiun. May Allah forgive our mother, Hajia Aishat Bello Mustapha. “Mama, indeed, you are a very kind-hearted person. We will miss you, and we hope you are enjoying Rahma. Reacting via X, formerly Twitter, HRH DUKE…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted 12 consignments of cocaine at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Saturday. The consignments consisted of 797 pellets of cocaine weighing 17.6kg. NDLEA’s spokesman Femi Babafemi stated on Sunday in Abuja that a businessman, Augustine Emeka (44), was arrested in connection with the consignments. He added that Mr Emeka, who claimed to be dealing in copper wire, was arrested at the airport upon arrival from Douala, Cameroon, through Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airline. “During the preliminary interview, the suspect admitted that the cocaine consignments were for delivery to 12…

The poor state of hostels at Baze University, a private tertiary institution based in Abuja owned by Labour Party’s vice presidential candidate in the just-concluded 2023 presidential elections, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has generated mixed reactions among Nigerians on social media. In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, by Imran Muhammad, students complained about the poor conditions of the university hostel, including lack of water, electricity, and dirty toilets, after paying over N1 million per room in a year. The hostel lobby, restrooms, and surrounding area were all in poor condition, as shown in the three-part video that Chronicle…

Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish scored three minutes apart as Manchester City came from behind to beat Premier League newcomers Luton Town 2-1 on Sunday and breathe a collective sigh of relief with their first victory in five league games. The win kept the champions – who were missing striker Erling Haaland through injury – in fourth place on 33 points, four shy of leaders Liverpool in a crowded title fight. Luton remain in the drop zone on nine points, four adrift of 17th place. The home fans were celebrating at halftime at a raucous Kenilworth Road after Elijah Adebayo…

The 109 senators of Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly have donated their one-month salaries totaling N109 million to the victims of a drone bomb attack in Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna State. Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin announced this at the Kaduna Government House while leading a high-powered Senate delegation visiting the state. Senator Barau stated in a statement issued by his Special Adviser Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, that the funds will be forwarded to the state governor for distribution to the victims. Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, who was a member of the…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Mr Mele Kolo Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer, of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to “promptly publish details of barrels of oil Nigeria produces and exports every day and the total amounts of revenues generated from oil since the removal of subsidy on petrol in May 2023.” SERAP urged him “to disclose how much of the revenues generated from oil have been remitted to the public treasury since the removal of subsidy on petrol.” SERAP also urged him “to disclose details of payment of N11 trillion as subsidy, and to…