Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 46

• 

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Two Killed in Clash with Security Personnel

At least, two persons were feared dead in a clash between youths from Egi community in Rivers State and security personnel guarding a facility belonging to Ponticelli, a subsidiary of Total after the youths went on protest. Police spokesman, Akin Fakorede, confirmed that two youths died at the end of the clash. Fakorede explained that youths from the community had gone to the company to protest against the death of an indigene and employee of the company on November 8. He said the employee died of natural sickness but that the youths alleged that the company did not take proper care of the deceased before he died.

Suspected Militants Nabbed in Bayelsa over Bomb Plot

Two suspects, claiming to be members of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), were paraded on Wednesday for attempting to bomb Ekeki Motor Park in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State with an explosive suspected to be dynamite. Parading the suspects, the state Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Musa, said one of the suspects got injured while attempting to detonate the explosive. In a related development, armed men in Bayelsa state used explosives to attack the house of a presidential adviser on the government's amnesty programme, Chief Timi Alaibe. There was no report of injuries in the attack, police spokesman for Bayelsa state Eguavoen Emokpae said.

Displaced Victims of Communal Clash Moved to Camps

Victims of the recent communal clash in Boki LGA of Cross River State have been moved to the temporary accommodation provided by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).  NEMA, in addition to the Internally Displaced People’s Camps, also provided trucks of relief materials to them. Director General of NEMA, Mohammed Sani-Sidi, said government was saddened by the situation and admonished the people to live together in peace for development. Sani-Sidi said the high level destruction and large number of IDPs, including the most vulnerable, women and children, called for such prompt response.

Ex-Militants Barricade East-West Road

Some ex-militants on Monday barricaded the Mbiama Bridge along east west road, saying that they were tired of empty promises from the Federal Government. They also confessed they were the ones that invaded Abuja a few months ago to complain about their exclusion from the amnesty exercise. One of those who spoke on behalf of the ex-militants, Chris Etemo, explained that they were given assurances that they would be absorbed and their allowances paid in arrears. The head of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), Charles Osas Omoriege, was at the scene and spoke with them before the barricades were eventually removed and the soldiers were able to coordinate the traffic to return normalcy to the area.

Gunmen Kidnap Five from Oil Rig

A group of yet-to-be-identified armed men on Sunday in Akwa Ibom State attacked an offshore oil rig operated by Afren, an exploration firm, kidnapping five crew members including foreigners and injuring two others. No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, which took place penultimate Sunday. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), said plans are underway to launch series of attacks on oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta region. MEND also claims that it is holding several expatriates hostage including three French nationals and a Thai national seized off Nigeria's coast recently.

Robbers Kill One in Raid at Pools Office

Armed robbers on Wednesday raided a major pools office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and killed the son of the pool agent. The armed robbers, who were four in number, entered into the office and opened fire on the persons inside. Armed with AK-47 rifles, the bandits shot the owner of the pool office, identified as Olukayode, on his left hand before going for his two sons. Olukayode’s two sons, Femi and Jamiu were shot at close range before the hoodlums took away an unidentified sum of money. While Femi, who was shot in the leg, was immediately rushed to the hospital with his father, Jamiu could not make it. Police spokesman, Akin Fakorede, confirmed the incident, saying that the police were on the trail of the robbers.

JTF Tightens Patrol in Bayelsa Community

Tension is building in Foropah Community in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State over the increased patrol by men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF). One militant commander, Ketty Sese a.k.a Nomukeme, has alleged that he was the target of the JTF invasion. Nomukeme, who disclosed that all attempts by him to surrender and embrace amnesty were frustrated by some ex-militants, alleged that they had connived with the JTF to eliminate him. But the JTF has dismissed Nomukeme claims as lies, as the security outfit was doing its constitutional duty of protecting lives and property. The coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Lt. Col Timothy Antigha, confirmed the patrol of Foropah, adding that it was normal for the JTF to ensure the area under its jurisdiction were safe.

Daewoo Driver Kills Two in Bayelsa

The Bayelsa State Police command has launched an investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of two persons and the injury of three people along Gbarian Road when they were hit by a bus belonging to Daewoo. Eye-witnesses said the victims were standing on the road due to the barricade mounted by Gbarain youths when they were hit by the vehicle. The youths of the community had barricaded the road to stop the flow of traffic until the implementation of some of the agreement Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) had with them. The Daewoo driver, who was coming to drop some of their staff, sped past all the vehicles, lost control and crashed into the people, killing two. Realizing the implication of the accident, the driver was said to have fled the scene before he could be apprehended. The vehicle was impounded and has been taken to the Akenfa police station where the Police have begun a manhunt for the driver.

Kidnapped Guber Aspirant’s Mother-in-Law Released

Kidnappers of the 68-year-old mother-in-law of a governorship aspirant in Ebonyi State, Senator Julius Ucha, have released her after three weeks in captivity. The woman, Mrs. Maria Nwinya, was dropped by her abductors in Ishielu LGA of the state in the early hours of Thursday and was assisted by passers-by, who contacted her family. It was also gathered that the suspected kidnappers were frustrated and freed the woman whom they had been holding in their den for more than three weeks when there was no positive response from her family. A source added that the kidnappers were put under intense pressure by the operatives of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS), who were contacted to track them down.

Ex-Commissioner Killed in Road Accident

A former commissioner of sports in Bayelsa State, Mr. Bethel Amabebe, died penultimate Friday night in a road accident along the Amassoma-Yenagoa road. Amabebe was on the way to Yenagoa, the state capital, from Angiama where he had attended a funeral ceremony. The Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Eguavon Emokpae, confirmed the death. His car was said to have veered off the road and ran into the swamp. It was discovered the following day.

NSCDC to Train 2,000 Personnel for 2011 Polls

Ahead of the 2011 polls, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Calabar Command, is to train 2,000 personnel, according to the Sector Commander of the Command, Mr. Patrick Kalu. Kalu said that the corps has restated its commitment to collaborate with other agencies to supervise the forthcoming polls in the country. However, he said in the last council in the state, the Command had gone through in-house training in preparation for the exercise.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Court Voids Uduaghan’s Election

The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin annulled the election of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the elected governor of the state in the April 14, 2007 election. Chief Great Ogboru, candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) had dragged Dr. Uduaghan, the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the Election Petitions Tribunal, claiming that the election was rigged in favour of Uduaghan. The five-man judicial panel observed that the election was fraught with irregularities. The court therefore directed INEC to conduct fresh election within 90 days. The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sam Obi, is expected to be the acting governor until the rerun election is held.

Policeman Shoots Edo NLC Leader

The three-day warning strike embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, turned bloody in Edo State on Wednesday, when a trigger happy mobile policeman shot at the state Chairman of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, Comrade Godwin Ehikioya, when the union leaders tried to enforce the strike directive at the Benin Airport. The state chairman of the NLC, Comrade Kaduna Eboigbodin and his deputy were equally man handled by policemen on the orders of the state Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Femi Adenaike, at the Airport. Consequently, Eboigbodin has called for the removal of the DCP for his alleged man-handling of union leaders. They NLC vowed also to extend the warning strike in Edo State till Monday to protest the shooting of their colleague.

Rapists Storm Varsity Hostels in Asaba

Female students of Delta State University, Anwai campus, Asaba have raised alarm over frequent rape incidents in their hostels perpetrated by hoodlums. According to reports, terror was unleashed on the girls, penultimate Thursday, as the alleged rapists, who stormed their hostels in the wee hours of the night, and raped at least 6 girls. The latest attack is rated the most dastardly, though it was gathered that allegations of rape have been on the increase in the school. But the school's authority, however, has debunked the claims of the female students, as untrue.

Abducted Ex-UBTH Boss Regains Freedom

Abducted former Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Prof. Eugene Okpere, was on Thursday reportedly set free by his kidnappers after four days in captivity. The former CMD was abducted on Sunday, when he drove out for an early morning church service. The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N50m, but it was unclear whether the family paid the said money for his release. Sources believe that his family and colleagues paid N2.5m to secure his release. The state NMA chairman, Dr. Philip Ugbodaga, denied that any ransom was paid.

Robbers Snatch N50m from Government House Accountant

A gang of  armed robbers, attacked the Chief Accountant of Delta State Government House, Asaba, Mr. Michael Oghene, on Monday snatching an estimated N50 million from him. The bandits were said to have attacked the accountant a few kilometers from the government house, when he was returning from a bank, where he cashed the money, opening fire on Oghene’s car. The robbers were said to have gone straight for the boot of the car and forcefully took away the bag of money. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Sunny Ogufere, said that the victims did not sustain any major injuries during the operation, adding that the police who were already investigating the matter. He said one of the suspects had been arrested and part of the money recovered.

Delta, NGO Partner on Community Surveillance

The Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Oil and Gas, David Ekerekosu, has expressed the commitment of the state government to partner with advocates of peace by taking community surveillance very seriously. Ekerekosu, who spoke at a seminar on Community Surveillance and Environment organized by the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), charged stakeholders to work together to sustain the peace. He said that the state government would support advocates of peace in the state while noting that sustainable development was the sure way to lasting peace.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Policeman Shoots Colleague Dead in Lagos

A mobile policeman attached to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on Tuesday shot another policeman dead at Ijesha end on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. The action caused a stampede as shop owners and residents of the area temporarily ran to adjoining streets, fearing a reprisal attack by colleagues of the dead policeman. Witnesses said the incident was sequel to the chasing of a bus that refused to stop when ordered to do so. The Deputy spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, said he had not been briefed on the incident.

Oyo Police Recover Ammunition from Robbery Gang

The Oyo State police command has busted two gangs of armed robbers, seizing a cache of arms and ammunition in the process, which include several rounds of ammunition, 51 magazines, seven machine guns, charms, among other weapons. Commissioner of Police, Adisa Bolanta, on Monday, said a member of one of the gangs, Chinedu Nwayanwu, was arrested with the arms and ammunition at a checkpoint in Ibadan, as the others jumped down from the bus, taking to their heels. The other gang, which comprised four suspects, confessed to robbing their victims in a bus they were using for transport.

11 NURTW Members Shot in Ibadan

No fewer than 11 members of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oyo State on Tuesday sustained gunshot wounds during an attack at the union’s secretariat in Ibadan in an early morning invasion. The state secretary of the proscribed NURTW, Mr Lekan Aleshinloye stated that the sporadic shooting lasted almost one hour, just as he alleged that the Eleweomo faction carried out the act. But in a swift reaction, Alhaji Lateef Salako (alias Eleweomo) debunked the claim, saying that his group was not involved in the fracas. The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bolanta, confirmed the clash but said that there was no arrest.

Suspected Assassins Kill Two in Ex-Lawmaker’s Home

Former deputy speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Kazeem Ayilara, on Thursday, escaped death after a gang of suspected hired assassins stormed his residence in Ibadan. The assassins killed a police security guard and a member of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC). Although Ayilara escaped death, he was said to have been beaten severely and had been hospitalized, alongside two other victims. It was gathered that the assailants, numbering four, at about 2.30am and forced their way into the premises, having succeeded in killing the policeman and the OPC guard. Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bolanta, described the incident as an armed robbery attack and noted that the invaders took a pump action gun from the house, saying that the police would begin immediate investigation.

Girl Commits ‘Suicide’ in Boyfriend’s House

A 17-year-old girl, Peace Asukwo was reportedly found dead in her boy friend’s house in Lagos, last weekend. Peace reportedly had a strained relationship with her boy friend, Fisayo Tifase, a student of the University of Lagos, which allegedly precipitated the action. Her body was found dangling from a ceiling fan having being tied with a socket wire, but no suicide note was found. Peace, an orphan, lived in the neighbourhood with her other siblings before the incident. Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba confirmed the story, adding that Tifase is in police custody. He said investigation was still going on to find out if it was suicide or homicide.

Man, 30, Nabbed for Killing Father

Kwara State police command, on Tuesday, arrested a 30-year-old man, Yele Deno, who allegedly killed his father over “his refusal to fulfill his financial obligation to him”. The state Commissioner of Police, Muhtari Ibrahim said that the suspect confessed to the crime and showed the police where he buried the corpse. Also, five armed robbers that specialized in the snatching of cars at gunpoint at various locations in Oyo and Ogun states have been arrested. The police recovered from them, a single barrel gun, cartridges, assorted cell phones, stolen cars keys, charms, cutlasses, wraps of Indian-Hemp and other dangerous weapons. Another group of robbers engaged the police in a gun duel before escaping after police stormed their hide-out. The police have begun investigations into the incidents.

Fashola Restates Pledge to Tackle Crime in Lagos

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has reiterated his administration’s commitment to tackling crime in the state, saying criminals must be brought to justice. Fashola, who spoke on Tuesday, when he received 10 Jincheng security motorcycles donated to the state by the Chinese Consulate in Lagos, said in order to achieve the mandate, his administration will continue to invest in security to always be ahead of the criminals. The governor thanked the Chinese Consul General in Lagos, Mr. Guo Kun, who made the donation and urged other organisations to donate to the State’s Security Trust Fund.

GENERAL

Iran behind Arms Shipment to Nigeria –Security Agents

The Nigerian government has accused Iran as the brain behind last month shipment into Nigeria of 13 containers loaded with weapons such as grenades and rocket. The government has, therefore, summoned the Iranian ambassador in Nigeria. Nigerian Foreign Minister, Odein Ajumogobia, said he met his Iranian counterpart in Abuja to discuss the shipment. The cargo that was shipped from an Iranian port was listed as building materials but when the 13 containers were opened at Nigeria’s main port in Lagos, inspectors found 107mm artillery rockets, rifle rounds and arms. Iran is ready to assist Nigeria in investigating the illegal arms importation into Nigeria. It was earlier reported that suspects in the importation were hiding in the Iranian Embassy in Abuja.

Woman Arrested with 10 AK47 Rifles at Border

A mother of seven children, Lucy Danagana, 35, was on Wednesday arrested by the police in Borno State in a border town between Nigeria and Chad Republic while trying to smuggle 10 AK47 rifles into Nigeria. The state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, alleged that the suspect was one of those providing arms and ammunition for the militant religious fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram. Abubakar revealed that the illegal arms, which also included nine magazines, were concealed in four bags of maize. He said the attention of his men was drawn to the woman when a man said he suspected that something was concealed in the sacks as they were heavier than normal. The police boss said on ripping the sacks open, the 10 AK47 rifles and nine magazines were discovered neatly concealed within the maize.

CDS Orders Security Beef Up

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshall Olusheyi Petinri, has ordered that security be beefed up around military formations and government installations across the country. The order was prompted by recent bomb blasts in   parts of the country. This he said is to forestall any attack by members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). MEND had vowed to carry out further attacks on key government facilities after it claimed responsibility for the October 1, Abuja bombing. Similarly, the General Officer Commanding 3 Armoured Division, Maj.-Gen. Sunday Idoko, has said that the army will maintain neutrality in the 2011 general election. He advised army personnel that the only way to maintain sanctity and professionalism in the military was to avoid acts that would tarnish their image.

Gunmen Shoot, Injure Policeman in Bauchi

Unknown gunmen on a motor bike in Bauchi state, penultimate Friday evening, shot a mobile policeman. An eye witness said that he was immediately taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment for injuries sustained on the head and shoulder. A relative of the policeman said this is the second attempt on his life by unknown gunmen and appealed to the government to take necessary steps to save his life. Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Barau, said he had not received any signal on the matter, but added that investigation into killings of policemen in the state is on-going and that very soon the culprits would be brought to book.

Legal Aid Council Wants Amnesty for 36,000 on Awaiting Trial

The Acting Director-General of the Legal Aid Council, Mr. Michael Awoponle, has said that the LAC has written applications on behalf of 36,000 awaiting trial inmates in the nation’s prisons. He therefore sought for a cordial relationship among the stakeholders in the criminal justice sector to reduce the menace of ATM. Awoponle stated this during his courtesy visit on the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Prisons Service, Mr. Olusola Ogundipe, in Abuja.

Tanker Drivers to Stop Fuel Supply over Killing of Member

Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to stop the supply of petroleum products to Abuja and Plateau State over an alleged killing of their member, Mohammed Saidu, by a soldier, penultimate Saturday, along Jos/Bauchi border. The union, Tuesday, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the military to unravel the death and bring the perpetrator to book; else they will boycott the supply of products to the affected areas. Chairman of the PTD, Comrade Timothy Ogbu, expressed displeasure over the manner in which soldiers have continuously harassed and killed tanker drivers on the nation’s highways. He said efforts by the PTD to seek the intervention of the military high command over the incidents have not yielded results as they made themselves unavailable.

Borno Police Parades 23 Boko Haram Suspects

Police in Borno State have so far arrested 23 Boko Haram sect members for allegedly attacking and killing of policemen, religious and traditional rulers since July. The arrests were made through the “Stop and Search” operation mounted by the joint Police/Military operations in Maiduguri and other towns where the suspect are hiding. The Police Commissioner, Mohammed Abubakar, said that most of the arrested suspects, who were on the wanted list of the police, were apprehended at various black spots and hideouts within the Maiduguri metropolis. He appealed to members of the public to continue to assist the police with more information on the operations and hideouts of the suspects.

Baby Survives Flood Clinging to Mothers Slippers

A six-month-old baby survived drowning in the Moom River in the flood-hit community of Ituruv in Kwande LGA of Benue State when he held on to the floating slippers of the mother when their canoe capsized.  Terseer Iortswam, a canoe man at the river said the baby struggled as he slipped off the mother’s arms until he got hold of her slippers which pulled off the mother as she struggled with the strong current. He said the baby had taken a lot of water but was unhurt. Iortswam added that not less than five boat mishaps occurred along the rivers in the last three weeks after massive rocks fell from the mountains of the Nigeria/Cameroon border areas on October 13, sending widespread fears of a volcanic eruption. Nkomon River, Moom River and Moom Awuwha River collected the rocks that fell, a development which caused them to overflow, thereby flooding the communities

Labour Suspends Warning Strike

The 3 days warning strike, which commenced on Wednesday embarked upon by labour, was called off on the first day, after President Goodluck Jonathan appealed to them for time. Most of the critical sectors of the economy such as the banks, power, petroleum, ports and others were shut down in full compliance with directives of organised Labour to compel the Federal Government to implement the N18, 000 new Minimum Wage. The strike that was scheduled to last three days was called off, after a meeting of leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart. The two Labour centres, said the new minimum wage must be signed into law on or before the first week of December, warning that if this was not done, they would take further action.

FCT Minister in Gun Duel with Suspected Kidnappers

The Minister of state for the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (Rtd) on Tuesday night, arrested two suspected kidnappers along the Lokoja - Abuja road after a gun battle. The minister disclosed that he got curious when he noticed that a lady sandwiched between two young men at the back seat of a car that overtook his, was struggling with the men. The minister said he immediately ordered his convoy to chase the car. The car, the minister narrated, ran into Oba Guest Inn in Lokoja while the men in the car immediately opened fire on his team. In a gun duel that lasted over 30 minutes, two of the suspects were eventually arrested, while two others scaled the fence and vanished with the lady. Those arrested were handed over to the Lokoja state police command.

FG Declares Tuesday, Wednesday Public Holidays

The Federal Government has declared Tuesday and Wednesday 16th and 17th November, 2010 as public holidays to mark year 2010 Id– el – Kabir Muslim festival. The Minister of Interior, Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho, who made the announcement on behalf of the Federal Government, wished all Muslims a joyous, fun-filled celebration as he further enjoined Nigerians to reflect on the lessons of sacrifice which is the central theme of this festival with a view to making Nigeria better.

Conman in Police Net for Buying Cars with Dud Cheque

An Abuja-based Motor Company, Ineh Mic Ltd, narrowly escaped falling prey to the antics of a con-man, one Mr. Jidedia Ezenwa, for the second time in six months as he attempted to buy six brand new Prado Jeeps worth about N40million with a dud cheque. The suspect had in April successfully conned and taken delivery of 15 brand new cars worth over N80million from three different motor companies, including Ineh Mic, after presenting dud cheques to the companies. He was said to have effected payment through a bank where he had contact and the vehicles were released to him after the company received alerts from the bank of their account having been credited. Trouble, however, started when the company’s headquarters discovered that the money did not reflect in their account.

Ward Head Battles Suspected Boko Haram

The Army in Borno State, Monday, paraded a suspected member of the Boko Haram sect, 32-year-old Abdullahi Mustapha, for allegedly attempting to kill the Ward Head of Bolori, Alhaji Mohammed Mala. The Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Ibrahim Hassan Ndaliman, said that Mustapha was caught with an AK47 rifle and 24 rounds of ammunition. It was gathered that three armed men dressed in black went to the ward head’s house at 9.15pm, penultimate Sunday and attempted to kill him, but Mala wrestled the men and pinned down one of them while the others ran away. The incident was immediately reported to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai ibn Umar El-Kanemi, who subsequently invited the military to take the assailant into custody.

Reps Threaten NNDC Boss with Arrest for Alleged Contract Scam

For not allegedly following laid down procedure on the award of contracts and his failure to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement to defend alleged fraudulent practices, the committee has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Chibuzor Ngwoha. The Committee had repeatedly summoned the NDDC boss to appear before it and explain the alleged fraudulent practice, but Ngwoha has allegedly refused to honour the invitation. In view of this, the committee resolved to give the commission a seven-day ultimatum within which to appear before it, failure which the committee would be forced to issue a warrant of arrest against the NDDC boss.

Widow Cries for Help as Child Needs N3.5m to Survive

A desperate widow is crying for help to save her daughter’s life. Mrs. Anthonia Joshua is appealing to Nigerians to come to her aid in respect of her daughter, Favour, who had been diagnosed with a congenital life-threatening health condition. Favour was born with a hole in the heart and needs at least N3.5 million to undergo operations. She has been referred to hospitals in Ghana, South Africa or India for that purpose. In 2004 when little Favour was diagnosed with the problem at birth, she needed just N500, 000 then for surgical operations to correct the defects. But the amount could not be raised then and the cost has increased. Doctors insist that she must act fast to save her from death or disability in the near future.

INTERNATIONAL

Pirates Get Ransom for Ships' Release

Somali pirates are reported to have received a total of $12.3m (£7.6m) in ransom money to release two ships. They are believed to have been paid a record $9.5m (£5.8m) for Samho Dream, a South Korean oil tanker, and nearly $2.8m (£1.7m) for the Golden Blessing, a Singaporean flagged ship. "We are now counting our cash," a pirate who gave his name as Hussein, disclosed. All crew are believed to be unharmed. The Samho Dream supertanker was hijacked in the Indian Ocean in April and its crew of five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos were taken hostage. It was carrying crude oil worth $170m (£105m) from Iraq to the US. Although released it is still within Somali waters and the ship's 24 crew members are said to be in good condition.

Aid Crew Kidnapped in Darfur

Three Latvian aid air crew members have been kidnapped in Darfur, Sudan. A spokeswoman for the World Food Programme said the three were helicopter crewmen contracted to the WFP. This is the latest in a series of kidnappings of foreign aid workers in Darfur. Ransoms are usually demanded. They were taken from a minibus in the South Darfur capital Nyala, penultimate Thursday. The kidnappers are yet to be identified.

Archbishop Calls for Christians to Leave Iraq

A Syriac Orthodox archbishop in Britain called for all Christians to leave Iraq. His call came a week after gunmen stormed a Catholic church in Baghdad in siege that killed about 50 people. Archbishop Athanasios Dawood also slammed the Iraqi government for not doing enough to protect the rights of minorities. He also asked the British government, and other European countries to grant asylum to Christians living in Iraq. The Islamic State of Iraq, which has local ties to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack. The radical group has threatened further attacks on Christians in the Middle East.

Indonesian Volcano: Death Toll Hits 156

The death toll from recent eruptions at Indonesia‘s Mount Merapi continues to rise as the volcano spewed hot ash clouds and gas on Sunday. At least 156 people have died since Merapi began erupting on October 26. Data from the Indonesian Volcanology Technology Development and Assessment Agency indicated that a hot ash cloud that had hit a village near the crater was around 450-600 degrees Celsius. The volcano‘s wrath has reached villages in areas many thought were safe from Merapi‘s eruptions. Relief agencies such as Plan Indonesia estimate about 200,000 people have been displaced. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was in Yogyakarta on Sunday to oversee relief efforts. The president has announced that residents will receive compensation for livelihoods and animals lost to the eruptions.

Pro-Military Party Records Election Win in Myanmar

Fighting between ethnic rebels and government soldiers has caused at least 20,000 people to flee into Thailand. Myanmar's main military-backed political party says it won about 80% of votes in the first election in 20 years. A Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) official said the party was pleased with the result. The main pro-democracy party, the NLD, boycotted the poll but other opposition groups have alleged widespread fraud. Residents in the town of Myawaddy said Burmese troops had now pushed back the rebels protesting against the election. Burmese troops are reportedly trying to dislodge ethnic Karen fighters from around the Three Pagodas Pass, which lies further south. There are reports of gunfire.

19 Killed in Deadly Clashes in Disputed Western Sahara

Deadly clashes erupted on Monday between Moroccan forces and local rebels in Western Sahara –a disputed region. The Polisario Front, the region's independence movement said Moroccan authorities raided a camp in Western Sahara, leaving 19 people dead, 723 wounded, and 159 missing, and the group said the fighting has continued since then. Morocco's official news agency said eight Moroccan police officers also died in the raid. Morocco annexed the territory in the mid-1970s after Spain gave up control, and guerrilla warfare with the Polisario -- which favors independence for the region -- ensued until a U.N.-brokered cease-fire ended the violence in 1991.

Somali Pirates More Daring

A top United Nations (UN) official has lamented that piracy off the coast of Somalia is outpacing efforts to combat it and more is needed to attack the problem at its root. UN Under-secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, said more than 438 crew and passengers and 20 ships are currently being held at sea, off Somalia as pirates employ larger vessels and attack further off the coast. The EU, NATO and regional navies are increasingly working together to patrol the Gulf of Aden and other waters off Somalia where pirates operate. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that pirates have expanded operations well into the Indian Ocean. Some pirates have even begun using a “mother ship” towing two or three skiffs to help launch attacks far off the coast against ever-larger freighters.

US Bans Cargo Planes from Somalia and Yemen

The US has extended an air cargo ban to cover Somalia as well as Yemen and banned ink and toner cartridges from passenger flights, in the wake of last month's failed bomb plot. High risk cargo will receive extra screening and parcels must be certified to have come via established shippers. The strictures come after bombs hidden in cartridges were intercepted on route from Yemen to the US in cargo planes. Homeland Security boss Janet Napolitano said US security was the top priority.

Bomb Blast in Basra Kills 12

The death toll from a car bomb explosion in Basra has increased to at least 12, the Iraqi interior ministry said on Tuesday. At least 39 people were wounded when the bomb exploded on Monday in the western part of the city. On a crowded street in the Iraqi city of Karbala, a blast killed at least 10 people and wounded 38 others, the ministry said. The bomb went off at one of the main entrances to the city where buses carrying Iranian pilgrims stop. In Najaf, at least one person was killed and 10 others wounded in a bombing, the ministry said. The parked car bomb targeted buses carrying Iranian pilgrims at the road leading to Najaf's old city.

Police Officer Kills 10 in Rampage

About 10 people were killed, penultimate Saturday by a Kenyan provincial police officer, Peter Karanja, at several bars in a small town, before surrendering. He was said to be looking for his girlfriend after he left duty, Charles Owino, a deputy spokesman, said. Five men, three women and the two police officers were killed in the shooting spree. The officer tried to shoot himself but had run out of ammunition, and later surrendered to police. Owino said police were investigating a number of leads, including one that Karanja had discovered he was infected with HIV and went in search of his girlfriend whom he suspected could have infected him with the virus. Police are also looking into reports that   Karanja was angry over news his lover was having an affair.

Kenyan Court Frees Suspected Pirates

A Kenyan court has freed 17 Somali men detained by the U.S. Navy at sea and accused of piracy, saying the Navy didn't provide the necessary evidence to convict the suspects. The decision has left authorities in a dilemma over what to do with the Somali men since the court did not order them repatriated back to their country. Attorney Jared Magolo said a magistrate's court in the coastal town of Mombasa ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the Somali men attacked the MV Amira, an Egyptian-flagged ship, in May 2009. Somali pirates usually seize ships in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest waterways, for multimillion dollar ransoms. Kenya is among a handful of countries that have prosecuted pirates.