Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 6

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Robbers Kill Policeman, Two Others in Port Harcourt

Three persons including a policeman were shot dead by a group of armed robbers who attacked a Hilux van belonging to a private company. The hoodlums were said to have attacked the vehicle along Trans-Amadi Road in Port Harcourt on Wednesday and carted away over N50m belonging to the company. State Police Public Relations Officer, Dr. Rita Inoma-Abbey, who confirmed the incident, said the driver of the vehicle and the accountant of the company were shot in the head. Inoma-Abbey explained that the blue Hilux vehicle, which was moving without a number, was transferring money to a bank. She stated that investigations into the incident had commenced.

Gunmen Kill Akwa Ibom Traditional Ruler

Gunmen suspected to be assassins, penultimate Sunday, shot dead the Paramount Ruler of Nsit Ubium, Akwa Ibom State, Edidem Robert Obot, in his palace at Ikot Ekpene Udo. The gunmen numbering about three were said to have introduced themselves at the entrance to the palace as visitors on an appointment with the monarch. On gaining access into the living room, they reportedly fired at the septuagenarian and one of his personal assistants. While the personal assistant was reported to have survived with injuries, Obot died. The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom Command, Mr. Sani Magaji, confirmed the incident. Governor Godswill Akpabio has called on the police to fish out the killer, while promising a reward for anyone who supplies useful information the killers.

Police Dislodge Criminal from Hideout

Imo State Police Command has arrested four suspects with rocket launchers, dynamite and other dangerous weapons at a criminal hideout at Nwangele LGA of the state. This came barely one week after the command crushed a gang of kidnappers that had terrorized Ngor Okpala and Mbaise, recovering their arms and rescuing the victims. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Ibrahim Maishanu, explained that his men acted on credible information on the hideout.

SSS Nabs 2 Militant Leaders in Rivers

Men of the State Security Service, SSS, have arrested two persons described as militant leaders in Kula community, Rivers State. They were accused of terrorising the oil rich community and recruiting youths in the area to float fresh militant camps. Parading the suspects, Director of the security body in the state, Mr Douglas Dogo, said his men swung into action after series of complaints from chiefs and responsible members of Kula community on the alleged atrocities of the suspects. The SSS also arrested the Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor on Student Affairs, Mr. Princewill Dike, over alleged threat text messages to compel the governor to address the 3-month-strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the state owned institutions.

Kidnapper Leads Police to Hide out

Men of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), on Tuesday, following a tip-off, stormed a kidnappers’ den and nabbed three suspects who allegedly abducted Mrs Edekobi, a 70-year-old woman in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State. The informant, simply known as Chikwado, escorted a SARS team to the kidnappers’ hideout, where he was identified by an injured member of the gang. Edekobi, who was rescued unarmed. Chikwado, later confessed he had to blow the whistle on his colleagues because he had pity for the old woman, when the N20m ransom that they has demanded, was not forthcoming. The State’s Police spokesman, Emeka Chukwuemeka, said investigations on the whereabouts of the escaped members were under way.

Army on Alert over Rise in Violent Crimes, Terrorism

Worried by the rising spate of insecurity caused by kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery, among others, and to ensure that these crimes were nipped in the bud, the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 82 Division, Enugu, Major General Sarkin Yakin Bello, has ordered troops in the division, covering 11 states in the south-east and south-south, to be alert. To this end, Gen. Bello directed all the formations and units to commence and sustain simultaneous township/strategic patrols in the cities. Bello also charged the troops to “train more on asymmetric warfare geared towards stopping theses challenges.”

Boat Mishap Kills 4 in Nembe

About 16 persons were feared dead in Bayelsa state after a speed boat in which they were traveling capsized near Nembe in Nembe LGA of Bayelsa state. A community source said about four bodies were recovered hours later same day. The speed boat had taken off at the Ogbia waterside in Ogbia LGA. It was gathered that the victims were mostly non-indigenes recruited as mercenaries by some politicians to be registered as voters in the area in order to increase the voter-base of Nembe. But another community source said the mishap occurred after the speed boat slowed down upon approaching a bend in the mangrove creek without anticipating two on-coming speed boats whose overwhelming waves surged on it and drowned the passengers.

103 Drug Suspects Nabbed in Bayelsa

The Bayelsa State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) last weekend, said its men intercepted a total of 195.92kg of drugs last year in different parts of the state with 103 suspects arrested. Among the impounded drugs were 82.3grms of cocaine, 39 sachets of psychotropic substance and 8.3kg of Indian hemp concealed in bags of dried pepper. The state NDLEA boss, Frank Hanachor, said a total number of eighty persons associated with hard drugs in the state were counseled last year by the agency. Lamenting the harm being done to society by drug trafficking and consumption, he noted that among the drug suspects being prosecuted at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, were 17 females. He also decried the high consumption of hard drugs in the state.

Alaibe Alleges Political Influence in N’Delta Violence

The immediate past Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Timi Alaibe, has said that the violence in the Niger Delta region was politically motivated. Insisting that the violence had nothing to do with the Amnesty programme of the government, Alaibe said the known militant leaders and the boys in their camps had embraced the state pardon. Alaibe said this on Wednesday while handing over to his successor, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, as the new Presidential Aide on the Niger Delta and the Head of the Amnesty Programme. He also commended the President for appointing Kuku, a former Secretary to the Presidential Committee on Peace and Conflict Resolution in Niger Delta, as the new Head of the Amnesty Office.

Abducted Husband of Varsity Don Regains Freedom

The kidnapped husband of the University of Uyo Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Memfin Ekpo, has regained his freedom after 18 days in captivity. Ekpo was seized by gunmen on January 16 after a church service in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. A source at the University of Uyo confirmed the release of Ekpo on Thursday. It is not said if any ransom was paid.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

5 Killed in Delta Boat Mishap

Five persons died, penultimate Saturday, in a boat mishap in a creek between Torugbene and Ojobo communities in Burutu LGA of Delta State. Sources disclosed that two speed boats had a head on collision and the passengers were thrown into the river. Because the incident happened in the night, there was nobody to immediately offer them help”, a security source said. It was gathered that one of the boats was carrying passengers returning from a burial ceremony. While 5 died, others swam for some time before rescue came their way. In another incident the following day in Warri, a boy, drowned while playing with his friends at a swimming pool. A witness said the boy dived and probably hit his head on the floor of the pool. One of the boys playing saw the body on the floor of the pool and raised alarm.

NAPTIP to Arraign Magistrate, Husband over Child Trafficking

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP), Benin Zonal office on Tuesday said it had concluded plans to arraign a Chief Magistrate with the Edo State Judiciary, Mrs. Isi Iyioha, and her husband for alleged abduction and child trafficking. NAPTIP’s Head, Public Enlightenment Department, Nduka Nwanwene, said a petition by one Mrs. Florence Ukhun accused the chief magistrate and her husband of causing the trafficking of her 10-month-old son to the United States after. Florence, who was a maid to the Iyiohas, alleged that a scam marriage was arranged in 2007 by the Iyiohas for Dr. Imeine Ukhun, a brother of the chief magistrate, who resides in the United States and herself. She reportedly gave birth to the boy, who was taken away from her and trafficked abroad without her consent.

NDLEA Impounds N45m Illicit Drugs in Delta Community

A combined team of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, and Police has impounded 15 tonnes of weeds, suspected to be Indian hemp estimated at about N45 million at Abbi, in Delta State. The State Commander of the NDLEA, Sani Sani, said that the command was able to achieve the feat through a tip off from a public spirited Nigerian. He said that the hideouts and warehouses in Abbi community, where the weeds were concealed were raided and two trailers used to evacuate them to the command’s headquarters at Ogwashi Uku. A female suspect was found with 200 kilograms of the weeds alone.

Kidnappers Abduct Pharmacist in Delta

Kidnappers, Tuesday, abducted a Pharmacist in Asaba, Delta State capital, demanding the sum of N150 million as ransom. State Police Public Relations Officer, Charles Muka, confirmed the story. Meanwhile, the 76-year-old mother of a former bank chief executive abducted recently in the state has been set free. The victim, Madam Janeth Ukpaka, was seized at gunpoint, an operation the Police described as an inside job, which led to the arrest of her two domestic servants. The kidnappers had demanded 200 US dollars as ransom, but it was not said if any ransom was paid.

PDP Alleges Arms Build-up in Edo

Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday alleged that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has embarked on arms build up for April general elections. A chieftain of the party, Clement Edo-Osagie, made the allegation and warned that no political party should think of using arms to deny Nigerians of their choice of candidates. Reacting to the allegation, the Edo state’s ACN Chairman, Thomas Okosun said that the ACN is not known to be involved in gun running. Rather it is PDP that is notorious for such. He gave a counter allegation that the PDP had planned to sew police uniform to rig election, but warned against such.

Hoodlums Attack Edo Community

Several people have been reportedly injured in Evbonogbon, Ohosu Community in Ovia South-West LGA of Edo State following an attack by suspected hoodlums battling over toll collection in the area. Trouble reportedly started when the owner of a vehicle accosted elders of the community alleging that he paid money to some youths when his vehicle broke down along the road as fine. However, he met the four tyres of his vehicle removed the next day. The community elders were able to identify the leader of the gang who was reportedly accosted by some youths. But the gang, on a vengeance mission, attacked some Ohosu community members. The arrested hoodlums were later released on bail with a view to helping the police fish out other members of the gang.

Warri Communities Complain over Voters’ Registration

The monarch of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, Ogeh-Gbaram III, Godwin .K. Bebenimibo, has warned that there could chaos in the three Warri local councils if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fails to address major lapses in the voters registration in the areas. He alleged that the exercise in the areas only started on the January 25/26 due largely to the riverine terrain. In a related development, having lost the first one week of the voters’ registration exercise to unavailability of DDC machines, eligible Itsekiri voters have been heading to their hometowns for the exercise. Residents of the three Warri council areas had been restive and had embarked on a series of demonstrations to protest their exclusion from the exercise.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Four in Court over Policeman’s Abduction

Four suspects have been arraigned before an Osogbo magistrate’s court over an allegation that they kidnapped a policeman, Mr Chukwuemeka Elueme, and assaulted two others. According to the charge sheet, Elueme was beaten and blindfolded by the suspects before he was whisked to an unknown destination on January 28, 2011 in Osun State. It added that another police Inspector, Sishialoge Nwigiri, and a police Corporal, Adebisi Adeyemi, were also assaulted by the suspects on the same day. The Magistrate, Mr. Olalekan Ijiyode, ordered that the suspects be remanded in Ile-Ife prison custody as he adjourned the case till February 11, 2011 for ruling on the bail application.

Lagos Gets New CP

A new Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Yakubu Alkali, on Monday assumed office at the Lagos State Police Command. Alkali was the erstwhile Commissioner of Police in Delta State until his redeployment on Monday. Presenting his successor at the state Command Headquarters, the former commissioner, Marvel Akpoyibo expressed the optimism that his legacy of proactive crime fighting in the state would be sustained. Meanwhile Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has vowed to ensure crime and violence free electioneering campaign period in the state. The governor stated this while handing over 100 security operational vehicles and 50 patrol motorcycles to the management of Lagos state Security Trust Fund, (LSSTF).

Police Recover Arms, Ammunition from Fleeing Robbers

Police in Ondo State have recovered a cache of arms and ammunitions, believed to have been discarded by fleeing bandits, after they were intercepted by an anti-robbery patrol team in Orisunbare, Ondo West LGA of the state. The police had responded to a distress call about by a resident that armed robbers had invaded his residence, around 1am. The patrol team met the gang, which was still on the prowl for other victims. The robbers, however, fled immediately they sighted the police, abandoning their weapons and loot. Other items recovered were two double-barrel guns, cut-to-size, one locally-made pistol, one live cartridge, one cutlass, three torch lights and a black trouser. The Area Commander, Hamza Ameyi, confirmed the incident and said efforts were to track down the fleeing robbers.

Governor’s Guards in Gun Duel with Robbers

Security operatives in the convoy of Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Monday engaged a gang of armed robbers operating on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in a gun duel. The governor’s convoy rescued motorists held hostage by the robbers. Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr. Mojeed Jamiu, said the robbers had laid siege to the highway and succeeded in robbing four vehicles before the convoy arrived at the scene. It explained that some drivers, who had already abandoned their vehicles, informed the convoy of the presence of the robbers on the highway.

7 Bankers Nabbed over N75m Scam

Lagos State Police Command has arrested seven members of staff of a bank in Lagos for alleged fraudulent activities. The arrest followed a complaint to the command by the bank’s management of the ‘dirty’ activities of the members of staff.  One of those arrested is a manager in the bank. They were nabbed for allegedly hacking into the bank’s system with a device known as ‘Key logger’, and in the process, reportedly transferred N75 million from various accounts. Detectives have also arrested three alleged accomplices whose accounts the transferred sum was paid into, while two of the ‘Key loggers’ were recovered from the suspects.

Police Take over Community as Protests Rage over Death of Pastor’s Wife

The Police have taken over the streets of Igede, the headquarters of Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA of Ekiti State following the continued protest of youths in the town over the murder of Mrs Taiwo Oluwole, last weekend. Coupled with the youth protest was a peaceful march by members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Igede chapter, in protest against the murder of Mrs Oluwole, wife of their member, Reverend John Oluwole, the pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Igede. Taiwo was suspected to have either been raped to death or killed by ritualists in her farm at Ule-Ona, penultimate Saturday. The community claimed that strange deaths have been recorded in the town in recent times.

2 Corps Members, Others Arrested for Diversion of DDC Machines

No fewer than 10 people, including two Independent National Electoral Commission  (INEC) Registration Officers (youth corps members) have been arrested and detained by the police in Saki West LGA of Oyo State for the strange discovery of Direct Data Capture machines (DDC) in a forest in the area. A top official of the council is reportedly being interrogated for allegedly aiding the crime, and transporting people from the town to the forest for registration. It was alleged that the corps members were said to have left the people at the registration centre and disappeared with the DDC machines before they were later found in the forest with some people allegedly working for the top official of the council.

Police Arraign Notorious Robber, Murderer

A suspected robbery kingpin, Mr. Ismaila Aromire, 34, who had been on the police wanted list since 2008 was recently arrested and arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate‘s Court in Lagos State. Aromire is alleged to be among a gang that robbed many residents of Bariga in 2008 and murdered two persons. The suspect was said to have escaped police arrest then while some of his gang members were arrested. Nemesis caught up with Aromire when he was arrested in possession of a locally-made pistol alongside two persons. The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The Magistrate refused to take the accused plea and adjourned the matter till February 17, 2011.

GENERAL

Mob Sets Bank Ablaze as Police Kill Woman, Taxi Driver

A riot policeman attached to a branch of Zenith Bank in Abuja, on Monday allegedly shot and killed a taxi driver and a woman, and injured 3 others in the taxi. The policeman was said to have fled the scene but he was arrested shortly after an irate mob set the bank on fire. Witnesses alleged that the policeman opened fire following a disagreement over dropping of passenger in front of the bank. Confirming the killing, The FCT Commissioner of Police, John Haruna, disclosed that the policeman had been arrested, but added that the killing was accidental. But residents insist that the policeman be charged for murder. It was gathered that The Inspector -General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, has directed that criminal prosecution should be initiated against killer cop.

Military Deploys More Men in Jos

At least 32 trucks and buses conveying soldiers on Monday evening arrived at Jos, Plateau State. It is believed that they are to replace the current members of the military Special Task Force (STF) which have recently been indicted for alleged bias in handling of security situation in the state. Plateau women have sought the withdrawal and replacement of the STF, and have protested to the state governor, Jonah Jang. The new soldiers would take command directly from the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3rd Armoured Division Jos. Governor Jang, while addressing the women protesters said the presidency had agreed that indigenes of the state should be allowed to form vigilante groups to provide security to helpless communities that have become subject of attacks at the slightest opportunity

Bomb Explosion Averted in Bauchi Church

A bomb explosion was averted in a Church in Bauchi, Penultimate Sunday. The Director of the State Security Service (SSS) said experts were dispatched to the scene to detonate the explosive planted in a laptop bag. The SSS director said preventive measures had been taken by all security agencies in the state following the incident. He urged members of the public to be alert and security conscious. The device was discovered when a member of the congregation saw a man drop the bag and quickly ran off. The member immediately raised alarm but the church members could not catch him. The resident Pastor of the church, Reverend Timothy Aneke has disclosed that  proactive security  measures has been put in place in order to avoid a re -occurrence.

Bauchi Mayhem: 20 Killed, 28 Suspects Arraigned

The Bauchi State Police Command has disclosed that 20 people were killed in penultimate Thursday’s crisis, while 28 others were arrested with dangerous weapons including guns. The state Police Commissioner, Mohammed Abdulkadir Indabawa, disclosed that searches had led to the discovery of more dead bodies, even as some were burnt beyond recognition. The police have arraigned 28 suspects for allegedly participating in the killing of some victims and destruction of property during the January 27 mayhem in Tafawa Balewa town. All the accused persons declined to enter any plea. The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Aliyu Usman, adjourned the case till March 1, and ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody.

Boko Haram Claims Killing Guber Candidate, Others

Radical Muslim sect, Boko Haram, Wednesday, claimed responsibility for the assassination of Borno State gubernatorial candidate for the All Nigeria’s Peoples Party (ANPP), Alhaji Modu Fannami Gubio and 6 others. In posters put up in Maiduguri, Boko Haram also claimed responsibility for a series of other attacks, warning that members of the sect plan to launch “a full scale war.” The group also has been accused of carrying out attacks against policemen in the area. This claim comes two police officers and a 6-year-old girl, were shot dead in Maiduguri. The girl is believed to be the daughter of one of the slain officers. Malam Lawal Abdullahi, the Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident, saying that the police had commenced investigation into the issue. The Police had arrested 19 suspects in connection with the killing of the Gubio and 6 others.

6788 Drugs Suspects Arrested in 2010
…as NDLEA Vows Intensified Fight against Drug Barons

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has vowed to expose more barons this year as it takes stock of its activities in 2010. The Chairman and Chief Executive of the agency, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, who warned drug barons of relentless dislodgement of their drug trafficking networks, disclosed that the agency in 2010 arrested 6,788 suspects comprising 6,296 males and 492 females. He disclosed that networking with foreign partners particularly the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) and Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) of Britain had led to the arrest of more barons that allegedly masterminded several drug trafficking cases in the country in 2010.

Nigeria Evacuates Citizens from Egypt

The Nigerian Government has airlifted stranded Nigerians in Egypt following the anti- government protests in the Egypt. President Goodluck Jonathan had Tuesday directed both the Foreign Affairs Minister, Odein Ajumogobia and the National Security Adviser, Lt. General Owoye Azazi (rtd) to ensure that the evacuation of the over 200 stranded Nigerians at the Cairo airport in Egypt. At the last count, 533 Nigerians who were stranded in Egypt were airlifted back to Nigeria in the early hours of Thursday. The United States, Turkey and some other nations have already evacuated their citizens from Egypt.

Security Situation Challenge Police – IGP

Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, has said that the precarious security situation in the country puts the police and other security agencies on trial, stressing the imperative of finding a solution to the crisis. Addressing senior police officers on Wednesday, the IGP stated that the police was most challenged by the Boko Haram crises in Borno and Bauchi states as well the upheaval in Jos, Plateau State. Meanwhile, the FG has concluded arrangement to procure 450 vehicles for a harmonized intelligence gathering for security agencies in Borno and Plateau states. This is as Ringim, described as deceitful the call by women of Plateau State on the FG to withdraw military personnel of the Special Joint Task Force from Jos and replace them with the police.

Iranian Arraigned in High Court over Arms Shipment

The trial of an Iranian, Azim Aghajani, who was accused of berthing 13 containers laden with arms and ammunition at the Apapa Sea Port on October 25, 2010, on Monday, took a new dimension, as the State Security Services (SSS) withdrew the case against him and three others before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court, and the re-arrested him over fresh charges. Counsel to the SSS, Moses Idakwo, disclosed plans to arraign the Iranian as well as the 2nd accused person in the matter, Ali Usman Abbas Jega, before a Federal High Court in Lagos, over a fresh two-count criminal charge. The names of two of the accused in the previous charges were expunged from the fresh charge sheet. Consequent upon their fresh arraignment before a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Tuesday; Justice Okechukwu Okeke ordered that they be remanded in the custody of the SSS.

COAS Warns STF in Plateau against Bias

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika, has warned the 870 soldiers recently deployed for the operations of the Special Task Force (STF) in charge of security, in the Plateau state, that the military would not tolerate any form of religious and ethnic bias in carrying out their assignments. Ihejirika, who gave the warning while addressing the 870 soldiers in Jos, on Wednesday, charged them to strictly observe the rules of engagement and the principle of internal security. He urged then to exhibit good discipline and be impartial, obedient to orders and observe the use of minimum force.

EFCC Pays Compensation to Families of Slain Officials

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wednesday, compensated the families of its three operatives who lost their lives in the course of official duties with over N57million. Speaking during the presentation of the N57million cheque to the bereaved families, the EFCC Chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri, said that the gesture was in recognition of their gallantry during the course of serving the nation. Waziri implored the representatives of the victims’ families to accept what happened to their benefactors in good fate.

Army Lament Logistics and Information Challenges in Operation

The Nigerian Army says lack of logistics as well as adequate information from the public is hindering the success of its Internal Security Operation (ISO) in some states of the federation. The army authorities therefore called on members of the public with adequate information especially with regards to the case of Plateau and Borno states that were engulfed in crisis to come up with useful information with a view to bring the crisis to a halt. Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Azubuike Onyeabor Ihejirika who made this known, also said the army had put in place adequate measures to curb the Jos crisis and the Boko Haram religious sect in Maiduguri, Borno State. Ihejirika said the army authorities had put in place stiffer security measures to arrest those behind the crisis.

FG Waives Visa for Kenya, Seychelles

The Federal Government has relaxed visa requirements for citizens of Kenya and Seychelles with effect from February 11, 2011. Visitors from the two countries will from that date only be required to pay a visa fee of $25 at the point of entry, rather than go through the hassles of visa application at the Nigerian High Commission in Nairobi. But for the nationals of Seychelles, their valid passport admits them directly into Nigeria without any recourse to visa fees. According to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Salamatu Suleiman, the FG took the decision to reciprocate the diplomatic gesture extended to Nigeria by the governments of the two countries since May 2009.

Air Force Men Beat Man to Death for Alleged Fraud

A suspected fraudster, Odigiri Obike, who allegedly duped a 23-year old girl, Christiana Okoge, of N170,000 has died after he was allegedly beaten by some Air Force officers in Abuja. His corpse was later dumped near the office of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), where it was discovered by policemen. Three persons, including Okoge; her boyfriend, Nuhu Abdulsalam; and her friend, have been arrested over the incident. Okoge explained that the fraudsters posed as passengers in a taxi she boarded. She alleged that she was hypnotised and taken to a shrine. Abdulsalam said that he was forced by the Air Force officers to dump Obike’s remains. The Deputy SARS Commander, Mr. Daniel Chukwu, who confirmed the incident, added that the police had written to the Air Force to produce the officers involved in the incident.

NNPC Checks Kerosene Scarcity

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has pumped 37 million litres of kerosene into the market through its subsidiary, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company. The supply, which is far above the national demand of 10 million litres per day, is to check the scarcity of kerosene, which has made cooking difficult for many families in the last one month. The Group General Manager, Public Affairs, NNPC, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, said the market was well supplied with kerosene and that there was no need for panic buying. The price of kerosene recently rose from an average of N80 per litre to about N200.

FG Assures of Adequate Security for April Polls

Nigerians have been assured that the security situation in the country would get back to normal before the general elections in April. Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Humphrey Abba, disclosed, after a meeting of security chiefs, that the security problems in several states of the country would be addressed before the April polls which he said would be peaceful. Abba said that there should be understanding by Nigerians that government had the capacity to address the issues in the country and that adequate measures were being put in place. Similarly, the Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Labaran Maku, said the FG was worried about the level of insecurity in the country. He said the Federal Government was interested in the conduct of free and fair elections devoid of security threats.

Corps Member Slumps, Dies at Registration Centre

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday confirmed the death of a youth corps member who slumped at a registration centre in Adamawa State. The corps member was believed to be suffering from epilepsy. INEC Commissioner in the state, Mr. Kassim Gaidam, said that the incident occurred penultimate Saturday when the affected corps member was registering some voters. Gaidam said that the corps member was buried same day in accordance with the Islamic rites. In a related development, two officers of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, who were engaged by INEC in the ongoing voter registration in Demsa LGA of the state, also died from suffocation. No further details were provided.

INTERNATIONAL

Army, Police Clash Claims 16 in Somalia

Fighting between Somali government troops and police killed 16 people in Somalia’s capital on Monday, witnesses said. The fighting began when police executed a plainclothes soldier they suspected of being an Islamist insurgent, police officer Ahmed Nur said. The soldier’s colleagues arrived at the scene of the shooting in Benadir market and began attacking the police, he said. Hospital director Mohamed Yusuf said 30 people were wounded.

Myanmar’s Parliament Open after 20 Years

After more than two decades, Myanmar on Monday opened its first parliament in an event greeted with cautious optimism by opposition lawmakers despite the military’s tight management of the event. The military and its allies hold more than 80 per cent of the seats in both houses of parliament, ensuring that the army exercises control over the wheels of power, as it has since a 1962 coup deposed the last legitimately elected legislature. With its allies controlling parliament and loyalists – many recently retired senior junta members –expected to fill top government posts, the military will be keeping a tight grip on the reins of power. The 2008 Constitution, drafted under the junta’s guidance and with provisions ensuring the military’s dominance, also came into effect on Monday.

21 Militants Killed as Forces Shell Taliban’s Strongholds

Pakistani security forces shelled Taliban strongholds in northwest Pakistan on Monday, killing 21 alleged militants and injuring at least 30 others. Ground troops and helicopter gunships attacked militant hideouts in Mohmand, one of seven districts in Pakistan's tribal region along the border with Afghanistan, said Maqsood Amin, , a government official. Mohmand is believed to be a hideout for Taliban fighters and al Qaeda-linked militants fleeing last year's military operation. In an attack on Wednesday, a car bomb killed nine people close to the main northwestern city of Peshawar. Twenty others were wounded, said government official Siraj Ahmed Khan. In a similar attack last weekend, a senior police official, his driver and a guard were killed in a suicide bomb attack carried out by a young boy.

5 Killed in another Colombian Mine Explosion

A gas explosion ripped through a mine in Colombia Tuesday, killing at least five workers, officials said, days after the government promised a safety overhaul following a similar tragedy, a spokesman from the state Institute of Geology and Mining, disclosed. It was not immediately clear if more casualties were feared. Mines Minister Carlos Rodado pointed last week to a glaring lack of resources and said the government needed to radically rethink its oversight of the industry. A mine explosion in the country had killed at least 21 people penultimate week.

Somali Man Found Guilty of Attacking Cartoonist, Terrorism

A Danish court on Thursday convicted a 29-year-old Somali man of attempted terrorism and attempted murder for attacking a Danish cartoonist who caricatured the Prophet Mohammed. The court ruled that Mohamed Geele not only tried to kill Kurt Westergaard when he broke into his home in January 2010, wielding an axe and a knife, but that the attack also amounted to an act of terrorism. The Somali had threatened police with his axe and knife before being shot twice and placed under arrest. Geele insisted during the trial he was only trying to scare the cartoonist. Westergaard has faced numerous death threats since the publication of his the cartoon in 2005.

Explosions Kill 10 in Turkey

Two suspected gas explosions occurring several hours apart killed 10 people and wounded dozens more in Turkey on Thursday. According to authorities, four people were killed and eight hurt in a paint-production plant in Ankara after a second blast. Some 15 others were still trapped in the building as toxic chemicals and fire made it difficult for rescue workers to enter the premises, Governor Alaaddin Yuksel said. In a separate explosion, six people were killed and 27 people were hurt in the same industrial district. Two floors of a factory making generators collapsed when a blast thought to be caused by a build-up of gas ripped through the plant.

Russia Detains Suspects in Airport Bombing

Authorities in Russia have detained several people after last month’s suicide bombing at Moscow's biggest airport. The head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, Alexander Bortnikov, on Thursday that those detained have knowledge on the accomplices and logistics of the blast. Investigators have said the suicide bomber was a 20-year-old man from the volatile Caucasus region in the south. There has been no claim of responsibility. Meanwhile, Russia has reacted angrily to Ireland’s expulsion of a Russian diplomat, warning that it will respond in kind. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Vladimir Titov, said “Moscow sees Ireland’s move as an unfriendly act.” The Irish government said it was expelling a Russian diplomat because Russian intelligence agents stole the identities of six Irish citizens to use as cover for spies.

Mauritania Foils Attempted Terror Attack

Security forces on Thursday opened fire on a car loaded with explosives as it attempted to speed into the capital, setting off an enormous explosion and killing three suspected al-Qaeda-linked terrorists. The al-Qaeda affiliate claimed responsibility for the attempted attack. The group said they were targeting Mauritanian President, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, whose government has actively pursued members of the terror cell. Authorities had been tracking the suspicious vehicle and two others since Friday when they entered the country from northern Mali.

18 Killed Riding on Train’s Roof

Eighteen young job seekers riding on the roof of an overcrowded train were killed when they slammed into a low overhead bridge in northern India, police said on Wednesday. The 18 had been among about 200,000 people who had attempted to apply for just 461 jobs being offered by an Indian paramilitary force. The unexpected turnout forced the Indo-Tibetan Border Force to postpone the recruitment exercise in Bareilly. Infuriated by the decision, the job seekers burned five buses and a gas station. They later crammed into trains to return home, and those who could not get into the coaches climbed onto the roofs. Nine others remained hospitalized, he said.

Anti-Mubarak Protest Turns Violent

Heavy automatic weapons fire pounded the anti-government protest camp in Cairo's Tahrir Square early on Thursday. At least three protesters were killed by gunfire, according to one of the activists. Protest organizer Mustafa el-Naggar said the gunfire came from at least three locations in the distance. Clashes began on Wednesday when pro-government supporter broke into the camps of anti-government protester to unleash mayhem. President Hosni Mubarak has said he will not stand for re-election in September. The clashes left at least 100 people dead with thousands injured. The protesters want to step down after 30 years in power; Mubarak has said he would like to step down now following major protests but fears that the banned Islamist Muslim Brotherhood would take power. He insisted that his government was not responsible for the attacks against the protesters.

Thousand Call for Yemeni President’s Resignation

More than 20,000 anti-government protesters have gathered in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, against President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The demonstrators are calling for a change in government and rejected Mr Saleh's offer to step down in 2013 after more than 30 years in power. Meanwhile, a similar number of his supporters rallied in a central square. Despite his call to protesters to cancel their planned rallies, both pro- and anti-government demonstrators gathered in different parts of Sanaa. Pro-Saleh demonstrators want political reform, but not for Mr Saleh to resign.

Obama Signs New Nuclear Arms Treaty with Russia

US President, Barack Obama, Wednesday, signed ratification documents for America's new nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia, clearing the way for the two powers to put the landmark accord into effect. The agreement, known as the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) replaces START 1, which expired in December 2009. The U.S. Senate approved the new START pact last December, while the Russian parliament ratified it in January. The treaty is designed to slash the stockpile of strategic nuclear weapons in both countries to 1,550 warheads -down from a current cap of 2,200 - and 700 launchers. It also calls for a resumption of inspections of nuclear arsenals that ended when START 1 expired.