Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 36

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Naval Rating Fatally Shoots Policeman after Argument

A naval rating shot a police constable to death after a heated argument over a girlfriend at Iwofe in Port Harcourt. The police constable, identified as Osaro Osame, who was in the company of a lady, had engaged the naval rating in an altercation over the woman, after which the naval rating brought out a rifle and shot Osame at close range. Those around the area, according to an eyewitness, took to their heels when they heard the sound of a gunshot after the disagreement between the two security agents. Police Public Relations Officer, Rita Inoma-Abbey, disclosed that the naval rating was arrested by the Navy Command and would be handed over to the police.

Victim Facilitates Arrest of Armed Robber

A woman, Amina Abekeme, facilitated the arrest of two armed robbery suspects after they robbed her of N2.5m in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Monday. An eyewitness said that Abekeme had brought in some clothes for laundry, when a lone young man came in pointing a gun and asked Abekeme to bring the money in her car. The woman simply handed the car keys to the young man who then went to take the money, and hopped on a waiting motorcycle. But Abekeme quickly jumped into her car and pursued the bandits. She successfully knocked them off the bike and the pistol fell to the ground. A mob overpowered the bandits. One of them was beaten to a pulp and later set ablaze by the mob, another was handed over to the police, but a third accomplice escaped. However, the money is yet to be recovered.

Nigeria Invites Fighters of Slain Ex-Militant for Retraining

Fifty followers of a slain ex-militant, Soboma George, have been invited to join a retraining scheme for fighters ready to lay down their arms. Soboma George, a notorious ex-gangster was shot dead in an ambush in Port Harcourt recently in an attack that sparked fears of unrest in the area. The presidential amnesty committee said it has invited 50 of George's lieutenants to take part in the vocational and reconversion training. Nigerian police, penultimate Saturday said a post-mortem had been carried out on the ex-militant after they recovered his body. No arrests had been made but State Police Commissioner Suleiman Abba alleged that the leader of a splinter militant group and some of his aides were responsible for the killing.

EFCC Arrests 3 LG Officials in Rivers

Following reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to launch massive operations in 10 states, some governors have raised the alarm that they are being targeted because of the forthcoming presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But the EFCC said its deployment of operatives to 10 states has no political undertone or motives. The EFCC has deployed its operatives and policemen in the 10 states to arrest some commissioners and LGA chairmen. The states are Rivers, Imo, Kwara, Bauchi, Zamfara, Jigawa, Gombe, Kebbi, Katsina, and Sokoto. The EFCC was able to arrest three LG officials in Rivers state over an alleged diversion of N12bn belonging to the 22 LGs of the state. The anti-graft agency had planned to arrest more officials, but could not find them.

Robbers Kill Six Policemen, Others in Anambra

Robbers, wielding sophisticated weapons, were on the rampage Wednesday night in Anambra State, killing six policemen. Commissioner of Police, Philemon Leha, confirmed that three of his men were killed in the attack, but an unofficial source said the command lost as many as six officers in the dawn attack. Leha said that the incident occurred at Amichi in Nnewi South LGA of the state and also claimed the lives of three members of a vigilance group in the town. It was gathered that the bandits, numbering about 10, attacked the unsuspecting policemen about 9:30pm. Leha said that two policemen were also seriously injured in the attack, adding that they had been taken to the Teaching Hospital in Nnewi.

Police Declare 3 Wanted over Soboma’s Death

The Rivers state police command has named three rival gang members as suspects in Soboma’s murder. Pere Fiofori, Emmanuel Gladstone and Dobra Ogbe -aged between 30 and 35- have been declared wanted by the police over his murder, conspiracy, kidnapping and armed robbery. The suspects were former members of Soboma George's group, Icelanders, who left to another gang, the Greenlanders, according to police spokeswoman, Rita Abbey. Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has asked the state Commissioner of Police, Suleiman Abba, to fish out the killers of ex-militant leader Soboma George. He also absolved the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of complicity in the killing of Soboma who was gunned down in Port Harcourt, on August 24.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Expert Tasks Govt on Enabling Environment for Police in N/Delta

An Information Technology expert, Mr Stafford Bisong, has called on the Nigerian government to provide an enabling environment for the Nigeria Police to tackle security challenges in the Niger Delta. Bisong noted that too many dangerous weapons were in circulation in the region and called for an urgent action to reposition the police and other security agencies to combat crime in the area.

Opposition Berates Oshiomhole Over Health Workers’ Strike

The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has accused the Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s led Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) of insensitivity in resolving the health worker’s strike in the state.  The Edo state chairman of the Party, Chief Dan Orbih, alleges that the slow resolution of the dispute has led to the death of over 381 persons in the state.

Asaba Houses Threatened by Illegal Excavation

Illegal excavation activities in Asaba and its environs are threatening the structure of many houses as authorities have said that if urgent steps are not taken to curtail them, such buildings may collapse. Efforts by members of the state task force on environmental sanitation to stop perpetrators were resisted on Tuesday when thugs armed with dangerous weapons chased them away. Members of the task force and the illegal excavators had allegedly clashed last month leaving three persons seriously injured while properties worth thousands of naira were destroyed during the fracas. The state chairman of the task force, Sir Steve Itimi confirmed that the illegal act of the excavators had caved in many houses in Asaba.

LG Legislature Suspends 3 Councillors in Delta

The legislative arm of Oshimili South LG Council of Delta state has suspended three councillors for reporting a suspected fraud case to the police. The Leader of the House, Mr Bob Okonta, said the suspension of the councillors was indefinite. Okonta said that the suspended councillors had accused the leadership of the legislative arm of fraud and instead of following the due process of bringing the issue before the house they had acted against the ethics of the legislative arm by going to the police.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Police Arrest Suspected Pipeline Vandal

The police in Lagos State have arrested a 51-year-old man, Kolawole Arowolo, for allegedly vandalising petroleum pipeline and storing 27 jerry cans of substances suspected to be petrol in his room. It was gathered that concerned neighbours, who saw him move the jerry cans into his two-room apartment, alerted the police on his activities. Policemen stormed the house and confiscated the 50-litre jerry cans and took them to the command‘s headquarters, Ikeja. Lagos State police spokesman, Frank Mba, confirmed the arrest of Arowolo, adding that the suspect was helping the police in tracing his accomplices.

NDLEA Nabs Woman with Cocaine at Airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a London-based Nigerian spinster, Okpala Ifeoma, with 1.525kgs of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mr. Mitchel Ofoyeju, on Monday, said the 37-year-old suspect was arrested during the screening of passengers on Arik Air’s flight to London at the weekend. The concealed narcotics were discovered on her through a body frisk.

Police on Alert over Robbery Threats in Ado-Ekiti

The police in Ekiti State have been placed on alert and deployed around the state capital following fears of suspected armed robbery attacks on banks. Policemen were especially deployed to places close to the banks to possibly ward off any attack. The policemen were seen carrying out checks on vehicles, motorcycles and their occupants. Apprehension heightened in the state when information filtered in that the robbers terrorising neighbouring Ondo State were coming to Ado-Ekiti. It was reported that most banks in the state capital that got wind of the planned attack hurriedly closed their premises for fear of being raided.

Lagos Warns Residents on Impending Ocean Surge

Lagos State Government, Tuesday, warned residents of Victoria Island, Lekki and the neighbouring areas about an impending rise in the water level at the Bar Beach, which could impact negatively on the environment. According to the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru, the water level is expected to rise by half a metre. He said the purpose of the briefing was not to cause panic, but to inform people about what would likely happen in their environment. Oniru recalled that there had been ocean surges in the Caribbean and other parts of the world, stressing that there was bound to be a ripple effect, which could impact negatively on the Lagos Lagoon sometime in November.

Robbers Kill Three at Seme

A gang of armed robbers on Monday killed three persons at Kpoibi village in Benin Republic, near Seme Border. The robbers, who attacked some bureau de change operators in the area, pretended to be businessmen and tried to escape through Yekeme River in Owode Apa, Badagry West Local Council Development Area, but encountered stiff resistance from policemen and vigilance men in the area, receiving bullet wounds in the process. Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State, Frank Mba, confirmed that the robbery did not occur in Nigeria, although residence ran into the Nigeria side for safety.

Police Arrest Three over Illegal Diversion of Goods

The police in Lagos have arrested a 26-year-old suspected internet fraudster, Ahmed Ibraheem, for allegedly hacking into the e-mail account of a fabricator, Aduralere Ojo, and diverting goods worth N7.5m. The goods were ordered from China by the fabricator, whose limited knowledge of the internet was allegedly exploited by Ibraheem. The suspected fraudster was said to have contacted two others to help him clear the goods from the port. Police spokesman, Mr. Frank Mba, said that Ojo usually sought the assistance of cyber cafe operators and patrons during his online transactions. Ibraheem denied hacking into Ojo’s e-mail account, saying that that he saw one of the letters from the Chinese company in his inbox and thought it was a mistake, but still made use of it to get the goods.

Passengers Stranded as NAMA Grounds Arik

Domestic passengers in their thousands were on Wednesday left stranded at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), Lagos by Arik Air, as the carrier could not fly after being grounded by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) over issues of indebtedness. Chris Ndulue, executive vice president of Arik Air apologised to the travellers, stressing that the carrier was taken unawares by the development. The management of Arik Air said that the airline will not comply with NAMA’s new ‘pay as you go’ policy for domestic air navigational charges, threatening to pull out its services from the country. Chris Ndulue said that the charges by the airspace agency is not lawful, adding that the case has been in court for a long time. Arik has, however, resumed operations.

Lagos Enforces Ban on Commercial Bikes

Lagos State government began implementing new regulations on the operations of commercial motorcyclists. The Lagos State Government’s regulations, which took effect from Wednesday, had barred "okada" riders from the entire Lagos CBD area on Lagos Island and all bridges in Lagos. Many commuters, who would normally depend on the bikes for transport, were stuck at various points in the metropolis. Many defaulters lost their motorcycles to the law enforcement agents while some others escaped. Our correspondent noticed that the law enforcement agents were courteous in their approach.

GENERAL

Nigerian Dies aboard US Plane

A Nigerian passenger on a Delta Airlines flight on the Lagos–Atlanta route was discovered dead after he was found to be unresponsive and had no vital signs. The Senior Manager, Media Relations of the airline, Susan Chana Elliott, said the incident happened about one hour for the aircraft to touch down in Atlanta, the United States. While expressing its condolence with the family of the deceased passenger, the airline said it was coordinating with medical authorities in the US for post-mortem examinations to determine the cause of death.

FBI Trains EFCC on Anti-Terrorism

Instructors from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States on Monday commenced a training programme for operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on anti-money laundering and control of terrorist financing. The Nigeria Police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the State Security Service (SSS) are also involved in the two weeks training taking place at the EFCC Training and Research Institute, Karu. While declaring the training programme opened, EFCC chairman, Farida Waziri, said it is part of the continuing partnership between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against the twin evils of money laundering and terrorist financing.

Campaign Chief Abducted, Rescued

The Campaign Chief of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Jaihilil Tafawa Balewa, who was kidnapped penultimate Friday in Abuja, has been rescued by the police. Balewa was reportedly abducted at a shopping complex in the Jabi. FCT Police Commissioner, Haruna John, disclosed that the suspects, who were arrested in the process of collecting the ransom fee, confessed that they all hatched the plans. The police boss also said the abductors came from Minna, the Niger State capital.

Floods Kill 3 in North, Displaces Thousands

Heavy rains in recent weeks have killed at least three people and displaced thousands in about seven northern states where villages have been destroyed, officials said on Wednesday. At least three people were killed Monday and over 2,000 others made homeless from flooding in Katsina state, officials said. Another 1,700 were displaced in the town of Dutsin-Ma when a dam broke and flooded more than 200 homes, said Hassan Suleiman, a director in Katsina state emergency relief agency. In neighbouring Jigawa State, flooding displaced 7,000 people and washing away hectares of crops in the last two weeks. A river burst its banks due to torrential rains, inundating the 25 villages along its banks.

Cholera Claims 80 Lives in Adamawa

Eighty persons have so far been confirmed dead as a result of cholera outbreak in nine LGAs of Adamawa State with over 1,000 cases recorded. The state government has procured the Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) worth N1.6 million as part of measures to curtail the spread of the disease. The state director of disease control, Dr. L.C. Barka, who confirmed the death toll on Thursday, said rapid response teams from the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with other donor agencies were deployed to the affected areas.

4 Commissioners, 125 Policemen Face Discipline over Checkpoints

About  four commissioners and 125 policemen are on the verge of dismissal from the force over their continuous involvement in roadblock activities despite repeated warnings by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ogbonna Onovo, following the ghastly motor accident in Lagos that claimed over 30 lives. A source said that the four Commissioners of Police (CPs) said that the affected policemen were held at various police commands nationwide and would soon be moved to Abuja for serious disciplinary action.

Governor's Aides Shot in Bauchi

Gunmen have shot and critically wounded two aides to the governor of Bauchi state, officials said on Monday. A security aide and a political assistant to Governor Isa Yuguda were, penultimate Saturday, shot by gunmen at separate locations. State police commissioner, Danlami Yar'Adua, confirmed the shootings, but said they were criminal acts and not politically motivated. He did not say if anything was stolen from the victims. Both men were in critical condition, he said.

FG Probes Death of 2 Nigerians in E/Guinea Prisons

The Federal Government has said that the authorities in Equatorial Guinea had yet to inform it on the death of two Nigerians in jail over coup plot. Seven Nigerians were arrested in 2009 by the government of Equatorial Guinea for alleged armed attack on the country’s presidential palace. Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Dr Martin Uhomoibhi, said the ministry was currently investigating the death and the denial of consular access to those serving their terms in Equatorial Guinea. Uhomoibhi also said that the issues were bi-lateral. He said Nigeria will actively seek fair trial wherever its citizens are being threatened.

INTERNATIONAL

Gunman Kills 6 in Slovakia Apartment Shooting

A gunman killed six people and wounded at least nine in an attack at an apartment building in Bratislava on Monday, then committed suicide, police said. The attacker, armed with a machine gun and two pistols, could not immediately be identified and his motive was not known, according to police chief, Jaroslav Spisiak. Five of the fatalities, four women and a man, were gunned down inside the apartment and another man was shot and killed outside the apartment. The attacker, about 50 years old, fired indiscriminately at people in the area as he left the building, wounding at least nine of them, including a policeman.

Volcano Erupts in Indonesia

An Indonesian volcano dormant for four centuries erupted on Monday, shooting clouds of hot ash, forcing 30,000 people to flee. Many villagers living along the slopes of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra province headed to emergency shelters, according to Andi Arief, a presidential adviser on disasters. Two people died from respiratory problems and heart attack. Sinabung last erupted in 1600, so observers don't know its eruption pattern and admitted over the weekend they had not monitored it closely. Indonesia is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because of its location within a series of fault lines. It is also home to some of the largest eruptions in recorded history in 1815 explosion of Mount Tambora, which buried an estimated 88,000 people.

Bomb Blast Kills Afghan District Chief

An Afghan district chief was killed Monday in a bomb blast targeting a security meeting, the latest in a series of insurgent attacks. Lal Pur district head Syad Mohammad Palawan died when a bomb planted on his car exploded as he was driving into a government compound to attend a meeting of provincial security and political leaders in Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar province, said police spokesman Ghafor Khan. Insurgents apparently planned for the bomb to explode inside the compound where it could potentially have caused far greater destruction, Khan said. A U.S Army Humvee was struck by a roadside bomb and set on fire in a residential district of southern Afghanistan's Kandahar city. NATO said it was aware of the incident but could not immediately release any information.

2 Police Officers Fatally Shot in Alaska

A SWAT team and dozens of other law officers surrounded a house in a tiny Alaskan village where a gunman took refuge after he allegedly killed two local lawmen in an ambush, Bob Prunella, acting city administrator said. Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said that John Marvin Jr., 45, barricaded himself in his home and Alaska State Troopers and other law enforcement agencies were at the scene Sunday and would maintain their positions through the night, authorities said. Purnella said he didn't know what led to the shooting. Police officials said they were investigating motives but have not released any details.

2 Americans Killed in Afghan Attacks

Two American troops died in fighting in Afghanistan on Thursday, while NATO and local officials said coalition and Afghan forces had killed at least 37 insurgents in a series of ground and air engagements. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, meanwhile, arrived in Afghanistan for meetings with President Hamid Karzai and top NATO commander Gen. David Petraeus, and participated in ceremonies marking the formal close of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq. In volatile Helmand province to the south, coalition and Afghan forces killed 11 insurgents and captured four, including a regional Taliban shadow district governor, Mulla Sayed Gul, responsible for ordering attacks and dispensing funds, the provincial governor said.

Four Dead as Residents Protest High Cost of Living in Mozambique

Protests continued in Mozambique and at least one person was killed on Thursday, a day after at least four people died in clashes between police and rioters. Protesters had rioted Wednesday over the rising cost of food, fuel and water. A protester on Thursday said a call for calm from President Armando Guebuza the night before offended them. Guebuza's FRELIMO party has been plagued by charges its government is corrupt and inefficient. Mozambican police had declared Wednesday's marches illegal, saying no group sought permission for them. President Guebuza said his government would try to meet demands to bring down prices, but that would not be easy because Mozambique produced only 30% of the what it needed, and imported the rest.

Gaza Militants Vow New Attacks on Israel

Militants in Gaza have vowed to step up attacks against Israel, following the first direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders since 2008. A Hamas spokesman said that 13 groups had joined forces to launch "more effective attacks". In Israel, right-wing activists also condemned the talks in Washington. The US Middle East envoy earlier said the talks between the Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, had been "constructive". The talks -the first such negotiations in 20 months - had been initiated by US President Barack Obama, who gave both sides a one-year deadline to reach a solution. The Israeli and Palestinian delegations agreed to meet again in the Middle East in two weeks.

25 Drug Suspects Dead in Mexican Shootout

A shootout between soldiers and suspected drug dealers in northeast Mexico left 25 of the suspects dead, the regional military said on Thursday. After the fighting ended, soldiers captured a cache of weaponry, the military said. The incident began when anti-drug forces flying over Ciudad Mier, just south of the Rio Grande, observed armed people in front of a building, it said. Once they saw they were being observed, the armed people drove off in various vehicles, the military said.

China Reviews Crimes Punishable by Death

China's top legislature has, for the first time in 30 years, proposed to reduce the number of crimes punishable by execution. The proposal has drawn renewed attention to China's controversial death-penalty policy, under which 68 crimes are punishable by death and more executions take place each year than in the rest of the world combined. 13 nonviolent economic crimes have been dropped in a pending amendment to China's capital-punishment law. Convicts above the age of 75 will also be eligible for the exemption. If passed, the revised law could slash the total number of capital crimes in the country by up to 20%.

Hurricane Earl Lashes Caribbean

Hurricane Earl lashed the north eastern Caribbean with heavy rain and strong winds Monday, causing flooding in the low-lying parts as it gained strength on a course that could threaten the eastern United States. The U.S. National Hurricane Centre said that Earl, which formed on Sunday, already had sustained winds of 110mph and was likely to keep growing. Category 4 storms have sustained winds of at least 131 mph (210 kph). Cruise lines diverted ships to other ports in the Caribbean and Mexico as a customary precaution for tropical weather. Meanwhile, the Category 1 Hurricane Danielle was weakening far out over the north Atlantic.

Drug Kingpin Arrested in Mexico

American-born Edgar Valdez Villarreal, believed to be one of Mexico's most ruthless drug traffickers, was captured on Monday by the Federal Police, Mexican authorities said. His capture came after a shootout, according to Viviana Macias, a spokeswoman with the federal attorney general's office. Valdez, who is known as "La Barbie" was a one-time top lieutenant of Mexico's most wanted man, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Valdez later joined the breakaway Beltran Leyva cartel, but the leader of that group, Arturo Beltran Leyva, was killed in a shootout with Mexican officials late last year. Beltran's brother Carlos was arrested, leaving Valdez in a fight to fill a power vacuum in one of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels.

Service Members, Court Personnel Killed in Afghanistan

Four American service members were killed Tuesday in a roadside bomb attack in eastern Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force said.  In addition, three Afghan Supreme Court personnel were killed and 12 others injured during a terrorist attack in the Mosahi district in Kabul province on Tuesday, Afghanistan's Ministry of the Interior said. Two unknown armed terrorists on a motorbike attacked the court employees' minibus, the ministry said. The attacks came a day after seven other NATO troops were killed in southern Afghanistan.

Abducted Russian Pilots Regain Freedom in Darfur

Three Russian pilots working for a Sudanese aviation company who were abducted in Darfur have been released, a Russian embassy spokesman, Evgeny Arzhantsev, said. The pilots were abducted penultimate Sunday in Nyala. Thirteen people have been abducted in Darfur this year, Chris Cycmanick, spokesman for the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur. The mission had seven of its personnel taken hostage earlier this year, but all were safely released, Cycmanick said. The United Nations has extended its mission in Darfur for another year as if found that violence in the region has increased over the previous year.

Drive-by Shooters Kill 4 Israelis in West Bank

The Israeli military, Wednesday, said it is still looking for the perpetrators behind a drive-by attack on Tuesday evening that left four people dead. Meanwhile, Palestinian officials say that arrests have been made, but would not specify how many Palestinians were arrested. The Israelis were killed near Hebron in the West Bank. The militant wing of Hamas claimed responsibility, officials said. The shooting occurred near Bani Naim junction, the largely Palestinian territory where Jews have settled, Israel military spokeswoman Lt. Col. Avital Leibowitz said.

295 Civilians Killed in Iraqi Violence in August

Violence killed hundreds of Iraqi civilians in August, authorities said on Wednesday, a day after the end of the U.S. combat mission in the country. The month's toll included 295 civilians killed and 508 wounded, the Ministry of Interior said. Fifty-four Iraqi soldiers were killed and 150 more wounded in the same month. The month of September started off with at least three attacks, authorities said. In one, a police officer who works for the Interior Ministry was killed when a bomb attached to his civilian car exploded Wednesday morning in northwestern Baghdad. Iraq's prime minister has said the country is "independent" as the US formally ends combat operations, Tuesday. Nouri Maliki said the country's security forces would now deal with all threats, domestic or other.

60 Killed in Pakistani Air Strikes

The death toll from air strikes in Pakistan on Tuesday has climbed to 60, two military officials said. Pakistani military officials and a local political official gave conflicting accounts of the attacks by Pakistani jet fighters targeting suspected militants in Pakistan's tribal region. A politician said at least some of the dead were civilians, while military officials said at least 30 suspected members of the militant group Lashkar-i-Islam were killed in the aerial attacks. The attacks targeted militant hideouts, illegal radio stations, training centers and several vehicles rigged for suicide attacks, the officials said.

57, 000 Flee as South Sudan Region is Swamped by Floods

Rivers near Aweil have broken their banks because of the heavy rain. Some 57,000 people have been forced from their homes because of the floods in south-western Sudan over the past month, health officials say. The southern government and aid agencies have been working to support those displaced. The United Nations has already provided some kind of food assistance, he says.

AU Peacekeepers Killed in Somalia

Four African Union peacekeepers were killed when a mortar hit Somalia's presidential palace in Mogadishu, officials say. It is not clear if any Somalis were hit by the shells, fired as Islamist insurgents continue to battle government forces. Those killed were from Uganda, one of just two countries to have sent troops to Somalia to help the government.

Exiled Madagascan Leader Gets Life Sentenced

Madagascar's exiled former president, Marc Ravalomanana, has been sentenced to life in prison with hard labour for ordering the killing of opposition supporters. He was sentenced in absentia for the February 2009 murders of at least 30 people by his presidential guard. Ravalomanana has been living in South Africa since March 2009. Those killed were supporters of Andry Rajoelina, who has now taken over the government. Mr Ravalomanana was charged with murder, along with 18 other people, also in exile. The former president's defence lawyers walked out on the trial after the hearings began, saying the court was being used by Mr Rajoelina's administration. South Africa has strongly criticised the sentence, saying that it would not help end Madagascar's political turmoil.

South Sudan to Stop Use of Child Soldiers

The army in Southern Sudan has pledged to demobilise all child soldiers by the end of the year. The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has established a child protection unit to fulfil the pledge. The UN children's agency estimates that the SPLA, thought to have already discharged more than 20,000 children, still includes about 900 in its ranks.

Congo Mass Rape Victims Rise to 240 - UN

Some 240 women, girls and babies may have been raped when rebels seized a town in the Democratic Republic of Congo in July, the UN says. Officials had previously said they had received reports of 150 rapes in and around the town of Luvungi. The UN Security Council said its peacekeepers in the area should have done more to protect local people from the Congolese Mai Mai and Rwandan FDLR armed groups. The peacekeepers say they were not told about the attacks until 10 days later, even though they have a base 20 miles (30km) away. The FDLR has, however, denied that its forces took part in the attack.

Death Toll in Lahore Bombing Rises to 31

A three-day period of mourning was declared in Pakistan after bomb attacks on a Shia Muslim procession in Lahore city killed 31 people on Wednesday. At least 170 people were injured when three bombs exploded targeting the procession. At least two of the attacks were suicide bombings, police said. The Pakistani Taliban said it carried out the attacks in revenge for the killing of a Sunni leader last year. Lahore has been the scene of sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shias. However, there had been a lull in such attacks in the past month, as floods devastated Pakistan.

Hostages Freed as Gunman is Shot Dead in US

A gunman who took three hostages at the Discovery Communications headquarters in the US has been shot dead by police and his captives have been set free. The man had canisters strapped to his chest and a handgun when he entered the building near Washington DC, police said. Officers opened fire because they thought the gunman was about to detonate his explosives after several hours of talk with him, they added. After several hours, police began to fear for the safety of the hostages, said Montgomery County Police Chief J Thomas Manger.

Russian Arrested in Spain after Deadly Nightclub Fire

Investigators have arrested a suspect from Russia in connection with a fire that killed 156 people in a nightclub in Russia in 2009, the Spanish National Police said Thursday. Authorities in Spain arrested Konstantin Mrykhin, who was the commercial director of a nightclub in Perm, Russia where fireworks triggered a fire and panic in December 2009. Mrykhin has been wanted in Russia, where police say he ignored safety measures in organizing the fireworks display that caused the fire. Mrykhin fled Russia to evade a charge of involuntary manslaughter, police said.

Typhoon Kills 3 in South Korea

Three people died after Typhoon Kompasu hit central South Korea on Thursday morning. Kompasu also halted much of the metropolitan subway service, toppled trees and caused power outages. Airlines canceled or diverted domestic and international flights. Kompasu also unleashed torrential rain and strong winds on North Korea. The typhoon was expected to further devastate crops in North Korea, which has been gripped by food shortages.

Riots in Indonesia over Death of Man in Custody

The death of a man in police custody has led to deadly riots and six deaths in Indonesia, police said on Thursday. The unrest, in the town of Buol, started over what police say were rumors that a man arrested on Monday had been tortured to death. Police opened fire on an angry crowd when hundreds of residents attacked a local police station. Six people died and 22 others were injured in the clashes. Police spokesman, Marwoto Soeto, said the man was arrested for hitting a policeman and that police are investigating the cause of his death.

Human Smugglers Kidnap 16 in Mexico

At least 16 migrants, including a woman, were being held for ransom by human smugglers in Tijuana, Mexico, according to a migrant who was freed, authorities said on Wednesday. Police said that his family paid a ransom for his liberty and it was after that told the police that there were others that were being held, Municipal Police Officer, Jose Varela, disclosed. It was unclear how much the family paid.