News
Liverpool Face Wounded Man City As Premier League Title Race Heats Up
Published
7 months agoon
By
Editor
Liverpool’s charge towards the Premier League title has slowed ahead of a trip to Manchester City on Sunday, giving Arsenal hope of closing in on the leaders.
The Gunners can move to within five points of the Reds should they see off lowly West Ham at the Emirates.
Behind the top two, the race is on for a place in next season’s Champions League.
Only six points separate third-placed Nottingham Forest from Newcastle in seventh before they face off at St James’ Park.
AFP Sports looks ahead to the pick of Premier League action this weekend:
Liverpool’s title test
Arne Slot’s men appeared to be cruising towards a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.
However, two 2-2 draws at Everton and Aston Villa in the past 10 days have brought the title race alive again.
READ ALSO: ‘How Liverpool Can Cope With PL Title Nerves’ – Van Dijk
But Manchester City, the dominant force in English football during the last decade, were outclassed by Real Madrid in midweek as they crashed out of the Champions League before the last 16 stage for the first time since the 2012/13 season.
The English champions may also be without Erling Haaland, who did not get off the bench at the Santiago Bernabeu due to injury.
But Pep Guardiola’s men showed what they are still capable of in a 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle last week and are in need of points themselves in the top-four race.
“They’ve had maybe one or two months in the seven or eight years he’s (Guardiola) there now that weren’t the best, maybe partly because of injuries as well,” said Slot.
“Injuries come back, they’ve signed three or four players, I can see them coming back already if you look at the result against Newcastle.”
Arsenal have the chance to up the pressure when they face West Ham 24 hours earlier.
Mikel Arteta’s side will be without a recognised striker for the rest of the season but have won 23 points from a possible 27 to remain in the race.
“If we constantly look at Arsenal or what other teams are doing, that would not help us,” added Slot.
READ ALSO: Chelsea To Play Man City In Women’s Champions League
“We already know how difficult it is to go to the Etihad, so we don’t need Arsenal to get involved in that even more.”
Chelsea crisis
Chelsea need to bounce back quickly if they are to retain hope of Champions League football next season.
The Blues flirted with a title challenge towards the end of 2024 but have won just twice in their last nine league games and crashed out of the FA Cup.
Manager Enzo Maresca said his side’s meek 3-0 defeat by Brighton last weekend was the worst performance of his tenure to date, amid concerns star man Cole Palmer could leave without the lure of the Champions League.
Chelsea travel to Aston Villa on Saturday, whose own hopes of a top-four finish are starting to fade.
Unai Emery’s men pushed Liverpool all the way in a four-goal thriller on Wednesday but find themselves down in ninth, five points off the top four, due to an inconsistent season.
Nottingham Forest’s acid test
Not in their wildest dreams could Nottingham Forest fans have imagined sitting third in the table with just 13 games to go.
READ ALSO: EPL: Why Liverpool Failed To Beat Man Utd – Klopp Reacts To 0-0 Draw
However, they face a stern test of their credentials to make it back to European football’s elite competition for the first time in 45 years.
Forest visit Newcastle on Sunday before hosting Arsenal and Manchester City in their next two home league games.
Newcastle have suffered back-to-back league defeats either side of their League Cup semi-final heroics against Arsenal, with Magpies manager Eddie Howe annoyed by his side’s see-saw form.
“I think we have days where we can look far from the team that we are when we’re on it,” said Howe. “It’s a real frustration for us because to be an elite team, you’ve got to be consistent.”
Fixtures (all times 1500 GMT unless stated)
Friday
Leicester v Brentford (2000)
Saturday
Everton v Manchester United (1230), Fulham v Crystal Palace, Ipswich v Tottenham, Southampton v Brighton, Bournemouth v Wolves, Arsenal v West Ham, Aston Villa v Chelsea (1730)
Sunday
Newcastle v Nottingham Forest (1400), Man City v Liverpool (1630)
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News
Nigerian Don Bags US Varsity Elite Research Fellowship
Published
4 minutes agoon
September 5, 2025By
Editor
A Nigerian scholar, Raphael Ebiefung, has been awarded the prestigious Grace Jordan McFadden Professor Programme Fellowship at the University of South Carolina.
A statement issued by the Institution noted that the “highly competitive fellowship” recognises academic leaders who advance knowledge and address pressing social challenges.
Ebiefung, a doctoral researcher and a one-time assistant lecturer and librarian at Top-Faith University, Nigeria, who specialises in human-AI interaction and information behaviour, is expected to join “an elite group of scholars shaping the future of higher education and interdisciplinary inquiry,” the University said.
Ebiefung, in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Friday, described the award as a “milestone that underscores Nigeria’s capacity to produce world-class scholars.”
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He said, “I am deeply honoured to receive the Grace Jordan McFadden Fellowship. It is a testament to the resilience and potential of young Nigerian academics striving to make a global impact.
“My research seeks to understand the dynamics of human behaviour in relation to AI systems. This area is critical as we move deeper into the digital age,” he explained.
Nigerian scholars have continued to leave an impressive intellectual footprint across the world.
The PUNCH reported how, in August, a Nigerian scientist, Deborah Agbakwuru, was awarded the prestigious Besancon scholarship at the University of Montana.
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The scholarship is one of the most distinguished graduate recognitions at the university and is awarded annually to an outstanding researcher in the biological, physical, and mathematical sciences.
Similarly, Nigerian-born researcher, Peter Ngene, won a €2m grant from the European Research Council for his project in 2024.
Ngene, an associate professor at the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, was among seven researchers from Utrecht University, the Netherlands, who won the grant. According to a statement by his university, Ngene’s work focused on the “interface-mediated fast ionic conductivity in nanocomposite solid-state electrolytes.”
He said the goal was to unravel the reason why the ionic conductivity of certain solids can increase or decrease by thousands of fold at their interface with other solids.
News
NBA Drags IGP Egbetokun To Court Over Tinted Glass Permit Policy
Published
1 hour agoon
September 5, 2025By
Editor
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has filed a lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, challenging the legality of the Nigeria Police Force’s tinted glass permit policy.
The lawsuit, instituted on Wednesday, September 2, 2025, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, comes months after the IGP introduced a directive requiring motorists to apply for and renew tinted glass permits annually through a digital platform, for a fee.
In a statement released Friday, the NBA described the policy as unlawful, unconstitutional, and lacking transparency. It also raised concerns that proceeds from the exercise were being paid into a private account rather than the Federation Account.
“Despite the extension of enforcement to October 2, 2025, several motorists have reported harassment and extortion by policemen at checkpoints on the basis of this policy,” the association said, warning that it infringes on citizens’ rights to privacy, freedom of movement, and dignity.
READ ALSO:Ex-gov Ohakim, IGP, Others Win Fundamental Rights Suit
The NBA also questioned the validity of the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991, a military-era law under which the police has anchored the policy, stressing that it may not meet constitutional tests required in a democratic society.
The action was filed by the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), led by Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN) and Olukunle Ogheneovo Edun (SAN). The association vowed to pursue the case “to a logical conclusion.”
READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION CHALLENGES THE LEGALITY OF THE POLICE TINTED GLASS PERMIT POLICY OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE
One of the key resolutions of the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Bar Association at its pre-conference NEC meeting held on the 23rd day of August 2025 in Enugu is that the NBA should challenge the legality of the Nigeria Police Force tinted permit policy in court.
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In April 2025, the Inspector General of Police purportedly introduced a policy which mandated members of the Nigerian motoring public to apply for and obtain annual motor tinted glass permits from the Nigeria Police Force for a fee. The Inspector General of Police in the same month purportedly launched a digital portal (http://possap.gov.ng) through which the application for tinted glass permits were to be processed. We are being informed that the portal and the policy are to be managed by a private vendor, and there is no indication that the funds generated from the enforcement of the purported policy will go into the Federation Account.
The Inspector General of Police initially pegged the date of commencement of the enforcement of the Policy to the 1st day of June 2025, but subsequently extended the date to the 2nd day of October 2025.
Despite the fact that the date of commencement of the enforcement of the purported policy has been extended to the 2nd day of October 2025, there have been several reported cases of harassment and extortion of citizens by the Policemen in checkpoint duty on the basis of this same Policy, thus raising serious concerns of threats to and violation of citizens’ fundamental rights to dignity of human person, right to privacy, right to freedom of movement and the right to own movable property guaranteed as by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.
Furthermore, the introduction and proposed enforcement of the tinted glass permit Policy has raised several other genuine concerns, including the validity of the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act (Decree 1991), a military-era law under which the Police has sought refuge. A critical scrutiny of the Act would confirm concerns that the legislation may be unable to satisfy the test of a law reasonably justifiable in a democratic society under Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution as to justify reliance on it to deprive citizens of their rights to privacy and free movement.
READ ALSO:NCAA Petitions IGP Over KWAM 1’s Unruly Conduct In Abuja Airport
Moreover, the fact that the legislation does not make provision for renewal of tinted glass permits or payment of fees for renewal are serious issues which clearly reveal that the Policy lacks statutory foundation.
Furthermore, that payment for the permit is being made into a private account: PARKWAY PROJECTS Account No: 4001017918 raises serious concerns of transparency surrounding the utilisation of funds realised from the exercise, given that the account is neither domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria nor associated with the Treasury Single Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Against the above backdrop, the Nigerian Bar Association, through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) has on Wednesday the 2nd September 2025 instituted a public interest action before the Federal High Court, Abuja in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/182/2025 between: The Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. The Inspector General of Police & Anor essentially challenging the legality of the tinted glass permit policy.
The NBA-SPIDEL, under the leadership of its Transition Committee Chairman, Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN and the Section’s Public Interest Litigation Committee, chaired by Mr. Olukunle Ogheneovo Edun, SAN, whose proactive efforts were responsible for the accomplishment of this task, have been directed to pursue this litigation to a logical conclusion.
News
Peju Ogunmola’s Family Breaks Silence On Cause Of Son’s Death
Published
1 hour agoon
September 5, 2025By
Editor
The family of veteran actress, Peju Ogunmola, has spoken out for the first time following the passing of the actress’ only son, Sola Ayomikun Omobolanle, dismissing rumours about the circumstances of his death.
Tribune Online reports that Ayomikun, the 24-year-old son of Ogunmola and her husband, comic actor Sunday Omobolanle, popularly known as Aluwe, died on September 2, 2025.
Shortly after the news broke, unverified reports surfaced online alleging that his death was linked to a bathroom accident — claims the family has now categorically denied.
In a statement signed by Yemi Amodu on behalf of the Ogunmola family, they clarified that Ayomikun passed away in a hospital in Ibadan after a brief illness, not from any accident.
READ ALSO:Veteran Actress, Peju Ogunmola, Loses Only Child
The statement read: “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved son, Sola Ayomikun Omobolanle, a jewel, a precious child, and a rising star whose light shone brightly and touched many lives.
“We wish to clearly state that Sola did not pass away as a result of any bathroom accident, contrary to false reports being circulated online. He was briefly unwell and, during this period, received first-class medical care. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, he peacefully answered the call of his Creator.”
The family further condemned the speculation surrounding his death, describing it as painful and disrespectful.
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“These misleading stories, suggesting that Sola died from a fall in the bathroom without help, are entirely false. They not only dishonour his memory but also bring unnecessary pain to his loved ones,” the statement added.
According to the family, Ayomikun has since been laid to rest at Eternal Rest Home in Ibadan, surrounded by relatives and close friends.
They also expressed appreciation for the support received during their period of mourning:
“At this time of grief, we are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support we have received from family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. Your kindness has been a source of strength and comfort. We pray that no family will ever have to endure the pain of untimely loss. May the Almighty grant Sola eternal rest and grant us all the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”
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