Author: Chronicle Editor

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 86 confirmed coronavirus cases with two more deaths late Sunday night. The centre for disease control says this take the total for coronavirus cases in Nigeria to 627. “Eighty-six new cases of COVID-19 have been reported; 70 in Lagos, 7 in FCT, 3 in Katsina, 3 in Akwa Ibom, 1 in Jigawa, 1 in Bauchi and 1 in Borno. “As at 11:50 pm 19th April there are 627 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria. Discharged: 170 Deaths: 21.” The NCDC explained that one case previously reported in Kano, has been…

A suspected gunman who dressed as a policeman killed at least 10 people, including a police officer, in Nova Scotia, Canadian police say. The 12-hour rampage ended in a car chase and the attacker is also dead. Residents in the rural town of Portapique had been advised to lock themselves indoors after the attack began on Saturday. Police earlier said the suspect drove what appeared to be a police car. The gunman shot people in several locations across Nova Scotia which means authorities are still trying to establish the final death toll, police said on Sunday. Canadian Prime Minister Justin…

As the inks flow in tributes to Abba Kyari by those who loved and despised him, let us not forget that Abba was much misunderstood and often maligned. Wherever you stood then and stand now, let us not forget that Abba was a patriot . He executed President Buhari’s vision with his own single mindedness. One of his favourite quotes was credited to Jeff Immelt to the effect that “The job looks easy when you are not the one doing it.” He seemed to take a lot of comfort from these words when his actions were misunderstood. I bear testimony…

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the latest attacks by bandits in Katsina State in three local government areas that left 47 persons dead. Reacting to the incident on Sunday, the President said that he is deeply saddened by the latest development, and called on Nigerians not to despair because this administration is ever determined to defeat and crush these criminal elements taking advantage of the lockdown to attack their victims. President Buhari said he will not tolerate this large scale killing of innocent people by the bandits, adding that “in line with my commitment to security of the people, these…

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers has freed 22 Exxon Mobil Corp. employees quarantined last week after their arrest for violating an order restricting movement into the state to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Rivers State Government disclosed their release via a press statement said on Sunday. On Friday, Wike said the workers were arrested after entering the state from neighboring Akwa Ibom State in violation of an executive order restricting movement into the state as part of measures imposed last month to curb the spread of the coronavirus. He said the workers, whose coronavirus status was unknown, were…

Forty-four suspected Boko Haram militants in Chad have died in detention from apparent poisoning, the country’s public prosecutor says. The men were part of a group of 58 suspects captured during a recent major army operation against the Islamist group around Lake Chad. An investigation has been launched after four autopsies showed a lethal substance had led to their deaths. The justice minister told AFP the prisoners had not been ill treated. Djimet Arabi was responding to allegations that the prisoners were placed in a single cell and given no food or water after their transfer to the capital, N’Djamena,…

Operation Lafiya Dole have foiled a combined attack by the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists on Buni Gari village in Gujba LGA, Yobe state. Many of the insurgents were killed in the operation, while catchment of arms including Gun trucks, General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), AK-47 Rifles, among others, were recovered. According to a statement by the Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, “the gallant roops of Sector 2 OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE in a subsidiary operation named OPERATION KANTANA JIMLAN at about 181830hrs April 2020 in a clinically executed operation responded to…

A Nigerian parish priest was forced to leave his post as the head of a parish in western Germany out of concerns for his safety, the parish and local church officials have announced. The pastor, Patrick Asomugha, and the diocese of Speyer made the decision to remove him after he received a death threat last month. “Concerns for the safety and wellbeing of pastor Asomugha makes this step unavoidable,” Andreas Sturm, vicar general for the Speyer diocese’s bishop, said in a statement. “It would be irresponsible to continue exposing Pastor Asomugha to the threat.” Asomugha took over as the head…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given “the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and leadership of the National Assembly 14 days to reverse the proposed illegal cut of N26.51 billion in basic healthcare budget and to cut the National Assembly and Presidency budgets instead, or face legal action.” SERAP is also calling on them to meet to “reverse the proposed illegal cut of N50.76 billion in the education budget. There is currently no proposal to cut the National Assembly and Presidency budgets.” In the letters dated 18 April, 2020 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization…

The late Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, was hours from being discharged on Friday before his condition unexpectedly relapsed. Kyari died at First Cardiology Consultants Hospital in Lagos on Friday from what the Lagos State government yesterday described as complications of coronavirus infection. Witnesses told The Nation of massive police presence at the private facility on the fateful day, apparently after he was certified dead. Sources said Kyari had shown signs of recovery which was a sign that he could be discharged only for his condition to take a plunge. It was learnt that he even…