Author: Opalim Lifted

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has begun efforts to recover the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of its ATR-42 aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State. The recovery operation is expected to help investigators establish the circumstances surrounding the crash. Speaking at the crash site in Igbokoda on Friday, Ebimobo Ebiowe, NAF’s superintendent of standards and evaluation, said investigators were searching for critical components of the wreckage that could provide vital clues about the incident. He identified the flight data recorder, commonly known as the black box, and the cockpit voice recorder as key components the…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries to move away from long-term psychiatric hospital stays and adopt community-based mental healthcare that protects patients’ rights, dignity and choices. The organisation made the call in a statement issued on Friday ahead of World Mental Health Day, observed annually on October 10. The 2026 edition is themed “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change”, highlighting the importance of involving people with mental health conditions in decisions affecting their lives. According to WHO, many people with mental health conditions remain in large psychiatric hospitals and social care institutions, with nearly half held involuntarily…

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake has struck Panama, damaging buildings and roads, injuring at least 27 people and triggering mass evacuations, with no deaths reported so far. The shallow earthquake struck at 12:56 pm local time on Friday, with its epicentre about 10 kilometres from Pitaloza Arriba in Herrera province, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS initially measured the earthquake at magnitude 8.0 before revising it down to 7.7. According to Panama’s National Civil Protection System, the tremor was felt across the Central American country, which has a population of about 4.5 million. Rene Garcia, head of…

JP Morgan plans to establish a merchant bank in Nigeria, with operations expected to begin before the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approval. Dapo Olagunji, managing director of JP Morgan West Africa, announced the plan at the Nigeria–Asia Financial Connectivity Dialogue in Singapore on October 8. According to a statement issued on Thursday, the dialogue was convened by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with J.P. Morgan, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and FMDQ Group. The proposed merchant bank would mark a new phase in JP Morgan’s presence in Nigeria as the country seeks to deepen its financial…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the nationwide distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general election, with low turnout observed at several collection centres in Abuja, Lagos and Ibadan. Checks by Chronicle NG on Friday showed that while distribution had commenced at some locations, other centres had yet to begin the exercise. INEC had announced October 9 as the start date for PVC collection, urging eligible voters to collect their cards ahead of the elections. The commission’s chairman, Joash Amupitan, had also disclosed that Nigeria’s national register of voters had grown to more than…

Nigeria does not currently have enough unallocated crude oil to fully supply the Dangote Refinery and meet the needs of other domestic refiners, Minister of Finance Taiwo Oyedele has said. Oyedele made the disclosure on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, amid growing calls for the Federal Government to introduce a production subsidy to support local refineries. He said Nigeria’s daily crude oil production of about 1.8 million barrels does not translate into an equivalent volume available to the Federal Government because of contractual obligations, production costs and royalty payments. Why Nigeria Cannot Supply All of Dangote’s…

Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government’s 30-day petrol discount at Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited stations, describing it as a temporary measure that fails to address Nigeria’s rising cost of living. Atiku spoke on Friday at the inauguration of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, where he accused the Bola Tinubu administration of failing to provide lasting economic relief after nearly four years in office. He questioned why the government had adopted a temporary fuel discount after previously rejecting his proposal for…

Royal Mail has announced plans to cut 2,500 head office and support jobs by the end of 2027 as the British postal service battles falling letter volumes, rising competition and mounting pressure to improve delivery performance. The proposed cuts represent about two per cent of the company’s 131,000-strong workforce. However, frontline postal workers, including posties and drivers, will not be affected by the restructuring. Royal Mail said the reductions would be achieved through voluntary redundancies and employees choosing to leave the company, rather than compulsory job losses. Chief executive Alistair Cochrane said the changes were designed to improve efficiency and…

Nigeria’s economic recovery is gathering pace, but improved government revenues and stronger macroeconomic indicators have yet to translate into better living conditions for citizens, the Federal Government and the World Bank have said. Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has sarcastically congratulated Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, for acknowledging that the administration’s economic reforms have increased poverty and hardship among Nigerians. Bwala admitted that more Nigerians had fallen into poverty following the introduction of the reforms but maintained that the government had made significant progress since implementing the measures. Economic Growth Must Improve Living…

The police have warned worshippers against publicly disclosing personal achievements during church testimonies after foiling an alleged plot to kidnap a female cleric in Abuja. Four church members were arrested over an alleged plan to abduct Prophetess Elizabeth, who was reportedly targeted after sharing a testimony about her achievements. Adamu Muazu, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), gave the warning on Thursday while parading the suspects. He said the alleged attack was planned for after an evening church service. Police Warn Against Security Risks During Testimonies Muazu cautioned worshippers against assuming that everyone in…