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Afghanistan IS head killed in raid - US and Afghan officials The head of so-called Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan, Abdul Hasib, has been killed in a military raid, US and Afghan officials have said. He died 10 days ago in an joint special forces operation in eastern Nangarhar province, the US military said. Hasib is believed to have been behind March's attack on a military hospital in Kabul, killing at least 50 people. Last month, the Pentagon said Hasib had probably been killed in a raid by US and Afghan special forces. Two US army rangers also died in the raid, near an underground system of tunnels believed to be used by IS which were targeted by the largest conventional bomb ever used by the US.

Obanikoro’s defection to APC makes me sad –Fani-Kayode Senator Musiliu Obanikoro Tunde Odesola and Eniola Akinkuotu A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has described as saddening the defection of a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to the All Progressives Congress. Obanikoro and Fani-Kayode spent about a month together in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in October last year.

Arsene Wenger has labelled Chelsea as ‘super-favourites’ for the Premier League title after watching the leaders close in on Arsenal’s record for consecutive victories. Antonio Conte’s side have opened up a six-point lead at the top of the table thanks to a superb run of 12 successive wins. Chelsea have been perfect in the league since a 3-0 defeat at Arsenal on September 24 led to a change in formation from Blues boss Conte The west Londoners can consolidate pole position in this weekend’s clash with Stoke and Gunners manager Wenger conceded on Friday they are firm favourites to take the title. “At the moment Chelsea are the super-favourites because they are quite big and made a big difference,” Wenger said. “But it is theirs to lose as we say here in England. They can still lose it, at the moment they have won it but they can still lose it. “It’s still a long way to go and very difficult for everybody so the head-to-head (matches) will have a vital importance. “They have addr...

World player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo rejected a world record £257million (300m euros, $317m) bid from China, his agent Jorge Mendes has claimed. Mendes told Sky Sports Italia on Thursday that the unnamed Chinese Super League side had offered the 31-year-old Portuguese superstar a record £85m a year as salary. “From China, they’ve offered 300m euros to Real Madrid and more than 100m (euros) per year to the player,” said Mendes. “But money is not everything. Real Madrid is his life. Cristiano is happy at Real Madrid and it is impossible to go to China.” China has through its Super League clubs flexed considerable financial muscle in the international transfer market, most recently buying Brazilian international Oscar from Chelsea and Argentinian veteran Carlos Tevez — with the latter reportedly set to earn 38million euros a year. However, Mendes said the star of his stable was out of reach. “The Chinese market is a new market,” said Mendes. “They can buy a lot of players, b...

Samson Folarin A 61-year-old man, Timothy Onyeukwu, has been arrested by the Abia State Police Command for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl and keeping her as a sex slave in a hotel in Aba. Onyeukwu was alleged to have tricked the victim into the hotel with ice cream and N200 and held her hostage for months. Our correspondent gathered that the suspect was apprehended after the police got a tip-off and swooped on him at the hideout. The victim was said to have been rescued and reunited with her parents. The suspect was among many others paraded at the command headquarters in Umuhaia, the Abia state capital, on Wednesday. Onyeukwu, in his statement blamed the devil for the act, saying he was forced to sleep with the victim after she made series of demand from him. The police said intelligence report gathered by operatives of the Central Police Station, Aba, led to the arrest of the suspect, adding that the victim had been taken to a hospital for treatment. The state Police Pu...

Etim Ekpimah, Uyo Many physically-challenged persons who came for an empowerment programme, sponsored by the Akwa Ibom State Government through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, sustained varying degrees of injuries in their bid to escape from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps operatives who flogged them during the distribution of food and money. It was learnt that some of the victims who were visually impaired, fell on rough surfaces, while others, who could not run, were marched on by other fleeing persons. Some were also said to have passed out in the melee. A victim, Ime Okon, from Ikot Ntu, in the Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, told our correspondent on Thursday that he could not raise his left arm as it had been broken following the stampede that ensued after the flogging by the NSCDC men. He said, “As we were trying to come out, the NSCDC personnel started flogging people. The fleeing crowd pushed some of us down and stepped on us...

The Abia State Police Command on Thursday confirmed the death of an environmental health officer and his wife in the Aba South Local Government Area. The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Nta Ogbonnaya, told the News Agency of Nigeria Aba that the couple died in Bende, their local government area of origin where they had gone to observe the Yuletide. Ogbonnaya said police investigations revealed that Mr. Prince McAnthony, and his wife, Oluchi, who also worked in the same health department of Aba South LGA, inhaled the fumes of a generator which they left close to their apartment. However, a family source told NAN that there was more to the death. The source said the couple had quarreled over the man’s amorous relationship with a woman who also works in the same health department. The source said the man abandoned their rented apartment in Aba to stay in Bende. He said the lover still visited him in Bende. He said, “On December 10, the environmental health officer inv...