₦airaland Forum

The Burnley v Arsenal game was an example of Arsenal under Arteta. At times brilliant and dominating, capable of absurd errors costing them goals, profligate in front of goal, unable to amp up the intensity early enough when needed, and subject to unbalanced and bias calls from VAR. It’s the last point that I want to highlight because it’s becoming troublesome for the integrity of the game.

VAR worked as it should for Burnley on the late penalty decision and the red card – it overturned it. However, it failed in its duty to award Arsenal a penalty for handball earlier on – an obvious one and a decision that even Peter Walton found “surprising”.

Yet it isn’t really that surprising. When taking a holistic view, Arsenal’s history with VAR in the UK has been nothing short of outrageous. Off the top of my head alone, I can think of 18 (EIGHTEEN) controversial interventions or non-interventions by VAR that disadvantaged Arsenal. These are all situations where you regularly see VAR act in favour for other teams in identical circumstances.

22 Sep 2019 Arsenal 3-2 Villa
Maitland-Niles is sent off for a challenge that wasn’t even a foul. A strong but clean tackle followed by the Villa playing standing on him.

21 Oct 2019 Sheffield 1-0 Arsenal
Strong and obvious shirt pull on Sokratis in the box – no penalty given

27 Oct 2019 Arsenal 2-2 Palace
Arsenal’s winning goal disallowed after VAR decides Chambers committed a foul. The only foul was on Chambers

18 Jan 2020 Arsenal 1-1 Sheffield
Pepe clearly brought down in the box – no penalty given

7 Jul 2020 Arsenal 1-1 Leicester:
Nketiah receives red for serious foul play after VAR intervenes. Possibly warranted but the exact same foul (or worse) is committed by Tarkowski for West Ham v Burnley (that same night) and only gets a yellow
Vardy kicks Mustafi in the face (with obvious intent when you see the replay) and yet no red is given

16 Jul 2020 Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool
Alexander-Arnold commits a dangerous foul on Saka – no red is given

29 August 2020 Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool
Keita commits a dangerous foul on Nketiah – no red given

23 Sep 2020 Leicester 0-2 Arsenal
Saka is clearly fouled in the box – no penalty given

28 Sep 2020 Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal
Mane elbows Tierney in the face – only a yellow, no red
Jota scores after clearly handling the ball (contact well below t-shirt line) – it must be ruled out according to the rules but it isn’t

25 Oct 2020 Arsenal 0-1 Leicester
Laca has a goal disallowed – VAR said Xhaka was interfering with play whilst offside because he was blocking the keeper’s vision. He wasn’t anywhere near and was not interfering with play at all

30 Jan 2021 Arsenal 0-0 Man Utd
Fernandes rakes his studs down Xhaka’s calf and achilles – no red given

2 Feb 2021 Wolves 2-1 Arsenal:
Luiz given a red card for accidental contact with Wolves player, who goes down before shooting. Wolves player throws his leg backward in stride and it catches Luiz’s knee. Not rescinded on appeal. Compare this with Bednarek’s red v Man U on the same night for the exact same offence, which was overturned on appeal

6 Feb 2021 Villa 1-0 Arsenal:
Saka brought down by the last defender. Ref gives a yellow and VAR does not intervene. Compare this with Jagielka’s red on 3 Mar 21, Sheffield v Villa for a similar situation that was even less of a goal scoring opportunity
No penalty awarded against Martinez when he hauls down Laca in the box. Replays demonstrate it was not 50/50. Martinez grabs Laca’s shirt and hauls him over

14 Feb 2021 Arsenal 4-2 Leeds
Saka brought down in the box. Ref gives a pen and a yellow to the defender. VAR overturns this despite one replay angle clearly showing contact and the foul

6 March 2021 Burnley 1-1 Arsenal
VAR says no handball in the second half but it clearly was

All 18 have individually been subjected to questions and complaints by pundits and by the media. Also, maybe not all 18 are 100% egregious. Sometimes, even when it’s 80/20 your decision, they go against you. However, it’s the aggregation – 18 of them – which is most troubling and yet this never gets a mention by anyone.

The most worrisome thing is it’s simply not probable that such a level of inconsistent VAR application can be due to incompetence or bad luck alone. Is it corruption? Is it another form of conscious bias? Or is it simply unconscious bias? It’s impossible to tell without investigation but I’d say such an investigation is now long overdue.

https://www.football365.com/news/xhaka-uselss-18-times-var-fed-arsenal-mailbox

Please who knows where I can buy this?

Thank you

More

In Cross River State

New students of the Department of Theatre, Film and Carnival Studies, University of Calabar have their induction

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4298980983462741&id=100000526453281

The Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Nigeria.

The vaccine was recently approved by the W.H.O for emergency use, in a press briefing, NAFDAC says it got the dossier of the vaccine a week ago, and the NAFDAC safety committee went to work immediately to evaluate its safety and efficacy for Nigerians.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, also known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, or AZD1222, is a viral vector vaccine. Scientists used an adenovirus, originally derived from chimpanzees, and modified it with the aim of training the immune system to mount a strong response against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).

https://www.channelstv.com/2021/02/18/breaking-nafdac-approves-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-for-use-in-nigeria/

Wikki Tourists has just posted on Facebook thus:

BREAKING:
Wikki Tourists fc involved in an accident, team bus burnt to ashes along Kibo road on our way to uyo for match day 11 of the #npfl.2021 against. Dakkada fc.
No life was lost,thanks be to God.
Wtfc Media
18/2/2021

https://www.facebook.com/1610256942591230/posts/2907335112883400/

Ten Million Naira (#10,000.000.00) awaits anyone with useful information on the whereabouts of the persons in the photo below;

https://www.facebook.com/127243240651077/posts/5109577772417574/

...Also N35bn for NEPZA power station

The Federal Executive Council FEC has approved the establishment of 20 private universities across the country.

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Wednesday after the week’s virtual FEC meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the State House in Abuja.

According to Adamu, the approved universities would get their provisional licenses from the National Universities Commission (NUC), which they will use for the next three years while monitoring and evaluation will go on.

The approved universities are Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom State; Thomas Adewumi University, Oko-Irese, Kwara State; Maranathan University, Mgbidi, Imo State; Ave Maria University, Piyanko, Nasarawa State; and Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State.

Also approved are Mudiame University, Irrua, Edo State; Havilla University, Nde-Ikom, Cross River State; Claretian University of Nigeria, Nekede, Imo State; NOK University, Kachia, Kaduna State; and Karl-Kumm University, Vom, Plateau State.

Others are James Hope University, Lagos, Lagos State; Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano, Kano State; Capital City University, Kano, Kano State; Ahman Pategi University, Pategi, Kwara State; and University of Offa, Offa, Kwara State.

Others are Mewar University, Masaka, Nasarawa State, Edusoko University, Bida, Niger State, Philomath University, Kuje, Abuja, Khadija University, Majia, Jigawa State and Anan University, Kwall, Plateau State.

Nine of the private universities are located in North Central, three in South South, two in South East, five of them in North West and one in South West.

Meanwhile, the FEC has has approved the sum of N35 billion for the building of power stations by the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA), in the processing zones in Calabar and Kano.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, the contract awarded to Messers Mutual Commitment Nigeria Limited, would be jointly funded by the government and the company that won the award in 25% to 75% plan.

According to him, the contract sum is N35,411,119,159.47 and that the contractor will finance 75 percent of the project, which is in the sum of N26,558,339,337.10 while the NEPZA would finance 25 percent which translate to N8,852,779,792.37.

He said council approved a payback period of 10 years of the contractor’s portion.

Adebayo said on completion after 11 months, the plant will be operated by the contractor for five years during which they will build local capacity that will take over the running of the plant.

“The whole intention of the upgrade of the two zones is to create zones with world class standards. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is desirous of making Nigeria a manufacturing hub, especially now that we have signed on to the Africa Continental free Trade Area (AFCTA) Agreement.

“So, by putting 24-hour power in the two processing zones, it will make it more attractive to foreign investors to come and set up manufacturing concerns here in Nigeria,” he explained.

Also addressing State House Correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, said council approved the categorization of Aluminum Smelting Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) that is in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, as a power producing and strategic company.

With the approval, Adegbite said the production of aluminum will start in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Council also approved the sum of N783,521,275 inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT for the award of contract for the procurement of two hydrographic survey boats for the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) by Ministry of Transportation, in Favour of Messers First Index Project and Services Limited.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who briefed on behalf of his colleague, Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, said the contract has six months completion period.

Mohammed, who also briefed on behalf of the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Serika, said “Council approved the contract for the design, supply and installation of PTZ Long Range Tarmac Camera Surveillance system at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

“And also for a mobile surveillance system with remote controlled licensed for sober installed in the back of a Mercedes Benz Splinter Van 524 in favour of Messers Bruce Lee Pro Project, which is exclusive Nigeria and Africa representatives of the original equipment manufacturers Messers Datcom Systems Integrated Limited Posers of Slovenia.

“The total sum of the contract is N1,278,594,250. This is in order to upgrade and provide security and safety for the Nigeria Airport Authority, especially to avoid incidence on the air site and runway,” he said.

https://thenationonlineng.net/fec-approves-establishment-of-20-private-universities/

Former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, former President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrive for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol for President-elect Joe Biden in Washington, Wednesday, January 20.

Joe Biden will be the new U.S. president Wednesday, with Kamala Harris becoming the first woman to serve as vice president when the two are sworn in at noon in an inauguration that has been scaled down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Absent will be the typical crowd of hundreds of thousands of people stretching from the Capitol down the National Mall. In their place, a sea of 200,000 U.S., state and territorial flags representing those who could not attend.

Biden’s press secretary Jenn Psaki told CNN his inaugural address will be forward looking with little or no mention of his predecessor Donald Trump.

Ahead of taking office, Biden has expressed a message of unity, and in particular the need to come together and face the challenges brought by the pandemic that has killed 400,000 people in the United States and caused economic hardship to many.

“To heal, we must remember. It’s hard sometimes to remember, but that’s how we heal,” Biden said Tuesday as he and Harris led a remembrance event in front of the Lincoln Memorial for those who have died. Some 400 lights were illuminated around the Reflecting Pool.

“It’s important to do that as a nation — that's why we’re here today. From sunset until dusk, let us shine the lights in the darkness along the sacred pool of reflection and remember all who we lost,” Biden said.

He later pledged to “get right to work” after being sworn in, saying, “We don’t have a second to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face as a nation.” (AP/VOA)

https://www.voanews.com/2020-usa-votes/biden-harris-take-office-new-us-administration-watch-live

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, Udo Ekpenyong, is dead.

Mr Ekpenyong died on Monday in Uyo, an official of the Akwa Ibom government who did not want his name mentioned, told PREMIUM TIMES, Tuesday morning.

The official said the chairman died of COVID-19. PREMIUM TIMES is yet to independently verify this information.

Late Mr Ekpenyong, before his election as the state PDP chairman last year was the commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state. He was known to be a strong ally of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

Akwa Ibom State lost two other prominent figures recently, a former Chief of Air Staff, Nsikak Edouk who died of renal failure, and a former military governor of the state, Idongesit Nkanga who died of COVID-19.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/437285-breaking-akwa-ibom-pdp-chairman-udo-ekpenyong-is-dead.html

The Nigerian Governors Forum on Monday said it will meet on Wednesday to chart a way out of the second wave of the pandemic as schools reopen across the country.

In a statement signed by its spokesman Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the Governors forum said it was alarmed by the intensity of the second wave of the global pandemic and the country’s “tardy commencement of inoculation”.

Nigeria’s number of new cases has skyrocketed in recent weeks, seeing the nation cross the 100,000-mark for total infections.

On Sunday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reported 1,444 new cases and 15 deaths.

The NGF meeting will be the first for the Governors in 2021 and will be conducted virtually.

Other matters to be discussed at the meeting include revenue sharing and the water resources bill.


READ THE NGF FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

Press Release Monday 18/01/21

Alarmed by the intensity of the second wave of the Covid19 pandemic, and Nigeria’s tardy commencement of inoculation that is sweeping through countries globally, the 36 governors of the federation may finally come up with a definitive pronouncement, as they will be meeting on Wednesday January 20 to find the way forward for the country.

The meeting which will be the first this year, 2021, by the governors, will as usual, be virtual, in conformity with the Covid19 protocols. It is the 23rd of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum teleconferences. The meeting commences at 2pm prompt but Governors are expected to start logging on from 1pm.

The Governors’ PTF Committee, headed by Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, which is charged with the responsibility of liaising between the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid19 and the Governors’ Forum, will brief the Forum on what it needs to know on the vaccines and the way forward.

Governor Okowa is also expected to give a panoramic view of the second wave of the pandemic.

The Chairman of the Forum, and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr John Kayode Fayemi will brief the Forum on his meeting with the President as well as update the Forum on all pending matters that have remained inconclusive, flowing from the previous year’s meetings.

According to the invitation to governors issued by the Director General of the NGF Mr Asishana B Okauru, these matters include ALGON and FAAC deductions, external debts reconciliation (2002-2018), Stamp Duty collections in respect of the governors’ letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and another response to the Ministry of Water Resources regarding the lingering Water Resources Bill among others. All disbursements of funds to states on the three tranches of PAYE will also be tabled.

Governors will also be updated on the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability program for results (SFTAS) for the preceding year, 2020.

As is customary, if time permits, there will be three presentations; The Water Resources minister will brief Governors on its World Bank Support; a feedback from the Federal Government on the Medium and Long Term National Development Agenda; and enhancing IGR through a harmonized Traffic Management System by Dimensions Information Technology, LLC, a non-governmental actor which is seeking the nod of state governors.

Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo

Head, Media and Public Affairs

Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat
+234(0)9 2920025; (0)9 2920026
+234 (0) 08039567128, +234 08056180060

https://www.channelstv.com/2021/01/18/alarmed-governors-to-meet-over-covid-19-second-wave-as-schools-re-open/

The company says it's 'exploring other escalated enforcement actions.'

Twitter has added new warnings to tweets from Donald Trump amid violence in Washington D.C. At least two tweets from the president now have labels warning of a “risk of violence.”

“This claim of election fraud is disputed, and this Tweet can’t be replied to, retweeted, or liked due to a risk of violence,” the label says. A large pop-up with similar language also appears if you try to retweet the tweet, though quote tweets are still possible.

The company said on its @TwitSafety account that it was “significantly restricting engagement with Tweets labeled under our Civic Integrity Policy due to the risk of violence,” and that it’s “exploring other escalated enforcement actions.”

https://www.engadget.com/twitter-donald-trump-tweets-warnings-violence-214418443.html

Some

More

Protesters in support of US President Donald Trump swarmed the Capitol building, forcing officials to order lawmakers to shelter in place and halting debate in both the House and Senate. Congress was meeting to confirm President-elect Joe Biden's electoral college victory.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55568131

A new era has begun for the United Kingdom after it completed its formal separation from the European Union.

The UK stopped following EU rules at 23:00 GMT, as replacement arrangements for travel, trade, immigration and security co-operation came into force.

Boris Johnson said the UK had "freedom in our hands" and the ability to do things "differently and better" now the long Brexit process was over.

But opponents of leaving the EU maintain the country will be worse off.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, whose ambition it is to take an independent Scotland back into the EU, tweeted: "Scotland will be back soon, Europe. Keep the light on."

BBC Europe editor Katya Adler said there was a sense of relief in Brussels that the Brexit process was over, "but there is regret still at Brexit itself".

The first lorries arriving at the borders entered the UK and EU without delay.

Six freight loads travelling from Holyhead in Wales to Ireland had to be turned away due to not having the correct paperwork, the Stena Line ferry and port group said on Friday morning.

But later on Friday, the group said freight traffic was flowing well through its ports and government customs systems were working well.

It added that the fall in freight traffic after the Christmas and Brexit stockpiling period meant "it is too early to draw any conclusions", but the company remained "cautiously optimistic that, as freight volumes begin to rise again, we will be able to ensure the continued free movement of goods".

What happens now that a deal's been done?

UK ministers have warned there will be some disruption in the coming days and weeks, as new rules bed in and British firms come to terms with the changes.

But officials have insisted new border systems are "ready to go".

As the first customs checks were completed after midnight, Eurotunnel spokesman John Keefe said: "It all went fine, everything's running just as it was before 11pm."

Northern Ireland has different arrangements from other parts of the UK, meaning there will be some customs checks on goods moving between Great Britain and the province.

On Friday afternoon, the first ferry from Great Britain operating under the terms of Northern Ireland trading protocol docked in Belfast, on schedule at 13:45 GMT.

Seamus Leheny, policy manager at Logistics UK, said six out of the 15 lorries that were on the first ship to arrive into Belfast were brought in for inspection, with one being kept at the port for more than three hours.

"Inevitably there are going to be teething problems because with such a new, complex system as this there are going to be issues in the first few days," he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme.

The first lorry, driven by Slavi Ivanov Shumeykov, loads onto Le Shuttle at the Eurotunnel in Folkestone, Kent, after the UK leaves the single market and customs union, and transitional trading arrangements expired at 11pm UK time

Mandy Ridyard, whose aerospace components company makes daily shipments to Northern Ireland, told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme she was "filling in the same declaration to send goods to the Philippines that I am sending them within the UK".

"And obviously that all adds a lot of cost to my business."

The UK officially left the 27-member political and economic bloc on 31 January, three and half years after the UK public voted to leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

But it stuck to the EU's trading rules for 11 months while the two sides negotiated their future economic partnership.

A treaty was finally agreed on Christmas Eve, and became law in the UK on Wednesday.

Under the new arrangements, UK manufacturers will have tariff-free access to the EU's internal market, meaning there will be no import taxes on goods crossing between Britain and the continent.

But it does mean more paperwork for businesses and people travelling to EU countries, while there is still uncertainty about what will happen to banking and services.

The UK and Spain have also reached an agreement meaning the border between Gibraltar and Spain will remain open.

Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar's chief minister, said the deal still needed to be formalised, but by abolishing controls between Gibraltar and the EU's passport-free Schengen area, he said it would prevent queues at the border "which make people's lives a misery and make business difficult".

And while this historic move happens at a moment in time, the impact, in some areas, may be less instant or obvious than others - for example, it's expected there'll be relatively little traffic at Dover on the first day of 2021 as new border checks kick in.

Nevertheless, significant changes are here - whether on trade, travel, security or immigration - and those changes could well become more apparent in the months ahead.

Mr Johnson - who took the UK out of the EU in January six months after becoming prime minister - said it was an "amazing moment" for the UK in his New Year message.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he added that the combination of the Brexit deal and rollout of the Oxford vaccine means "we are creating the potential trampoline for the national bounceback".

Lord Frost, the UK's chief negotiator, tweeted that Britain had become a "fully independent country again".

And the deputy chairman of the pro-Brexit European Research Group of Tory backbench MPs, David Jones, told the BBC: "We can now say clearly Britain is a sovereign and independent state."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55502781

Happy New Year to all Nairalanders

GOVERNMENT OF AKWA IBOM STATE

Press Release
Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga is Dead

The Government of Akwa Ibom State hereby formally announces the death of a former Military Governor of our state, Air Commodre Idongesit Nkanga, who died at night on 24th December,2020.

The information from the Isolation center where he was admitted and managed indicates that the first indigenous military Governor of our state and leader of Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) died from complications resulting from COVID-19 infection. Requisite protective protocol and contact tracing have been immediately activated.

Otuekong Nkanga was the Director General of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Divine Mandate Campaign organization 2015 & 2019. He was also the Chairman of the Ibom Airport Development company and Ibom Air.

The Governor, HE Udom Emmanuel is greatly saddened by the news of his passing and condoles with the bereaved family. Consequently, the Governor has declared a seven day period of mourning effective Saturday, 26th December,2020. Flags are to be flown at half mast for the entire duration of the mourning in the state.

Signed:

Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem
Secretary to the State Government
26122020

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158863980639806&id=753969805

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of an interim administrator to oversee the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

This was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina in Abuja last night.

According to the statement, Mr Effiong Okon Akwa the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Commission, is to assume headship till completion of the forensic audit.

The statement said that Mr Akwa is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

It further said, “The development became necessary as a result of a plethora of litigation and a restraining order issued recently against the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC by a Federal High Court in Abuja.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/breaking-buhari-removes-pondei-appoints-interim-administrator-for-nddc/

Hmmm

As shared by a Facebook user

They were knocked down this morning along ibaka road, in Mbo by a reckless driver ���

For your children spread throughout the world �️�������
#Lord_Have_Mercy...

Akwa Ibom State Gov Udom Emmanuel gave protesters N4m. Why is his name not also on the list?

Congratulations to US President-Elect Joe Biden on his election at a time of uncertainty and fear in world affairs. His election is a reminder that democracy is the best form of government because it offers the people the opportunity to change their government by peaceful means.

In a democracy, the most powerful group are not the politicians, but voters who can decide the fate of the politicians at the polling booth. The main fascination of democracy is the freedom of choice and the supremacy of the will of the people.

Respect for the will of the people is the very reason why democracy remains the best form of government, despite its limitations from one polity to another, and from one society to another.

President-Elect Biden’s remarkable track record gives us hope that he will add value to the presidency and world affairs. We look forward to greater cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, especially at economic, diplomatic, political and security levels.

I urge Mr. Biden to deploy his vast experience in tackling the negative consequences of nationalist politics on world affairs—which have created divisions and uncertainties—and to introduce greater engagement with Africa on the basis of reciprocal respect and shared interests.

https://www.facebook.com/1528952840718244/posts/2879175675695947/

As voters across the United States lined up to cast their ballots in a hotly contested presidential race Tuesday, the nation posted one of its biggest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 infections in a single day.

Data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Research Center shows a total of 91,530 total confirmed cases on Election Day, including 1,130 deaths. Additionally, there were more than 50,000 hospitalizations on Tuesday, according to separate data compiled by The COVID Tracking Project, an effort launched by The Atlantic magazine.

More than 20 states have announced more new COVID-19 cases in the past week than in any other seven-day period, with states like Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania — three states that play a major role in the presidential contest — setting single-day records on Tuesday.

The pandemic continues to affect the U.S. sporting world on all levels. The athletic department at the University of Wisconsin announced Tuesday that its football team, one of the country’s top programs, is cancelling its scheduled game against Purdue University this Saturday due to an ongoing surge of coronavirus cases among the team’s players and coaching staff, including head coach Paul Chryst. This is the second consecutive cancellation for the Badgers after calling off last Saturday’s contest against Nebraska.

The United States leads the world with more than 9.3 million of the world’s 47.5 million total COVID-19 infections, including more than 230,000 deaths according to data from Johns Hopkins University as of Wednesday.

https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/us-records-over-90000-new-covid-19-cases-election-day

The National Examinations Council (NECO), on Monday, announced that 2020 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in all states and Abuja, will resume on November 9.

NECO spokesperson, Azeez Sani, made the announcement on Monday.

Recall that the exam was suspended due to the nationwide End SARS protest.

Speaking on Monday Sani said, “Following the return of normalcy in the states and FCT, the examinations will now continue with a new Time-Table from Monday 9th November, 2020 to Saturday 28th November, 2020.”

He added that the exam body will make the new schedule available to the general public, schools and candidates from November 4.

https://dailypost.ng/2020/11/02/breaking-neco-announces-new-data-for-ssce/

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced the release of the WASSCE results for 2020.

The statement was made by the Head of National Office, Patrick Areghan via the WAEC official Twitter handle @waecnigeria on Monday, November 2, 2020

In the statement, the Head of National Office acknowledged a total of 1,549,740 candidates registered for the 2020 examination while 1,538,445 candidates eventually sat for the examinations.

The examinations also saw 780,660 of the candidates being male while 757,785 were female representing 50.74 percent and 49.26 percent respectively

“The examination was also administered to candidates from some schools in Benin Republic, Ivory Coast, and Equatorial Guinea where the Nigeria curriculum for Senior Secondary School is being used, he added

Areghan also said a total of 1,338,348 candidates obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five subjects – with or without English Language and/or Mathematics, while cases of exam malpractice were being investigated by its committee.

“The results of 215,149 candidates, representing 13.98 per cent of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.

“The cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate Committee of the Council for determination in due course.

”https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.channelstv.com/2020/11/02/breaking-waec-announces-release-of-2020-wassce-results/amp/

The National Examinations Council has postponed the ongoing nationwide Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations indefinitely due to the current security challenges, occasion by the #EndSARS protests.

This was contained a statement signed by the Head of Information and Public Relations Division NECO, Azeez Sani, and made available to newsmen in Minna on Sunday.

Sani said the #EndSARS protests disrupted the smooth conduct of the examinations in some parts of the country.

He said, “The Governing Board of the National Examinations Council at its Special Meeting held on Thursday, 22nd October, 2020 reviewed the on-going 2020 SSCE (internal) nationwide. The Council had in a press release, dated 21st October 2020, informed the general public of rescheduling some papers of the 2020 on-going SSCE.

“Arising from that meeting, today (Sunday) the Governing Board resolved that the 2020 SSCE (Internal) be postponed indefinitely in view of the current security challenges, occasioned by the ENDSARS protests, which disrupted the smooth conduct of the examinations in some parts of the country.

“In making this decision, the Board noted that due to these security challenges, some state governments imposed curfew and closed schools in order to safeguard lives and property;

In the circumstances, it has become difficult for the council to move examination materials across the country and students in the affected locations were unable to sit for the papers already scheduled in the examination time table.”

He said the governing board further resolved, that “when normalcy returns, the Council will continue with the conduct of the examinations in all States.

“While regretting any inconveniences this postponement may cause our esteemed stakeholders, the Council has however taken this decision in order to maintain the integrity and security of its examination procedures for seamless conduct of the Council’s examination.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/breaking-neco-postpones-exams-indefinitely/%3famp=1

In reply please quote
Ref No. CZ.5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.3/35
Date: 24th October, 2020.

The Director of News
…………………………….

PRESS RELEASE

RECLAIM THE PUBLIC SPACE AND RESTORE NORMALCY – IGP ORDERS AIGs, CPs, PMF, CTU & SPU COMMANDERS
• Says Enough is Enough

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has ordered the immediate mobilization of all police operational assets and resources to bring an end to the wanton violence, killings, looting and destruction of public and private property, and reclaim the public space from criminal elements masquerading as protesters in some parts of the country. The IGP gave the order to all Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), Commissioners of Police (CPs), Heads of Police Operational Units, Squadron and Base Commanders in charge of Zonal/State/FCT Commands, the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit and the Special Protection Unit, today 24th October, 2020. In addition, CPs/Heads of Police Formations in the various states have also been charged to mobilize their men and work in sync with the Command CPs in the areas where they are domiciled, to dominate the public space and ensure peace and safety in the affected areas.

The IGP, while noting that enough is enough to all acts of lawlessness, disruption of public peace and order and wanton violence which have resulted to indiscriminate looting of shops, malls and ware houses, damage to property and loss of lives in some parts of the country, further directs the Police strategic managers to personally lead and coordinate the operation and use all legitimate means, to halt further slide into lawlessness and brigandage.

The IGP enjoins law-abiding citizens not to panic but rather join forces with the police and other members of the law enforcement community to protect their communities from the criminal elements.

He further calls for the understanding and cooperation of the citizens assuring that the action is geared towards ensuring public order and safety and public security in our communities.

The IGP however warns trouble-makers not to test the collective will of the nation by coming out to cause any further breakdown of law and order.

DCP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4657584350950254&id=127243240651077

Good morning Lagos,

Today seems like a good day to get on to the work of rebuilding Lagos and ending police brutality.

To show our commitment to the latter, here is a list of ongoing prosecution of police officers for offences related to the violation of human rights in Lagos.

1. State of Lagos v. 1. Insp. Surulere Irede 2. Sgt. Sunday Ogunyemi 3. Corp. Hezekiah Babatunde - Manslaughter. Adjourned to 13/11/2020. Justice Ogunsanya

2. State of Lagos v. Ogunyemi Olalekan - Murder. Adjourned to 5/11/2020. Hon Justice Coker.

3. State of Lagos v. Sgt. Gbanwuan Isaac - Grievous Bodily Harm. Set for arraignment. Justice Sholadoye.

4. State of Lagos v. Aminu Joseph - Murder. Adjournment date to be announced. Hon Justice Nicole Clay.

5. State of Lagos v. Sgt. Alechenu Benedict - Armed Robbery. Arraigned. Hon Justice Coker.

6. State of Lagos v. Sgt. Adebayo Abdullah - Involuntary Manslaughter. Adjourned to 28/11/2020. Hon Justice Coker.

7. State of Lagos v. Insp. A Mohammed and 2 ORS - Armed Robbery. Adjourned to 10/11/2020. Hon Justice Sonaike.

8. State of Lagos v. Matthew Ohansi - Murder. Adjourned to 19/11/2020

9. State of Lagos v. 1. Sgt. Segun Okun 2. Capt. Adekunle Oluwarotimi - Manslaughter and Attempted Murder. Last adjournment date 15/7/2020, Court to give next date. Hon Justice Nicole Clay.

10. State of Lagos v. Adamu Dare - Murder. Last adjournment date 29/09/2020, Court to give next date. Hon Justice Nicole Clay

11. State of Lagos v. Sgt. Mark Argo and 5 ORS - Conspiracy and Armed Robbery. Next adjournment date 18/11/2020. Hon Justice Nicole Clay.

12. State of Lagos v. Corp. Pepple Boma - Manslaughter. Court to give next date. Hon Justice Nicole Clay.

13. State of Lagos v. Insp. Emmanuel Akpobana - Attempted Murder. Court to give ruling date. Hon Justice Balogun.

14. State of Lagos v. Emmanuel Uyankweke - Involuntary Manslaughter. Case part held. Hon Justice Akintoye.

15. State of Lagos v. Akanbi Lukmon - Involuntary Manslaughter. Information filed.

16. State of Lagos v. Edokhe Omokhide - Murder. Adjourned to 12/11/2020. Hon Justice Akinkigbe

17. State of Lagos v. Afolabi Saka - Murder. Newly filed.

18. State of Lagos v. Monday Gabriel - Murder. Newly filed.

19. State of Lagos v. Yahya Adeshina. Involuntary Manslaughter. Ready for filing.

20. State of Lagos v. Aremu Museliu - Murder. Ready for arraignment. Hon Justice Shonaike

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=662762077761564&id=252185758819200

Curfew announcement 9pm 22nd October,2020- 1200 23rd October,2020

Due to the violent manifestations of some persons masquerading as #EndSARS protesters trying to create chaos this evening, in Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom state, HE the Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has declared a curfew effective 9pm today, Thursday, 22nd October,2020 till midday tomorrow, Friday, 23rd October, 2020.

This action is taken to protect lives and property of citizens and the restoration of Law and Order in our state. Within the period of this curfew, there will be an absolute cessation of movement, except for essential service providers, who must show a valid means of identification.

We urge all law abiding citizens to stay at home during the period of this curfew.

Signed:

Comrade Ini Ememobong
Honourable Commissioner for Information & Strategy
22102020

https://www.facebook.com/753969805/posts/10158712450389806/