Weekly Security Report Weekly Report week 5 week 5
PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS
4 Dead Naval Helicopter Crash
A Nigerian naval spokesman says one of its helicopters crashed in the Niger Delta, killing the four people onboard. Commodore David Nabaida says the helicopter crashed Tuesday afternoon while searching for a ship that supposedly ran aground in the region. Nabaida says the helicopter went down near Port Harcourt International Airport. The three officers and a seaman onboard are feared dead. The commodore says an investigation will uncover what caused the crash, but he says the navy had no evidence it was brought down by hostile fire.
NGO Urges Security Agencies, Media to Collaborate
As the February 6 gubernatorial election in Anambra State draws near, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (ACLSD), a Non governmental Organisation, has advised security operatives and the media to display high sense of integrity, neutrality and professionalism, to ensure a free and fair election. Executive Director of the group, Mr. Otiva Igbuzor, said that the success or failure of the election depends on the stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the political parties, media and security agencies, performing their duties diligently.
Pirates Attack Traders in Bakassi, Injure 20
Indication of a fresh threat to the post-amnesty programme of the Federal Government emerged on Saturday, following an attack on traders by suspected pirates in Nigerian territorial waters in Bakassi, Cross River State. It was gathered that the traders lost cash and goods worth over N70m, while over 20 traders were injured. The merchants were said to be travelling on three passenger boats from Cameroun to Nigerian on Saturday morning when they were ambushed. A patrol team of Cameroun gendarmes was said to have escorted the merchants to the boundary between Nigeria and Cameroun, just before the attack. Robbing of traders on Bakassi waterways is a source of worry to people in Ikang community.
Community Petitions Police over Release of Suspected Arsonists
The Ofeiyi Ogbodi Ukwu village in Umuahia North LGA of Abia has petitioned the police over the release of persons suspected of killing five people in the area. Mr Daniel Ibeh, the attorney to the community, expressed worry over the release of the suspects. The community urged the police command to unravel the mystery behind the killing of the five persons. The suspects were reported to the police after a family of five was burnt to death in their house, which was padlocked from the outside.
Abuja Court Throws out Rivers Request on Ceded Oil Wells
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, threw out a request by the Government of Rivers State to rule on the legality of the cession of about 76 oil wells, allegedly belonging to it, to Akwa Ibom State for want of jurisdiction. The trial judge, Justice Adamu Bello, held that the Supreme Court has the exclusive jurisdiction to hear the case. According to the Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr Ken Chikere, the government of Rivers State will, as soon as possible, file the case before the proper court so as to get justice in the case. The Rivers State Government had commenced the constitutional suit before the Abuja Federal High Court on 5 September 2008.
Rivers Governor Arrests Police Van for Traffic Offence
The Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on Wednesday ordered the impoundment of a police patrol van attached to a company for driving against the traffic in Port Harcourt. Also impounded were a number of private cars that were following the police van to drive against the traffic. Amaechi expressed surprise that the van, which was neither on emergency patrol nor on escort duty, was breaking the law, when they were arrest offenders themselves. He ordered that the keys to all the apprehended vehicles be seized and handed over to the nearest police station for prosecution accordingly.
Police Warn Hospitals against Non-Treatment of Emergency Cases
The Imo State Police Command has warned hospitals that still refuse to treat gunshot and accident victims without police report to desist from such acts. The command's spokesman, Linus Nwaiwu, said that the refusal contravened the new government directive that such cases be handled. Nwaiwu said government as well as private hospitals and clinics were expected to treat the emergency cases without requesting for or insisting on police report, cash deposit and presence of next of kin. Nwaiwu said that where the identity of the patient was in doubt, a report should be lodged at the police station nearest after attending to such a person.
BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS
Edo CAN Chairman Kidnapped
Edo State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Bishop of Benin Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Dr. Peter Imasuen, was abducted penultimate Sunday by unidentified gunmen in front of his residence in Benin. He was released on Wednesday. It is not known whether any ransom was paid, but the kidnappers as at Monday were asking for a ransom of N50 million. In another development, two persons were confirmed dead in a road accident that occurred along the Benin-Agbor-Onitsha express road. The accident reportedly involved a trailer and a Toyota Hiace bus. Edo state Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Henry Olatunji, said that the Hiace bus ran into the rear of the trailer that was reversing into the express way from a petrol station.
Delta Police Rescue Kidnap Victim
The police in Warri, Delta State, last weekend, arrested a kidnap suspect and rescued the victim. Three armed men in a Honda Accord car allegedly abducted the female victim, Enetimi Second, at Bendel Estate, but the police acting on a tip-off trailed the kidnappers and intercepted them at Effurun Round about. Two of the hoodlums escaped, while one Emma Abbey, who has already made confessional statement, was arrested. In another incident, the police smashed a robbery gang that was robbing a luxurious bus along the Asaba-Benin express way. The robbers ran into the bush after an exchange of bullets. Items recovered from the hoodlums include locally-made pistol with two live cartridges, and 14 handsets. The state police public-relations officer, ASP Charles Muka, confirmed the stories.
Delta Assembly Wades into Shell, Community Face-Off
Delta State House of Assembly has waded into the controversy over alleged plans by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to sell off its assets in Warri South LGA. The House, on Tuesday, mandated its committee on Environment, Oil and Gas to investigate the planned sale. The Assembly said that the planned sale negates the principle of acquisition for which only surface rights were paid to families in Edjeba community. It said the planned sale will deprive the host communities of patronage, besides depriving them of their farm lands, adding that the estates and other assets were held in trust for the SPDC.
FG Orders JTF Troops Back to Edo
The Federal Government on Tuesday ordered the troops of the Joint Task Force, to return to Edo State, according to the Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Godwin Abbe. The troops were withdrawn from some parts of the state, few days before the rerun election, penultimate Saturday, to fill the vacant seat of Etsako Central in Edo State House of Assembly. Abbe said that the troops were withdrawn following allegations by the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole; that the Peoples Democratic Party was planning to use them to rig the election. Abbe further said the troops were returned to the state to enable them to assist the police in combating crime in the area.
LAGOS AND ENVIRONS
Ogun AC Guber Candidate Shot Dead, VP Orders Full Investigation
Governorship candidate of Action Congress (AC) in Ogun State during the 2007 election, Otunba Dipo Dina was on Monday night shot dead in Ota, Ogun State. Dina was said to have been ambushed by four armed men, who allegedly ordered down his driver and one other person in the car. Dina was said to have started screaming for help before he was shot dead. Dina’s voice was said to have attracted help, but the armed men were said to have shot into the air and scared the gathering crowd away. Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday directed the police and other security agencies to unmask and apprehend persons behind the murder. Jonathan directed the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, to furnish him with a preliminary report within one week of the commencement of investigation.
Court Orders Navy, Admiral to Pay N100m Damages to Uzoma Okere
A Lagos State High Court, on Wednesday ordered Rear Admiral Harry Arogundade, the Nigerian Navy and four naval ratings to pay Miss Uzoma Okere and her friend, Mr. Abdullahi Abdulazeez, N100 million as damages for assaulting them. Justice Opeyemi Oke, rebuked the officers, describing them as not fit for a decent society. The judge also ordered the officers and the Navy to offer unreserved apology to the victims within one month of the judgment in four national newspapers and some electronic media. Miss Okere was brutalized and her blouse ripped off her in 2008. She said that the documentary evidence before her was a clear case of res inter locutor (facts speak for themselves), adding that no amount of money can adequately compensate the violation of a persons’ human dignity.
3 Suspects Arrested for Murder of Guardian Editor
Three persons suspected to have murdered The Guardian's Assistant News Editor, Bayo Ohu, have been arrested by the police. Ohu was shot dead in his apartment in Lagos on September 20, 2009. According to eye-witnesses, five or six men came in a white Toyota Camry car, wearing white flowing gowns with matching skull caps shot Bayo and made away with only his laptop and mobile phone handset. They made no attempt to enter any other apartment in the four-flat house. The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr Ogbonna Onovo, said three out of the four suspected killers were arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, while the kingpin was said to have run to another state. The IG said the man that pulled the trigger that killed the journalist had confessed to the crime.
Police Smash Car Snatching Syndicate
The police on Tuesday smashed a four-man car snatching syndicate in Ilorin, Kwara State. The gang members were arrested by men of the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos. One of the suspects confessed on the series of atrocities committed by the gang. The policemen also allegedly recovered some state-of-the-art vehicles from the bandits. The commissioner for police in charge of the Federal SARS Lagos, Jubril Adeniji, informed that the suspects had made confessional statements. Adeniji alleged that the suspects sell stolen vehicles to their accomplices across the country. He also stated that car spare parts, vehicle number plates, car keys, live arms and ammunition were also recovered from the syndicate.
NDLEA Smashes Drug Trafficking Syndicate
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has claimed to have smashed a notorious drug trafficking cell with stronghold in Pakistan. The agency also sealed off and seized two boutiques in Lagos and other valuable assets, including a Sports Utility Vehicle belonging to the suspected drug barons. Four suspected members of the cartel, including a clearing and forwarding agent at the Lagos airport, as well as three businessmen believed to be the brain behind the illicit drug trafficking gang, are being detained by the agency.
Police Arraign 2 for Cheque Theft
The police in Lagos on Wednesday arraigned two men for allegedly stealing two Oceanic bank cheques and issuing them for N15 million. The cheques belong to the Nigeria Breweries Plc. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, theft and forgery. The prosecutor, Isaac Aminu, said the accused claimed to have collected the cheques from one Kelechi Onwuka, an ex-employee of Oceanic bank. Aminu said the accused forged the signature of the Account Manager of the Nigeria Breweries, Mr Niyi Olaoye, on the cheques and presented them for payment to themselves.
Oshodi Residents Commend Police for Low Crime
Residents of Oshodi in Lagos State have expressed happiness with the low crime rate recorded during the last Yuletide period. Some residents expressed surprise that the area, known for its high crime rate, witnessed a relatively low crime, and commended the police personnel posted to the area. They further expressed optimism that the new strategies in Policing noticed in the area will wipe out the notoriety associated with the area, if maintained.
Ekiti Deputy Governor Seeks Investigation on Alleged Acid attack
The Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Sikiru Lawal, has called on the police commands in Ekiti and Ondo states to investigate the alleged attempt on the life of Chief Anthony Adeniyi, a lawyer to the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, with a view to determining the veracity of the claim. Adeniyi had alleged at the weekend that a substance, suspected to be acid, was poured on his car by some unidentified individuals in the convoy of the deputy governor along Ikere-Akure Road.
Police Arrest 43 Clearing Agents at Port
About 43 clearing agents are being detained at the anti-crime unit of the Nigeria Police, Lagos, for alleged illegal clearance of used vehicles. Trouble started when the officials of the Nigeria Customs Service and the Tin Can Island chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) drew a battle line over the seizure of 21 used vehicles. The Area Comptroller of the command, Garba Kuffi, had ordered the seizure of the cars because their duties were not fully paid. But the seizure later degenerated into crisis on Wednesday, when the consignees of the vehicles reported the case to the ANLCA leadership in Tin Can Island.
GENERAL
Suspects Transferred to Abuja as 40,000 are Displaced by Jos Crisis
The Plateau State Police Command disclosed that so far, there are 326 deaths in the Jos crisis, while 313 arrested suspects have been transferred to the Force Headquarters in Abuja. The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Edward Pwajok, has said the state government is handicapped in prosecuting suspects because the police has not sent any files to his office, despite the efforts made to get the files. The Acting Commissioner of Police Ikechukwu Aduba said the suspects would be tried in Jos. Meanwhile normalcy has returned to Jos, following the review of the curfew imposed by the government, while the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it had moved in relief materials to help the 40,000 displaced persons. The state Governor, Jonah Jang, has opposed their hasty transfer and wants them returned to Jos for prosecution.
Military Allays Fear of Coup
The Nigerian Army has restricted the movement of soldiers because of “rising tension” as President Yar’Adua remains in Saudi Arabia receiving medical treatment. Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau, said that troops must have passes, and good reasons to travel outside their units. He further dismissed as “unnecessary, unwarranted and inflammatory” comments which suggest that a coup might be needed to pull the country out of a constitutional crisis in Yar’Adua’s absence. The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Paul Dike, also said that the military would not seek to overthrow the government.
Christians Army Bias in Jos
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Armoured Division in Jos, Maj-Gen. Saleh Maina has denied allegations that only Muslim soldiers were deployed in the state. The Plateau State Christian Elders Consultative Forum had alleged that Maina deployed only Moslem soldiers in Jos, who carried out acts of genocide on Christians. They called on the FG and the United Nations (UN) to investigate Maina. In another allegation, the Sultan’s Farmers/Cattle Rearers Conflict Resolution Committee, has said that 120 Fulani herdsmen, including women and children, were killed by Berom youths and Governor Jonah Jang’s tribal men, in Du District. Meanwhile, Police has said its helicopters will patrol Jos and environs, urging residents to be calm. The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called for an FG inquiry into the crisis, noting that those responsible are known and yet nothing happens to them.
Nigeria’s Oil Export to India Hits $10bn
The Indian Minister of Petroleum, Mr. Murli Deora, on Monday, said his country's total annual import of crude oil from Nigeria reached 400,000 barrels last year, amounting to about $10 billion in monetary terms. Deora, who met with his Nigerian counterpart in Abuja, revealed plans by the Indian government to commit $350 million into the development of two oil blocs (OPL 279 and 285) in Nigeria's upstream sector. He added that his country has also proposed to partner with the NNPC through the Indian, ONGC Mital Energy Limited for the establishment of a Greenfield petroleum refining plant. According to Deora, Nigeria is India's largest trading partner in Africa for oil and gas, with potential for more growth.
SMS Escalated Jos Slaughter
It was revealed that that text messages that urged people to murder and then burn their victims' bodies helped stoke the recent violence in Jos that killed hundreds of people, police and rights activists said. Rights activists have identified at least 145 texts that circulated on mobile phones in Jos. The texts were aimed at "spreading rumours and inflaming tensions", said rights activist, Shehu Sani, who heads a coalition of 32 Nigerian civil and human rights groups called the Civil Rights Congress. It origins of the messages may not be verified as Nigeria is yet to start registering phone SIM cards.
Police Dismiss Rumour of Planned Attacks in Abuja
The FCT Commissioner of Police, John Haruna has dismissed rumours of plans by certain groups to attack others as vengeance over the recent clashes in Jos Plateau State. Haruna said that people should discountenance the rumour and go about their businesses as police have taken strategies to prevent any form of violence in the FCT. The police also said another SMS circulated which said poisonous foodstuffs are being sold in Abuja is false and people behind all untrue messages will be arrested and prosecuted.
ASP Suspected of Arming Muslim Youths in Jos
An Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Usman Dagogo, has been suspended following allegations of secretly arming some displaced Muslim youths who are taking refuge at the Police Staff College, Jos. A panel of military and police officers has been set up on the orders of Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan to probe the activities of Dagogo. The panel of inquiry is headed by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau. Trouble started for the ACP when, the military intercepted a vehicle loaded with arms, and the policemen who were in the vehicle confessed that Dagogo directed them to deposit arms at a particular destination every night. Dagogo has denied the accusation.
NSCDC Warns PSC against Expatriate Directors
The Commandant- General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ade Abolurin, has warned Private Security Companies (PSC) in the country to desist from having a foreigner as their director or board member, threatening to revoke the operation license of any company found culpable. Abolurin further charged the operators to ensure that their activities erased the erroneous impression that Private Guard Companies encourage criminals. In order to check this, he said, credible people without criminal records must be recruited with a view to sanitizing the industry.
33 Nigerian Deported from US
Thirty three Nigerians including four women, who were deported by the U.S. authorities, arrived in Lagos on Wednesday. The deportees were involved in fake traveling documents and drug trafficking. The source also said 22 of the deportees committed some criminal offences while in the U.S.
Onovo Lists Benefits of Intelligence Policing
The Inspector -General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo, has said that the police have been able to use intelligence policing to reduce crime rate in the country, adding that the police have also had commendations on excellent performances in quelling civil disturbances and handling of social events. Onovo said the police had also played important roles on the amnesty for militants in the Niger Delta. He expressed optimism that his meeting with state Commissioners of Police would afford the police the opportunity to re-evaluate and re-assess its performance in 2009 and strategize for new challenges. The IG promised that the police would ensure hitch-free polls in the forth-coming governorship elections in Anambra.
2 Sentenced to Jail for Bribery of Nigerian Officials
Two former executives of an international contractor have received prison sentences for their part in a conspiracy to bribe Nigerian officials. A U.S. Justice Department statement says Jason Edward Steph and Jim Bob Brown received lighter sentences because of their guilty pleas and cooperation with investigators. Willbros Group was fined more than $32 million in 2008 for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Steph received a 15-month prison sentence, while Brown a one-year prison sentence. Both are to be followed by two years of supervised release.
Nigeria Loses N45b Yearly on Foreign Vessels -ISAN
Indigenous Shippers Association of Nigeria (ISAN) has said that Nigeria loses over N130 million daily through the use of foreign vessels to transport fuel into the country. Executive Secretary of the association, Captain Niyi Olabinjo, expressed regret over the development, adding that indigenous vessels in the country are efficient and have capacity to do job. Olabinjo said that Federal Government should have conserved such fund for developmental projects and job creation.
NUPENG Wants Oil, Gas Sector Overhauled
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Monday, called for a total overhaul of the Nigeria Oil and Gas industry to address the persistent fuel scarcity. Mr Tokunbo Korodo, the union's President in the South West, said the present scarcity, if not checked, might persist longer than expected. He said the NNPC had not come out to tell Nigerians the cause of the scarcity, in spite of various stakeholders' meeting held in many parts of the country. The NUPENG President said the persistent scarcity of the product had shown that NNPC did not have sufficient supply of fuel in circulation.
17 Cultists Arrested in Benue
Seventeen suspected cultists, who claimed to be students of Benue State University, have been arrested by the Benue State Police Command during initiation of new members. The suspected cultists were allegedly arrested at the bank of River Benue, Makurdi by the ACP monitoring unit. The State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed, added that the 17 suspected cultists were arrested with various items believed to be used for initiation and an axe.
Gangs Clash in Gusau
Two rival gangs on Monday clashed in the Tullukawa area of Gusau, Jigawa State. The cause of the clash is yet to be ascertained, but the Police Public Relations Officer, Lawal Abdullahi, disclosed that the police arrested nine suspects including one of the leaders, Anas Balami; with daggers, cutlasses, knives and sticks. He added that the state Commissioner of Police M.J. Abubakar had ordered an investigation into the incident. In a related development, three men were arrested in Gusau town for breaking into a house and stealing. Properties recovered from them include handsets, generators and tape recorders. The police spokesman maintained that they had intensified patrols to check crime in the state.
US Reviews Visa Policy for Nigerians, Others
The United States may soon begin rejection of Visa applications by some categories of Nigerians, and the revocation of already issued visas. According to the report, Embassies were advised to “review visa issuance and revocation criteria and processes with special emphasis on counter terrorism’. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Nigeria has been absolved of any wrongdoing in the handling of the Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, the Nigerian that attempted to blow up a US-bound aircraft. According to Ian Kelly, US State Department Spokesman, the Embassy in Nigeria did everything they were supposed to do.
757 Persons Awaiting Trial in Nasarawa Prisons -CP
More than 757 people are languishing and awaiting trials in various prisons in Nasarawa State, due largely to the “snail speed” of dispensation of justice. The state Commissioner of Police, Shehu Babalola, blamed the figure of the awaiting trials on frequent industrial actions embarked upon by the judiciary in the state. He appealed to the relevant authorities to expedite actions to stem the tide of strike. He said that he was disappointed that most of the awaiting trials had served terms way beyond their expected period of confinement by law, but because of the lingering crisis between the judiciary and the government, such people could not just be released because it was only the judiciary that is constitutionally empowered to do so.
Immigration to Phase out Old Passport in December
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) will by 31 December 2010 phase out the old international passport as e-passports replace them. It was also disclosed that the NIS has created e-gates at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja solely for Nigerians with the new e-passports, according to the Minister of Interior, Dr Shettima Mustafa. According to Dr Mustafa, 36 states of the federation are now e-passport compliant and some missions abroad can now issue Nigerians the new e-passports.
Senate Faults N8bn Budget for PIB
The Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) on Thursday faulted the insertion of N8 billion in the 2010 budget proposals by the Ministry of Petroleum for the Implementation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The Committee also queried the secrecy surrounding the execution of N5 billion proposed for the execution of the Joint Venture projects by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). The Committee’s Chairman, Senator Lee Maeba who issued the queries said the Senate is worried by the alarming increase in the budgetary allocations to the Ministry and its departments without corresponding benefits to Nigerians.
Orphans, Vulnerable Children Rise to 17.5m
The number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Nigeria is estimated at 17.5 million, out of which 7.3 million are orphaned by HIV/AIDS, particularly in states with high prevalence, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Salamatu Suleiman, has said. The minister said the Ministry plans to provide coordinated response to the phenomenon of orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria. According to her, OVC has been compounded by the impact of HIV/AIDS pandemic, adding that the study findings show that better information would facilitate increased advocacy for OVC programmes and consequently increased funding and better planning.
Norwegian Firm Explores Oil, Gas in Nigeria's
A Norwegian firm, Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS), has demonstrated its commitment to commence full integrated services to explore the hydrocarbon resources in Nigerian and the Gulf of Guinea. Towards this end, the company recently commissioned its regional office in Lagos State and plans to extend the latest state-of-the-art technologies to the region in soon. PGS President, Jon Erik, said the multi-billion naira facility represents the company's increased presence in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. PGS offers a broad range of products, including seismic and electromagnetic services, data acquisition, processing, reservoir analysis/interpretation and multi-client library data. He further pledged the company's commitment to complying with the Nigerian content directives.
Yar’Adua, Aondoakaa Dragged to Court over N600bn
President Yar'Adua has been dragged to a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over the alleged failure by the FG to account for how the recovered stolen public funds, since 1999, estimated at N600 billion, have been spent. Also joined in the suit instituted by The Registered Trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) are the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; Accountant-General of the Federation and the Auditor-General of the Federation. The group is asking the court for a declaration that the failure and/or refusal of the respondents to carry out a transparent auditing of the spending and to publish widely the outcome of such auditing, is illegal and unlawful as it violates the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
NIPCO Interested in Refinery Project to Curb Fuel Crisis
The Nigerian Independent Petroleum Company (NIPCO) has signified interest in investing in the building of refineries in Nigeria to curb the problem of fuel crisis. NIPCO Director, Tunji Adeniji, said that given the license, it would not hesitate to start building refinery to ease the incessant fuel shortage in Nigeria. NIPCO is an indigenous petroleum marketing company, with over 55 million storage tank farm capacity.
Court Remands Fake EFCC Official in Prison
An Abuja High Court, Thursday, ordered the remand of an alleged fake EFCC official, Victor Osita Uwajeh, in prison custody. Uwajeh was arraigned on allegations of parading himself as a staff of the EFCC with the intent to defraud unsuspecting persons. Uwajeh pleaded not guilty to the four count charge. Attempt by his counsel, Chris Onwugeonu to move for bail failed. Uwajeh was arrested at his Abuja residence on Wednesday January 13, 2010, following an intelligence report which indicated that he was parading himself as an official of EFCC. Items recovered from his house include a pack of complimentary cards with EFCC's logo and address bearing the suspect's name, fake EFCC letter-head papers, a petition with EFCC acknowledgement stamp, and five vehicles.
NDLEA Nabs Man with Narcotics in Shoes
Desperate drug traffickers, in their bid to beat security operatives are now concealing the drugs in any available materials, including shoes, hair, chocolate containers. A suspect, Chukwuemeka Sunday, who allegedly concealed the narcotic drug in his shoes, tried to play smart by using Turkish Airline, as against South African Airlines, in an attempt to deceive officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), but this failed as he was spotted and arrested. NDLEA described it as new technique employed by drug traffickers to smuggle cocaine from South America into Nigeria. According to the NDLEA Airport Commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar, the suspect confessed it was not their first time of adopting the new technique in a bid to evade arrest.
INTERNATIONAL
90 Killed as Ethiopian Airline Crashes into Sea
An Ethiopian Airlines passenger plane with 90 people on board crashed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after take-off in stormy weather from Beirut airport, last weekend. Most of those on board were Lebanese or Ethiopian. There were also two Britons. The cause was not immediately known. But police ruled out terrorism and said the crash was likely weather-related. Beirut has seen heavy rain and lightning since Sunday.
Haiti: Troops Rescue Two from Rubbles as Survivors Scramble for Food
United States (U.S.) troops on Tuesday pulled a man alive from under a collapsed building in the Haitian capital, 14 days after earthquake devastated the island and a girl 15 days after. Both looked severely dehydrated. Meanwhile, fighting and scrambling broke out in the Haitian capital as survivors continue to have little food and water two weeks after an earthquake devastated the capital. People grabbed whatever they could from the Lorries and fought each other to carry off bags of food. Facing persistent complaints by survivors that the huge amounts of aid flown in to Haiti is not reaching them, troops and aid workers, have widened and intensified the distribution of food and water. Haiti has been hit by more than 50 aftershocks since a 7.0-magnitude quake hit the country on January 12.
Israel Demands Trial of Holocaust Perpetrators
Israel's President, Shimon Peres, on Wednesday, in an address to the German parliament, on the anniversary of the Auschwitz death camp's liberation, called for the trial of surviving perpetrators of the Holocaust. Six million Jews were killed by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II, including one million at the Auschwitz and Birkenau camps. A majority of Israel's Holocaust survivors suffer from depression, sleeping disorders or other emotional distress, according to a survey. The Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel issued its report on the eve of 65th International Holocaust Memorial Day.
U.S Raises Alarm over Arms Inflow to Southern Sudan
The United States (U.S.) has voiced concern over the flow of arms into southern Sudan ahead of a nationwide April election. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice disclosed that reports indicate that some heavier munitions seem to be flowing in. She added that the US believed some of the weapons were coming from northern Sudan. Human Rights Watch warned on Sunday that repression of political opponents in both Sudan's North and semi-autonomous South was undermining the prospects for Sudan's first democratic elections in 24 years. After decades of war, a 2005 peace deal shared power and wealth and enshrined democratic reform in Sudan. It outlined the April elections and a southern Sudanese referendum on independence in 2011. Delays in implementing the deal have fueled mistrust between the North and South.
North Korea Arrests American for Illegal Entry
North Korea says it has detained a US citizen for illegally entering its territory across the border from China. The man, who has not been identified, is said to have been arrested on Monday and was now being questioned. North Korea is currently holding another US citizen, Robert Park, who allegedly crossed a frozen border river from China on 25 December, to make a protest against repression in the hard-line Communist North. The US has been seeking access to Mr Park through the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang, which represents American interests in North Korea. Last year two US journalists were also arrested at the border. They were sentenced to 12 years imprisonment but freed after four months in captivity, as part of a diplomatic mission spearheaded by former US President Bill Clinton.
Suspected Farouk Abdulmutallab’s Associates Arrested
Ten Terrorism suspects from Jordan, Nigeria, Syria and Yemen have been detained in Malaysia, and a report linked them to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian behind the botched Christmas day US airline bombing. Malaysian Home Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, said that they were members of an international terror outfit tracked down in cooperation with foreign intelligence groups and that they were being held under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for indefinite detention without trial. The chairman of the Abolish ISA Movement said that 50 people were detained on January 21 as they attended a religious lecture, but majority were released the following day.
Iran Executes Two over Post-Election Protest
Two men convicted in the wake of the unrest that erupted in Iran after last June's disputed election have been executed. The two men executed at dawn on Thursday were among 11 sentenced to death on various charges, including "moharebeh" (waging war against God), trying to overthrow the Islamic establishment and membership of armed groups. The June presidential election was followed by huge opposition rallies, plunging Iran into its deepest internal crisis since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The opposition says the vote was rigged to secure President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-election. The authorities deny it. Eight people were killed in clashes between opposition supporters and security forces on Ashura, the holy Shi'ite day of ritual mourning, on December 27.
Bin Laden Describes AbdulMutallab as a Hero, Warns of More Attacks
Osama bin Laden has claimed responsibility for the failed Christmas day attack on a United States airliner by Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, a Nigerian, and described him as a “hero”. Bin Laden also threatened further strikes on US targets, in an audio message broadcast last weekend. Bin Laden is believed to be hiding in the mountains between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The authenticity of the statement could not immediately be verified, but the voice matched Bin Laden's. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) had claimed responsibility for the plane attack.
Egypt Moves to Quash Islamic Militant Groups
Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak has vowed that his security forces would quash Islamist groups threatening stability in his country and the region, highlighting worries about al Qaeda building up strength in places such as Yemen. The Egyptian leader defended building a barrier on the Gaza border, saying it would stop militants crossing, and said the security forces would "continue fiercely confronting the terrorism and extremism for the security of the nation and citizens." The move on the Gaza border has drawn criticism from inside Egypt and other Arabs who say Cairo is colluding with Israel to blockade the Palestinians.
Africa's Oil Production to Hit 2.68m bpd in 2010
Oil production from African countries is expected to hover around 2.68 million barrels per day (mbpd) in 2010, according to a report of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The figure represents a drop of 30,000 bpd over the previous year and a downward revision of 30,000 bpd from last month's assessment. Meanwhile, facts showed that for the second consecutive time, Nigeria led other African countries in December 2009 crude oil production, which hit 1.984 million barrels per day, pushing Angola to the second position.
Guatemalan President Charged with Money-Laundering
Former President Alfonso Portillo of Guatemala faces money-laundering charges in the United States, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Monday. The indictment charges Portillo with embezzling tens of millions of dollars in public funds, a portion of which he laundered through bank accounts located, among other places, in the United States and Europe. Portillo engineered the embezzlement with co-conspirators that occurred from about 2000 through about 2003, according to the indictment. Authorities in Guatemala started searching for him after the United States requested his extradition, a spokesman for the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala said. They executed search warrants in four locations but had not found him as of Sunday night, officials said.
Taliban Talks Plans Gather Momentum
Plans to engage the Taliban in talks are gathering pace, with Afghanistan inviting members to a peace council and reports of a secret UN meeting. At an Afghanistan summit in London, President Hamid Karzai vowed to reach out to "disenchanted brothers". The one-day conference in London saw world leaders pledge $140m (£87m) to win over low-level Taliban fighters. Delegates also said that Afghan forces could take control of security in some provinces by the end of 2010 and that the process could be complete in five years.