Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 6

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Gunmen Kidnap Indian, Baby in Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Rita Innoma-Abbey, has announced the abduction of an Indian citizen in Port Harcourt by unidentified gunmen on Friday night. She also disclosed that an 8-month-old baby was also kidnapped by some gunmen on Thursday night in Port Harcourt and the child is yet to be found. No group has claimed responsibility, while the police is working to apprehend the kidnappers and free the hostages.

Former NYSC DG Abducted From Akwa Ibom Church

Gunmen numbering about 15, penultimate Sunday abducted a former Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Major-General Edet Akpan, from the Qua Iboe Church in Iwok, Nsit Atai LGA of Akwa Ibom State. The gunmen, who were said to have entered the church unnoticed, were also said to have shot a soldier and a police orderly guarding Akpan before going for their target. The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Walter Rugbere, who confirmed the incident, said three persons were killed while six were injured.

Man, Pregnant Woman Found Dead in Ogoniland

A man, John Joshua, and his pregnant fiancée in Khana community of Rivers State were found dead on Saturday, January 23, in his uncompleted house. There was no reported evidence of forced entry into the house, making their death still a mystery. The incident had been reported to the Police at Bori. According to the IPO, Sgt Nghor Ken, the Police was yet to commence full investigation since the autopsy has not been conducted to determine the cause of death.

Rivers, Abia Partner to Fight Crime on Highway

The Abia and Rivers State governments have agreed to jointly tackle the problem of insecurity along the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt expressway. Armed robbery attacks and kidnapping on the Obehia/Okwe axis, the border communities between Abia and Rivers States and notable persons have been rampant in recent times. The worsening security situation on the road forced Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State  to invite his Abia State counterpart, Chief Theodore Orji, for them to find a lasting solution to the problem, which was scaring genuine investors away from both states.

Shell Pipeline Sabotaged in Niger Delta

Royal Dutch Shell has shut three oil flow stations in the Niger Delta region after its Trans Ramos pipeline was sabotaged penultimate Saturday, Shell spokesman, Precious Okolobo, has said. The leak was later stopped. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the incident occurred just after The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said it was ending the truce it declared last October. MEND denies direct responsibility for the attack, but vowed to attack the facility and other areas in the Niger Delta, saying it is irked by the responses of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) and Shell to the sabotage. It restated its earlier warning to oil companies on the safety of their staff, noting that their continued presence on the Niger Delta soil was dangerous. But Shell denied a Sunday claim by the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), that its fighters attacked another Shell pipeline. Shell denies knowledge any attack.

Imo Police Arrest 12 for Alleged Arson

The Imo State Police Command has arrested 12 suspects for alleged arson at Akano-Umuapu in Ohaji Egbema LGA. The arrest was sequel to a recent communal clash in the area in which many people were allegedly killed and about 50 houses burnt. Mr Aloysius Okorie, the Commissioner of Police, confirmed the arrest.

Two Killed as Gunmen Invade Elechi Beach

The peace in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was shattered on Tuesday when heavily armed men opened fire at Elechi Beach in the Mile 1, Diobu area. It was learnt that the gunmen later advanced towards Njemanze and Nsukka Streets, where several persons died and property worth billions of naira destroyed during a 2007 cult war. The Rivers state Commissioner of Police Commissioner, Suleiman Abba confirmed the incident. One policeman and one of the suspects were killed during the shootout. The reason for the shooting is yet to be ascertained.

50 Militant Groups Ready for Fresh Violence

About 50 militant groups under the aegis of Network of Freedom Fighters in Niger Delta, NFF, on Wednesday, threatened to launch fresh violence in the region to express their angered by the long absence of President Yar’Adua and his refusal to transfer power to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan. After a meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the NFF warned that they were being forced to join forces and commence hostilities in the region which could prove disastrous for the country. In reaction to this, the Minister of Defence, General Godwin Abbe, warned that the government will not fold its arms and watch few elements destroy the fragile peace that took so much effort to build.

Journalists Escape Death as Explosion Rocks Yenagoa

Journalists and workers of the Bayelsa state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on Tuesday escaped death in Yenagoa when explosives were thrown into a building close to the NUJ secretariat. The bombers may have targeted the NUJ secretariat, which was being used for the state election of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE). The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Solomon Omoregie, confirmed said men of the bomb disposal unit were dispatched to the area. The election later held amidst tight security as the entire area was condoned off

Akpabio Suspends 3 Traditional Rulers over Kidnapping

In enforcement of the provisions of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement Law 2009, Governor Godswill Akpabio has approved the suspension of three traditional rulers, in whose domains kidnap victims were held. The suspended traditional rulers are to lose their stools for a period of six months in the first instance. The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah said that Governor Akpabio handed down the suspension order as an indication of his Government’s zero tolerance on kidnapping.

Court Remands Man in Prison for Rape

A Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has remanded a 37-year-old man, Etiowo John, in prison for allegedly raping an 11-year old girl on January 10. The accused pleaded not guilty. The Prosecutor, Sergeant A. Idafi, urged the court to take necessary legal action because of the gravity of the offence.

Obi Wins Anambra Guber

Despite the ruling of a Federal High Court in Lagos, that declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as currently constituted is incompetent to conduct or organise any election in Nigeria, the INEC has declared Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winner of the last Saturday gubernatorial election in Anambra state. Despite flaws from chaotic voter registration and long delays in opening the polls, observers declared the elections free and an improvement on previous polls in the state. The police said it mobilised 23,230 officers for the election. Justice Mohammed Liman, had ruled that the commission lacks the constitutionally recommended quorum of 5 members to take decisions, and only the President can nominate members into the INEC board.

Akwa Ibom Police Rescue 3 Sisters from Kidnappers

Police detectives in Akwa Ibom State have rescued three sisters and nursery school pupils from suspected kidnappers in Ikot Ekpene LGA. The children were allegedly abducted, as they were returning from school in the company of their mother. The state police commissioner, Mr. Walter Rugbere, said that the kidnappers abandoned the children in a bush at Ekpenyong Atai village, in Essien Udim LGA, as the detectives closed in on them. He disclosed that the policemen also recovered one locally made gun and a Mercedes Benz car from the suspects.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Delta CJ Grants 13 Inmates Freedom

Thirteen inmates of Warri Prisons regained freedom following amnesty granted them by the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Roselyn Bozimo. They were acquitted of their offence by Justice Bozimo who toured federal prison in Warri, Delta state. The 13 persons were acquitted and released from prison or found innocent of charges leveled against them. However, two of the inmates were referred to welfare for further rehabilitation and medical treatment.

Militants Threaten to Strike over Post Amnesty Delay

Leader of the South Wing of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND), Mr. Selki Kile Torughedi, has threatened that the militants will go back to the creeks if the continued leadership impasse created by the long absence of President Yar’Adua is not resolved quickly. Torughedi warned that the impasse stands in the way of the amnesty agreement since the Vice President is not empowered to carry out the resolutions reached on the peace process. But Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, appealed to MEND to maintain the ceasefire, noting that the amnesty programme was a success, but blamed non-implementation of the post-amnesty initiative on the absence of the President and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Ex-Militants Protest in Edo

Major roads in Benin, Edo State were on Tuesday blocked by former militants in the state numbering over 400 who alleged abandonment by the Federal Government. Spokesman for the group, Awomu Lawson, harped on the need for FG to properly document and integrate them into the post- amnesty deal. The Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, who addressed them, reminded them that they embraced the amnesty programme when the time had elapsed and therefore they should toe the path of peace in their agitation.

Delta Govt Deploys Communications Gadgets

A two-way conventional communication system, and extrication equipment procured by the Delta State government for the rescue of accident victims in the state was on Wednesday commissioned by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ogbonna Onovo. The equipment included nine Motorola Digital sites, 150 portable walkie-talkies, 50 mobile sets and three Hilux vans with gadgets. Onovo commended the state government for the facilities.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Man Beheads Judge in Kwara

An Area Court Judge, Mallam Kazeem Zakari, in Baruten LGA of Kwara State has been beheaded. The prime suspect, a Fulani man, who is at large, was said to have murdered the judge at his residence shortly after the judge acceded to a request by his wife to terminate their marriage over constant battering. The man allegedly resolved to ‘deal’ with the judge personally. The spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, Dabo Ezekiel confirmed the incident, but said that the command was yet to link anybody to the crime. The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Ilorin, Kwara State, has urged the state Governor to provide adequate security for judges. The association also appealed to the state commissioner of police to ensure that those behind the act are brought to book.

Woman Slashes Friend’s Cheek, Nose with Razor

A 22 year old woman in Lagos, Ijeoma Ibezim, is alleged to have used a razor blade to kill her friend, 25-year old Ada Okeke, the police disclosed on Monday. Ijeoma in her confessional statement, reportedly said that they were about to take their baths when a disagreement started over who should be the first to use the bucket and the disagreement degenerated into a fight, until neighbours came to separate them and the fight stopped. But Ijeoma later got a new razor blade and attacked Ada. The victim’s nose and cheek were cut open. Ada died after a few hours later at the hospital due to excessive bleeding. Ijeoma said that she did not intend to kill Ada but only wanted to revenge for the bite she sustained during the fight.

Shrine with Human Parts Found In Osun

Police in Osun State have arrested 15 members of a sect operating a deadly shrine at Ido-Osun in Egbedore LGA for over 18 years. The police raided the area following complaints by villagers that human skulls and body parts were piling up in the area. The shrine is owned by one Jacob Adebayo Oladele, believed to be the founder. Madam Oluwaloni Oladele, who identified as the leader of the sect, claimed that the shrine is a church name Millennium Gospel Mission (MGM) and that members worship within the premises at night because of their belief that “the place is sacred. The policemen who raided the place found piles of human parts and sculls. The state Commissioner of Police, Samuel Johnson, confirmed the incident.

Mob Set Police Van Ablaze over Motorcyclist's Death

Policemen at Ikorodu, Lagos allegedly shot and killed a commercial motorcycle operator and injured another person in the area on Wednesday. The 34 year-old victim, Owolabi Rahmon Balogun, reportedly ran into a team of policemen chasing an armed robbery suspect and shooting sporadically. An irate mob protesting the killing attacked some policemen who came to take the victim's remains away and set their patrol vehicle ablaze. A senior police officer said the irate mob almost attacked the police station in the area.

80 Year-Old Killed on Farm Land

An 80 year old man, Pa Moses Ijashina, was at last weekend found dead in his farm which is part of a land that has generated a protracted dispute between the Oyinmo and Akungba Communities in Ondo State. A son of the deceased, Mr. Bolorunduro Ijashina, alleged that his father was killed by people from the rival community, who “removed his eyes, his teeth, broke his head, shot him and cut all his body with cutlass”.  According to him, the matter was reported to the Akungba Divisional Police.

Security Agencies Investigate Ekiti Monarch’s, Provost’s Deaths

Security agencies in Ekiti State have begun investigations into the kidnap and killing of the Attah of Ayede-Ekiti, Oba Adeleye Orisagbemi; the acting Provost of the state College of Education, Dr Gabriel Olowoyo, and their aides. Oba Orisagbemi and his son were kidnapped on their way from Lagos, while Dr Olowoyo was seized by the kidnappers in Ilasa-Ekiti in Ekiti East LGA. The victims were killed when the bus in which they were being conveyed crashed on Kabba-Lokoja highway. Police spokesman, Mohammed Jimoh, confirmed this. Opposition politician, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party-led government in the state should be held responsible for the recent kidnapping incidents.

GENERAL

Assailants Kill Woman, Aides in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command is investigating the gruesome murder of a lawyer, Mrs. Pamela Ebuzeme and two of her domestic aides in Karu, Abuja on Monday. According to family sources, the late Mrs. Ebuzeme, was driven killed by three men who drove her back home after she dropped off her daughter in school. The assailants also killed her cook and the gateman before making away in her vehicle, locking the gate with a padlock on the outside. The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT Command, Jimoh Moshood, confirmed the incident.

Army Denies Involvement in Jos Killing

The Nigerian army has said the video clip being circulated in the internet about the summary killing allegedly perpetuated by its personnel during the recent Jos riot was a wicked manipulation. The army said the scene was very disturbing and was directly at variance with the standards by which the army has been known over the years. More than 300 people were killed during the January crisis. Chris Olukolade, the military spokesman, expressed the army's concern that the video clip was obviously aimed at embarrassing the Nigerian army and heating up the polity.

Nigerian Muslims Reject Al-Qaeda’s Offer to Help

An al-Qaeda cell in North Africa, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), has offered to help Nigerian Muslims with training and weapons during their battles, as Nigeria grapples with religious crisis. According to its statement posted on the websites used by al-Qaeda "we are ready to train your people in weapons, and give you whatever support we can in men, arms and munitions to enable you to defend our people in Nigeria". But Secretary-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Lateef Adegbite, has said that neither al-Qaeda nor the Taliban has a foothold in Nigeria, stressing that Nigerian Moslems would oppose any attempt by the terrorist groups and their affiliates to establish their cells in Nigeria.

Varsity Expels Three for Alleged Rape

The Federal University of Technology, FUT, Minna has expelled three students for allegedly raping a female student of the institution. It was gathered that the female student had gone to visit her boyfriend in an off campus apartment but did not meet him. While waiting, three male students who are said to be co-tenants with the boyfriend connived to rape her. The suspects were arrested by the police and will be arraigned in court for trial. The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mrs. Lydia Legbo who confirmed the story said the university authority, in its independent investigation, found them students guilty, hence their expulsion.

Liberian President Lauds Nigeria on Peace Keeping

Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has commended Nigeria’s role in rebuilding Liberia. Johnson-Sirleaf described Nigeria as the biggest partner in the area of peace support operations, training of its soldiers and policemen and also providing doctors and teachers for its hospitals and schools. She also stated that Liberia is considering ending the peace support operations in 2011, as Liberia’s police and soldiers had been trained to take over.

Cult Clashes Escalate in Makurdi

The cult clash that claimed some lives in Wadata suburb of Makurdi recently has spread to Demekpe, another suburb in the town, where a youth was killed last weekend as cultists exchanged gunfire. The cult clash extended to Demekpe as rival groups engaged one another in revenge mission following the Wadata killings. Residents of Demekpe had a rough Friday night as cult members were on the prowl seeking to fish out perceived enemies. Meanwhile 10 men suspected to be mercenaries from the north, who were lurking round a church in Makurdi, were overpowered by the youths of the church and handed them over to the Police.

25 Injured, Houses Razed in Violent Clashes

Violent clash at the weekend enveloped Iperindo, headquarters of Atakunmosa-East LGA of Osun State with about 25 people seriously injured as people staged protest over alleged imposition of a traditional ruler, the Tirimi of Iperindo.  Ten houses were also burnt and properties destroyed. The State Government, last year installed Funsho Olowu as the new monarch for the community, but the people insisted that his choice was against their custom and tradition. The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Solomon Olusegun, confirmed the incident and the arrest of the 13 persons, adding that police have been drafted to the area.

AU Elects Nigeria Security Council

Nigeria has been elected to represent West Africa in the 15-member Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU). The members were elected during the 16th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and were endorsed by the 14th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Others elected to serve for a period of three years as from March 2010 are: Republic of Equatorial Guinea –Central Africa; Republic of Kenya –East Africa; Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya –North Africa; and Republic of Zimbabwe –Southern Africa. The other ten members of the AU Peace and Security Council were elected for a term of two years, as from 1st April 2010.

14-Year-Old Poisons Father’s Food in Katsina

Fourteen-year-old Abubakar Buhari of Kadandani village in Katsina State, penultimate Weekend, killed his father by poisoning his food. The boy confessed that killed his father, Malam Buhari, because he had been maltreating him since he divorced his mother. Spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, Alasan Kimba, confirmed the incident. The suspect is now in police custody in Katsina.

US Promises to Review Nigeria’s Terror Blacklist

Following Nigeria's protest against its being listed in the United State (US) terror watch list after the attempted bombing of a US airliner by a Nigerian, Farouk AbdulMutallab, on Christmas day, the US will review the decision soon, according to Johnnie Carson, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. Nigeria and other key allies such as Saudi Arabia and Algeria have voiced their displeasure at being included in the 14-country list. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is said to be an al Qaeda operative. Abdulmutallab is said to co-operating and providing, actionable, current and valuable intelligence, US officials say. He has denied a charge of attempting to murder 290 people. The US has also ruled out trying him in a military court.

Nigerian Couple Jailed 110 Years For Enslaving Widow in US

A Nigerian couple, resident in the Unites States (U.S.), are to spend the next 55 years behind bars. The couple, Emmanuel and Ngozi Nnaji, were convicted on Tuesday by a U.S court, for compelling a Nigerian widow to work as their servant for nine years. According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) statement, evidence showed the Nnajis lured the woman to the U.S. with promises of a salary and child support, but rather seized her passport, made her work long hours with no days off. The couple did not provide support for the woman’s six children in Nigeria, limited and monitored her contact with her family, while Emmanuel assaulted her sexually.

Court Jails CP over Contempt

Kano State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mohammed Jiya Gana, was on Thursday convicted to one-day jail term without an option of fine by a Minna Chief Magistrate's Court for contempt. Chief Magistrate Mohammed Tanko found him guilty of violating court orders in addition to disrespecting the court. He has 30 days to appeal against the judgment. Gana was dragged to court over alleged trespass on a property in Minna, Niger state. The court ordered the two parties in the case to stop construction on the land until the determination of the substantive suit, but Gana disobeyed this order.

Jos Crisis not Caused by Religion -Onaiyekan

The National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Rev. John Onaiyekan, has debunked claims that the January 17, 2010 crisis in Jos, Plateau State was caused by religion. Meanwhile agitations for the prosecution of culprits and immediate release of white papers on previous crises were intensified by various interest groups in the state. Onaiyekan, who endorsed the clamour to have suspects held for the crisis tried in Jos, accused the elite of using religion to fuel the violence to achieve their selfish goals. He decried the situation where people involved in a violent and bloody mission chant the name of God. The CAN boss also asked the government to rehabilitate the victims of the crisis.

Govs Want Jonathan Sworn-in As Acting President

The Governors Forum, on Thursday, demanded for the inauguration of Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as the Acting President with immediate effect. The governors also demanded that the procedure for appointing Vice President Jonathan as Acting President could either be verbal or written. The Forum urged Nigerians to give Acting President Jonathan all the support he needs to succeed until President Yar’Adua returns. They also said that they would convene a meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly to pass a resolution empowering Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President.

PHCN Shuts Four Plants, Power Generation Reduced to 2,700mw

Following the gas supply crisis in Nigeria’s power sector, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has shut down four of its plants, thereby reducing electricity generation to 2,700 megawatts. The Managing Director of PHCN, Mr. Labo Husein, said the gas situation had become critical to the extent that most of the affected generating plants were forced to wind down operations with the attendant backlash on the available capacity to the national grid.  Husein gave the list of the affected plants to as Geregu, Sapele, Olorunsogu and Omotosho.

PENGASSAN Picket Mobil

Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Thursday sealed the entrance to the operational offices of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, citing anti-labour practices in the company. The workers had gathered at the entrance of the company’s offices in Lagos, Eket and Onne, Rivers State for the planned picketing. Addressing them, the Chairman, Lagos Zone of PENGASSAN, Mr. Sunday Folorunsho Oginni, said that the company’s anti-labour practices had undermined the welfare and well-being of the oil workers with its refusal to yield to meaningful dialogue of Federal Ministry of Labour.

FG Moves to Protect Nigerians Detained for Terrorism

The Federal Government has intervened in the recent arrest of two Nigerians among eight nationals of other countries in Malaysia for alleged link with a terror group. The Nigerians, who are pursuing their Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees at the Islamic University of Malaysia, were arrested under Malaysia Internal Security Act (ISA) on suspicion of "belonging to a terrorist group." Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that the government has waded into the matter and is ensuring that consular services are not denied the citizens.

PIB to Give FG N4.5tr

The Federal Government has highlighted more economic benefits of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). Dr. Mohammed Barkindo, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) predicts that the implementation of the provisions of the PIB would significantly increase government's take from Joint Ventures (JVs) and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs), to a haul of over N4.5 trillion. Indications also emerged that Nigeria plans to sell oilfield assets containing as much as 2 billion barrels of reserves either relinquished by some firms or unsold in three previous bidding rounds.

UK Pledges to Return £43m Stolen Money to Nigeria

The British Government has said it will repatriate £43 million siphoned by corrupt Nigerian government officials to offshore accounts. According to the Public Relations Officer of the Independent and Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Mike Sowe, the declaration was made by the liaison officer for Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), Mr Michael Dockree. According to Sowe, Dockree also emphasised his government’s commitment and assistance to security agencies and anti-corruption Commissions.

Kano Police Arrest 60-Yr-Old for Statutory Rape

The Kano State Police Command, Monday, paraded a 60-year-old man alleged to have forcefully defiled three minors in a place where he worked as a guard. The suspect, Audu Mu’azu, who was among the 20 suspects paraded, denied the allegation, saying it was just blackmail. The state Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Jerry Gana, said that detailed investigation would be carried out. Another suspect was alleged to have killed his two-week-old baby, after failed attempts to donate the baby to an orphanage. Gana also paraded a gang that terrorized residents in the city, adding that lethal weapons, army and police camouflages and cash were among the items recovered from them.

Trailer Crushes 7 to Death in Sokoto

A trailer on Monday night crushed seven persons in a car to death along the Bodinga-Sokoto road in Sokoto. The trailer driver was said to have immediately fled the scene. Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Sokoto, Mr. Christopher Ademoluti, confirmed the incident. Meanwhile, the FRSC has announced its plans to establish mobile courts to try persons caught violating traffic rules, especially for the use of mobile phones while driving. This comes on the heels of the death of five construction workers crushed to death in Abuja by a driver, who was making a phone call while driving on top speed.

Nigerian Navy Support Relief Effort in Haiti

Nigerian naval officers are among a six-nation fleet, including the United States (U.S.), that are working together to provide relief support for Haiti after the devastating January earthquake. The naval fleet operated under the U.S. partnership with other nations. US Navy Lieutenant Commander, Tim Labenz, commended each member of the international crew, saying that all of them brought "a particular and much-needed skill". Meanwhile, a Nigerian, Ms. Dede Yebovi Fadairo, was among United Nations (UN) workers killed in the earthquake, according to the latest UN staff fatality list. Fadairo was an Associate Report Writing Officer with the UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

Foreign Islamic Cleric Arrested in Taraba

A foreign Islamic cleric, Suleiman Usman Ndunjandi, believed to have illegally gained assess into Nigeria through the Nigeria-Cameroun border in Taraba State is presently in the custody of the State Security Services (SSS) over his allegedly inciting preaching. The Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Musa, said that but for the timely intervention of the village head of Dorofi, "the preaching of Suleiman Ndunjandi would have made the people to take up arms against themselves."

INTERNATIONAL

15 Killed As Islamist, AU Forces Battle

Somali insurgents sparked heavy fighting in the capital in Mogadishu last weekend, launching attacks on government forces and peacekeepers, killing 15 people. A spokesman for the Islamic insurgency said the attacks were a response to a plan for peacekeepers and the government to wrest back control of Mogadishu. In retaliation, African Union (AU) forces, Monday, fired several mortars into areas of north Mogadishu. Meanwhile, a Six-Nation East African regional bloc has urged Somalia's two breakaway regions of Puntland and Somaliland to jointly battle Islamist militia, which it said had extended to the areas. The U.S. State Department says some of the Islamists are linked to al-Qaida.

Two Israeli Top Officers Disciplined over Shelling of UN Facility

Two top Israeli officers have been reprimanded over artillery shelling in a heavily populated area that hit a United Nations compound during fighting in Gaza. The United Nations has said some of the shells that damaged a U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) compound on January 15, 2009 contained incendiary white phosphorus, whose use, condemned by human rights groups, has been called legal by Israel. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has warned its top officers to be on guard when traveling abroad following the assassination of a Hamas commander in Dubai. Hamas has accused Israel of carrying out the slaying and vowed revenge.

Ethiopian Journalist Jailed for Criticising Leader

An Ethiopian journalist was penultimate Friday jailed for one year for criticising the Prime Minister, according to the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ). The journalist, Ezedin Mohamed, editor of Al-Quds, a "Moslem-orientated newspaper”, had in January 2008 criticized Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's statements about religious affairs in Ethiopia. Mohamed is said to have challenged Meles's characterisation of his country as "Orthodox Christian Ethiopia". CPJ Africa Programme Coordinator, Tom Rhodes, said the jailing of Ezedin Mohamed is another example of Ethiopia's intolerance of independent and critical voices.

Guinean Commission Absolves Camara of Massacre

A Guinean investigative commission has blamed Lieutenant Toumba Diakite, the man who shot exiled military leader, Moussa "Dadis" Camara, for the September 28 massacre, in which human rights groups said at least 156 people were killed. The report said the Camara was not responsible for the violence, but a United Nations (UN) commission report that indicts Camara. Diakite claimed that he shot Camara, because the junta leader had tried to blame him for the massacre and had betrayed the democracy of the West African nation.

US Threatens More Sanctions on Sudan

United States (U.S.) President, Barack Obama, has urged Sudan to cooperate in efforts to stabilise the country or the US will seek "additional pressure". Obama said the US, United Nations and other countries were working to broker a series of agreements to stabilise the country and allow refugees back to their homes. The United Nations says as many as 300,000 have died in the Darfur conflict, which began in 2003. The Sudanese government puts the figure at 10,000.

Israel Warns Syria against War Threat

Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, has warned Syria against drawing Israel into another war and also advised Syria to abandon its dreams of recovering the Israeli-held Golan Height. His words followed Syrian President, Bashar Assad's, accusation on Wednesday that Israel was avoiding peace, and his foreign minister’s earlier threat that Israel's cities would be attacked in a future conflict. Lieberman's statement contrasts with that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the Jewish state seeks peace. Meanwhile, Israel and the Palestinians may resume indirect peace deliberations soon, with a U.S. mediator. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said he would return to the negotiating table only after Israel stopped settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

Drugs Use Hinders Re-Integration of Child Soldiers in Congo

Efforts to rebuild society in the war-ravaged east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, are being hampered by the problem of drug abuse among former child soldiers, many of whom are struggling to readjust to civilian life, according to experts. A programme co-ordinator for an international NGO working in the region said that as many as 95 per cent of children used in armed conflicts are introduced to hard drugs. The issue of drug use among child soldiers has surfaced in the International Criminal Court, ICC, trial of Thomas Lubanga, the former president of the Union of Congolese Patriots, UPC, who faces charges of recruiting, conscripting and using child soldiers during the 2002-2003 conflict in the east of the country.

67 Feared Killed in Iraq, Mexico

At least 67 persons were killed in separate incidents in Iraq and Mexico on Monday. A suicide bomber detonated explosives among Shiite pilgrims in northern Baghdad, killing no fewer than 54 people. The Iraq bombing was the first major strike this year against pilgrims, and raises fears of an escalation of attacks when the pilgrimage ends on Friday. In Mexico, armed men stormed a party in a Mexican border city, killing 13 students in what witnesses thought was an attack prompted by false information. Meanwhile, in Portland, the Coast Guard said a riverboat carrying 80 passengers ran aground near the city, but no one was injured.

Three Headless Bodies Found in Shallow Mexican Grave

The Mexican military, Wednesday, arrested 10 people associated with the Sinaloa drug cartel after three decapitated bodies were found near Juarez, Mexico, a Mexican military spokesman, Enrique Torres, disclosed. The 10 men are facing homicide charges. Torres said troops were deployed to a rural area after receiving a tip, and the three bodies were found in a shallow grave used by drug traffickers to hide bodies of their victims. One of the suspects reportedly told authorities that the victims were killed because of their suspected ties to "La Linea," more commonly known as the Juarez cartel.

Al-Bashir to Face Genocide Charge

Judges at the International Criminal Court's (ICC) appeals chamber have ruled that the court was wrong when it decided that Sudan's President, Omar Al-Bashir, could not be charged with genocide in Darfur and humanity crime, according to the Head of Public Information and Documentation Section at the court, Sonia Robla. The five-judge appeals chamber said the ICC wrongly concluded in March last year that there was insufficient evidence to charge al-Bashir with three counts of genocide for allegedly attempting to wipe out entire ethnic groups in the war-ravaged province of Darfur. Activists welcomed the decision. Al-Bashir, the first sitting Head of State indicted by the ICC, has refused to recognise the court's jurisdiction and has vowed never to surrender.

Seven Killed in Pakistan Blast

Three American soldiers and four others were killed when a roadside bomb struck a convoy in Lower Dir in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, Wednesday. The area has witnessed repeated militant attacks in recent months. The American soldiers were in Pakistan to help train the country's security forces, said Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, spokesman for the Pakistani military. Abbas said that a Pakistani soldier and three students were also killed, with 120 others wounded.

Another Terrorist Attack Imminent –US Intelligence Chiefs

Intelligence Chiefs have told the US senate that another attempted terrorist attack on the US in coming months is certain. The heads of major US intelligence agencies said that Al Qaeda remains the top security threat to the United States. While none of them could cite a specific pending threat, their testimony made clear that an evolving al Qaeda remains their top concern.

Sharks Kill Man in Florida

Sharks attacked and killed a 38-year-old man, Stephen Howard Schafer, in southern Florida on Wednesday. The man was kite-surfing before the attack, said Capt. Mike McKinley, a spokesman for Martin County Sheriff's Department. Shark attacks have been on the decline, according to the International Shark Attack File. In 2008, there were 59 attacks worldwide, 71 in 2007, as against the all-time high of 79 in 2000. 41 of the 59 attacks worldwide occurred in the United States, with Florida leading with 32.