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Futbol

Injured Arsenal Defender Gabriel Out For Season

Arsenal defender Gabriel will miss the remainder of the season after the club confirmed he requires hamstring surgery. The Brazilian was substituted in the first half of Arsenal's 2-1 win against Fulham at the Emirates stadium on Tuesday. The former Lille defender has started 28 of Arsenal's 30 Premier League matches this term, helping the club to the best defensive record in the division with 25 goals conceded. Arsenal say the 27-year-old is aiming to return to action in time for the start of the 2025-26 campaign. "Gabi will undergo a surgical repair procedure to his hamstring in the coming days, and immediately begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, with the aim to be ready for the start of next season," the club said. Gabriel's absence could have a significant impact on the team, with the website Premier League Injuries reporting that Arsenal's win percentage drops significantly when he does not feature. Since his league debut, Arsenal have won 63.5% of the 159 games he has played, but only 40.9% of the 22 he has missed. It is the 119th hamstring injury in the Premier League so far this season, an average of four injuries to the muscle each round of games. Last season saw 163 hamstring injuries - the highest for five years - according to figures from Premier Injuries. Arsenal are second in the Premier League, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool with eight matches remaining. The Gunners face holders Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. Carlo Ancelotti's side visit north London on 8 April (20:00 BST), before travelling to the Bernabeu for the second leg on 16 April (20:00 BST).

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News_Naija

Despite N2m Ransom, Kidnappers Kill Man In Rivers

The police in Rivers State said they have recovered the corpse of a popular Port Harcourt-based fashion designer, Hope Georgewill, who was abducted by suspected pirates along the Cotton Channel, Bakana River in Degema local government area of the state. Recall that Georgewill was kidnapped alongside two other boat passengers on March 26, 2025. The kidnappers killed Georgewill despite payment of N2m as ransom. The state Police command, however, said four of the suspects allegedly involved in the murder of Georgewill who is the Chief Executive of HMG Attitude Ltd were killed during a shootout with its operatives. The spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko disclosed this in a statement sent to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. The statement read, “The Rivers State Police Command has made significant progress in an earlier report regarding the unfortunate kidnap and subsequent murder of one Hope Georgewill, the Chief Executive Officer of HMG Attitude Ltd, who was abducted alongside two others on March 26, 2025, along the Cotton Channel, Bakana River, by a gang of notorious sea pirates led by one Preye Ngian-Ngian, a native of Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State. “Despite a ransom payment of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000) made to the kidnappers, the body of the deceased was later recovered and deposited at the morgue.” The command said following credible intelligence on April 3, 2025 men of the Anti-Cultism Unit in Emohua, in collaboration with intelligence gathered from two earlier arrested suspects in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, launched a tactical operation on the kidnappers’ hideout located in a creek off the Bonny Waterway. It stated, “Relentless investigative efforts and intelligence-led policing, on April 3, 2025, at about 0730hrs, operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit, Emohua, in collaboration with intelligence gathered from two earlier arrested suspects in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, launched a tactical operation on the kidnappers’ hideout located in a creek off the Bonny Waterway. “Upon arrival at the hideout, the operatives came under heavy gunfire from the hoodlums.” It continued, “The team responded with decisive force, and in the ensuing exchange, two of the suspects were fatally wounded, while others fled the scene with varying degrees of injuries. “The two initial suspects who led the team to the location attempted to escape during the melee but were later apprehended with gunshot wounds.” Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police said while operatives were combing the creek, they recovered several arms and ammunition as well as one operational speed boat. Other exhibits recovered, she said, were one 80-horsepower and one 70-horsepower outboard engine, respectively; one live cartridge, food supplies used by the kidnappers. The statement added that the late Georgewill’s mobile phone was recovered but that the miscreants had removed the SIM card. It added, “All four wounded suspects were immediately transported to the Police Clinic for emergency treatment. “However, upon arrival, the attending medical officer confirmed them dead. Their remains have since been deposited for autopsy.” Speaking, the State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju commended his men for their efforts, describing the felling of the suspected pirates as a ‘significant breakthrough.’ Adepoju vowed that the command will make the state uncomfortable for criminals to operate, saying they will rid the waterways and communities of criminals. According to the state Police image maker, “Further investigations are ongoing, and the public will be updated with any new developments.”

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News_Naija

Kano Court Sentences 22-year-old To Death For Killing Stepmother, Sister

A Kano High Court on Tuesday sentenced 22-year-old Sagiru Rijiyar-Zaki to death by hanging for culpable homicide. The court deemed Sagiru guilty of stabbing his stepmother Rabiatu Sagir and using a scarf to strangle his sister, Munawara, to death. Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. Adamu-Aliyu, therefore sentenced the convict to death by hanging. Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mr Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, informed the court that the convict committed the offence on January 7, 2023, at Rijiyar Zaki Quarters, Kano. He said that at about 8p.m, Rijiyar-Zaki, caused the death of his stepmother Rabiatu, by stabbing her in the neck with a screwdriver after a misunderstanding and also strangled his sister, Munawara with her scarf. The prosecution presented two witnesses and tendered exhibits to prove their case against the defendant. The convict, however, denied committing the offence. According to the prosecutor, the offence contravenes the provisions of Section 221(a) of the Penal Code Law of Kano State, 1991. The defence counsel, Mr Mubarak Abubakar, presented the convict to testify in his defence.

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News_Naija

Army Kills Two Gunmen In India

India’s army said they had killed two gunmen in Kashmir close to the contested frontier with Pakistan, a day after attackers massacred at least 26 people in separate violence. The army’s Chinar Corps reported Wednesday a “heavy exchange of fire” with gunmen they said were part of an “infiltration bid” at Baramulla, saying it had seized large quantities of weapons and ammunition. “Two terrorists have been eliminated”, the army said. Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947, with both claiming the territory in full. India has an estimated 500,000 soldiers permanently deployed in the territory. Rebel groups have fought for decades demanding independence for Kashmir or its merger with Pakistan. Security forces are undertaking a major manhunt after gunmen in the popular tourist spot of Pahalgam slaughtered at least 26 people on Tuesday, the region’s deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. Fighting has decreased since 2019 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government cancelled the partial autonomy of the territory and imposed direct control from New Delhi AFP