馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
Nigeria Football Federation to train 10 referees in VAR operations
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
Ibrahim Gusau, President of the Nigeria Football Federation NFF, has committed to training 10 Nigerian referees in Video Assistant Referee VAR technology by the end of the year. This pledge was made during a meeting with the new executive team of the Nigeria Referees Association NRA at the NFF secretariat in Abuja. Gusau urged the NRA to improve the refereeing profession by focusing on age limits, computer literacy, and academic qualifications for recruits. He suggested recruiting individuals from junior secondary school age to allow them to progress to FIFA level. Gusau also emphasized the need for computer literacy among referees for report filing. NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi called on the new NRA executive to address poor officiating in the domestic league. Acting NRA President Kelechi Mejuobi assured that the new leadership would work to sanitize refereeing and enforce strict sanctions for indiscipline and unethical conduct. Gusau also extended condolences for the passing of former NRA President Sani Zubair.
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Ireland has introduced a temporary measure permitting eligible non-European Economic Area nationals to travel internationally with recently expired Irish Residence Permit cards until August 31, 2026. This initiative, announced by the Minister of State for Migration, Colm Brophy, aims to assist residents whose renewal applications are still being processed. The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Immigration stated that its Immigration Services Registration Office in Dublin is experiencing a high volume of applications, with some processing times exceeding 17 weeks. To facilitate summer travel, individuals whose renewal applications were submitted before their current IRP cards expired can use the expired cards. Travelers are advised to carry a Travel Confirmation Notice, their expired IRP card, and proof of renewal application submission. They should also contact airlines and verify acceptance of the notice in transit countries before traveling. This measure addresses backlogs in residence permit renewals and follows recent reforms to Ireland鈥檚 employment permit system.
Must ReadMohammed Ngoshe, a former Assistant Director-General of the Department of State Services, revealed how security forces secured the release of pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State's Oriire Local Government Area. Speaking on Channels Television, Ngoshe explained that the operation involved isolating the kidnappers' hideout, cutting off their access to food and weapons, and neutralizing their informant network. He stated that security personnel surrounded the area, denying the criminals essential supplies and weakening their position. This pressure, including showing the kidnappers videos of the operations, left them with no option but to release their captives. Ngoshe praised the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies for their efforts, dismissing criticisms regarding the transparency of the operation. He also mentioned that three security personnel were killed by improvised explosive devices during the operation as troops closed in on the kidnappers.
Dr. Bolaji Olagunju, Founder and Group Chairman of Workforce Group, argues that public sector board appointments in Nigeria are often treated with insufficient rigor, leading to institutional failures. He emphasizes that appointing a board member is a critical hiring decision, more consequential than many other personnel choices, yet it frequently lacks the procedural scrutiny applied to junior staff. Dr. Olagunju identifies four distinct activities that are often collapsed into one: selection, screening, due diligence, and appointment. He asserts that in Nigeria, the process often begins with the appointment, with selection, screening, and due diligence, if they occur at all, reduced to mere formalities. He cites the establishment of the National Pension Commission PenCom in 2004 as a positive Nigerian example where a deliberate and rigorous selection process led to a high-performing board and a successful pension system. To improve public sector governance, Dr. Olagunju proposes six questions for any appointing authority: What does this board need that it does not currently have? Does this candidate bring it? Will this candidate exercise independent judgment? Has this candidate done serious work of this kind before? What is the candidate鈥檚 standing, in three different rooms? If this appointment fails, what will the country lose? He acknowledges that implementing these questions would reduce the discretion and patronage capacity of appointing authorities but stresses that pu