Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 33

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Jail Break: Security Operatives Launch Hunt for Escapees

Security operatives have launched a hunt for two militants and three other inmates that escaped from Port Harcourt Prisons on Sunday. The two known militants who allegedly escaped are Egbe Gboh, a convicted kidnapper and one Anthony Akanimo, awaiting trial for kidnapping. The prison authorities and the police said they have commenced investigation into the circumstances that necessitated the escape and if there were accomplices in the prison service. The Rivers State police spokesperson, Ben Ugwuegbulam, said that an intense hunt for the escaped inmates had commenced. He revealed that at the end of the head count conducted by prison officials, it was discovered that five inmates had not been accounted for and were presumed to have escaped.

Nnewi Residents Protest against Kidnappings

Markets, shops and offices were shut on Wednesday, in Nnewi, Anambra State as residents protested the spate of kidnappings in the area. A taskforce went about the city as early as 7am to enforce the stay-at-home order. The residents, who had petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector-General of Police, said they wanted an emergency action to save them from kidnappers. Addressing the crowd that gathered at the gate of the Nnewi Main Market, the Chairman of Nnewi Market Traders Association, Chief Gozie Akudolu, claimed that about 68 major importers and manufacturers in the area had been kidnapped.

Presidency Approves Housing Allowance for Ex-Militants

The Presidency has reportedly approved the payment of housing allowance to all registered ex-militants who were rehabilitated under the Federal Government’s Amnesty training programme at Obubra, Cross River, according to Lawrence Pepple, the Personal Assistant on Technical Matters to Mr Kingsley Kuku, who is the Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs to the President. Pepple said the allowance would end the protracted agitation by the ex-militants for the payment of housing allowance since the commencement of the training programme.

Police Kills Man over N20

A policeman in Anambra state got the youths angry when he shot dead a middle aged man over N20 bribe. Irate youths at Governor Peter Obi’s home town, Agulu, in Anaocha LGA, burnt down the police post in the town following the killing at a check-point. Policemen on duty at the station fled as the youths chanted war songs. An eye-witness said the man had pleaded with the policeman to pardon a commercial motorcyclist who allegedly refused to offer N20 bribe to the police. Angered by the man’s interference, the policeman was said to have slapped him and in the ensuing scuffle, the policeman allegedly shot him and quickly fled the scene. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the incident. He said the police officer who allegedly killed the man had been arrested and would be arraigned in court for murder.

Police Kill 2 Robbers in Rivers

Two suspected armed robbers were killed while robbing motorists at Omagwa end of the Owerri-Port Harcourt Road in Rivers State. Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, said that the robbers opened fire on a police patrol vehicle and a gun battle ensued. He said two of the robbers were shot dead and their rifles recovered. Ugwuegbulam said that two guns were recovered from the hoodlums who were rushed to the hospital where they were confirmed dead. He added that the police are on the trail of the others who fled.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Policeman Killed In Edo Bank Robbery

A police officer was killed by gunmen who attacked a commercial bank in Auchi, Edo State on Wednesday. It was learnt that the police officer, who was not in uniform was hit by a stray bullet from the robbers, as he was transacting business close to the bank. It was also gathered that the six-man gang stormed the bank in two cars and made away with undisclosed sums of money amidst sporadic shootings that lasted for over 40 minutes. The attack came barely 20 minutes after a bullion van brought money to the bank from an undisclosed location.

Wife of ACN Chieftain Abducted

Mrs Caroline Ehigie, wife of the Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Orhiomwon Local Government Area of Edo State, Mr. Matthew Ehigie was said to have been kidnapped by unknown gun men. The woman, who was said to be returning from the market was said to have been trailed and was forced into their car along Dumez Road in the state capital and taken to an unknown location. Further details were not immediately available.

Man stabbed to death in Delta

A middle aged man simply identified as Mr. Onyekweli, was reportedly stabbed to death by suspected cultists in Delta state. The victim was alleged to have been attacked by the suspected cult boys following a minor argument. Sources said the murder might be as a result of the allegation that the victim had challenged the gang, who man-handled his younger sister who, it was learnt, might be a member of the cult group. The boys were said to have fled the scene of the crime after the murder of the victim but one of them was unlucky as he was arrested along with the girl in question and are now cooling their heels at Ogwashi-Uku Police Station.

Robbers Lay Siege on Expressway

A gang of armed robbers were said to have laid siege at Aboh-Ogwashi-Uku town along Ogwashi-Uku/Asaba highway, robbing several motorists in the process. The robbery incident, which lasted for about an hour, was said to have forced motorists to abandon their vehicles at Ogwashi-Uku Police Mobile Base just as others going to Ogwashi-Uku were compelled to make U-turn. Although, the robbers could be not unmasked as they fled the scene on sighting a police van approaching, it was gathered that some Hausa-Fulani persons had some months ago made the axis their robbery den until the police mounted a check point.

Gunmen Blow Up Chevron’s Oil Flow Station in Delta

Unidentified gunmen, at the weekend, blew up the Dibi Flow Station in Warri North LGA of Delta State. The Flow Station, operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) had of recent experienced series of attacks during the Niger Delta crisis. The reason for the attack could not be immediately ascertained. It was learnt that the incident took place opposite Dagbolo community and that the explosion from the Flow Station took the populace of the area unawares. Security agents were reportedly deployed to the scene to fish out the perpetrators.

Police Recover Head of Beheaded Woman

Detectives from the state Police Command recovered the head of the housewife who was recently beheaded at Bomadi area of the state. State Police Command’s spokesman, Mr. Charles Muka, said that the head of the victim had been recovered under a palm tree in the bush, where it was neatly wrapped in a polythene bag. It was recovered following the confession of one of the suspects who took the police to the spot. The beheaded housewife, identified as Mrs Truserefa College, was said to have gone into Olomu bush to pick fruits but never came home alive. A search party organised by her husband led to the discovery of the headless body.

NCC Seizes Pirated Works in Benin, Arrests 15

In two separate raids on 13 outlets in Benin City last weekend, operatives of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) confiscated pirated products worth N9.5million and arrested 15 suspected pirates. Most of the confiscated pirated materials included audio and visual CDs, DVDs and MP3s. Parading the suspects, Assistant Director of Public Affairs of the anti-piracy agency, Vincent Oyefeso, who represented the Director General of the Commission, Afam Ezekude, said the operation was part of the organisation’s effort to rid Nigeria of pirated “showbiz” works.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Man Confesses to Killing Banker

A middle aged man, Kenneth Udeh, has been arrested for killing the Ebute Meta branch manager of Spring Bank (now Keystone Bank Limited), Emeka Ohazuruike. Udeh, allegedly confessed that he killed the banker because he was rude and provoked him by asking him for the money which his brother-in-law had borrowed from him. Udeh and his brother-in-law, Onyeka Idemili, were arrested by the Lagos State Police Command in connection with the murder of Ohazuruike on August 6.

Brothers Face Murder Charge

Six men, including two brothers, have been brought before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly killing Uche Uwabi during violence in Mushin area of the state in June 2011. The charge indicated that the brothers were the ones who allegedly carried out the killing. While the plea of the brothers was not taken, the others pleaded not guilty. The Magistrate, Mr. Tubosun Abolarinwa, granted the others bail in the sum of N100000 and two sureties each in like sum, while the brothers were remanded in custody. The case has been adjourned until September 16 for further hearing. Also, 30-year-old man, Kingsley Nwaodu, was arraigned for allegedly stealing an 18-month-old baby, an orphan, from his aunt on May 18, 2011. It was however not said for what purpose Nwaodu allegedly stole the baby. The police said the baby was recovered.

Cashier Killed in Lagos

The Chief Cashier of the West Africa Milk Company (WAMCO), Chun Yuen, was killed by gunmen on his way from a bank in Lagos on Monday. Yuen, a Chinese, had reportedly gone to withdraw unspecified amount of money on behalf of the company when the gunmen attacked him and made away with huge amount of money. Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yakubu Alkali who confirmed the killing, said the security agents had commenced investigation into the murder.

Robbers Strike in Ogun
…Kill ASP, 3 Others

A gang of armed robbers in Ogun State struck in Ilogbo, Ota and Ilaro towns, killing four persons including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). The eight-man gang who first struck in Ilaro, raided three commercial banks located within the town and carted away unspecified sum of money. The suspects who arrived the town at about 8.50 a.m. in a convoy of four vehicles caused pandemonium shooting into the air to scare residents of the town. The victims, including a police officer, according to an eyewitness, were caught in cross-fire as the police engaged the hoodlums in a shoot-out. They allegedly operated for one hour unhindered raiding the commercial banks located within the same axis one after the other.

Army to Get Operational Unit in Ekiti

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.  General Onyeabo Ihejirika has said that a unit of the Nigerian Army will soon be sited in Ekiti State. Ihejirika said disclosed on Wednesday, during a visit by the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to the Defence Headquarters that the Nigerian Army and the state government would collaborate to ensure the effective take off of the unit. He said that the importance of having a military base in the state cannot be over emphasized and he is prepared to work with the governor.

Fashola Signs Law against Abandonment of Pregnant Women

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, on Monday, signed a bill into law, which allows for the prosecution and jailing of any man who impregnates and deserts any woman. The bill presented to the governor by the state’s Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Ade Ipaye, was among three other bills presented for the governor’s assent. Other bills include amendments to provisions of the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Law and the Administration of Criminal Justice. Fashola, while assenting to the bills, said the various amendments to the laws were needed to tackle the problem of crime and delay in administration of justice in the state.

Police Declares 2 Undergraduates Wanted over Armed Robbery

The Kwara State police command is on the trail of two undergraduates of a federal higher institution in the state for their alleged involvement in an armed robbery operation. The accused, Haruna Jimoh 23, also a student of the same institution was on Wednesday paraded by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Peter Gana. Jimoh and the two other suspects at large were said to have on July 25th, 2011 invaded a residential house at Irewolede village in the metropolis armed with a locally made pistol, axe and a knife. According to the CP, a resident of the area was allegedly stabbed in the stomach with a knife. Investigations conducted have revealed that the three suspected robbers are students of one of the tertiary institutions in Ilorin.

Seven Injured in Bike Riders Factional Clash

The leader of the Akure chapter of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Kayode Ajayi alias Ekun, and at least six others sustained serious injuries on Wednesday during a clash between him and some members of the group. The problem started when Ajayi, whose boys had been collecting the tolls, discovered that the receipts being issued to the riders were different from the ones printed by his own group. When he suspected that the receipts were being issued by another self-imposed leader, simply identified as Jimoh, he was said to have kicked against it, leading to the clash.

GENERAL

Nigeria Committed to Boosting Security Ties with Neighbours

President Goodluck Jonathan has assured that Nigeria would take definite steps to strengthen security cooperation with all her neighbours. Jonathan said that this measure would check trans-border crime and terrorism and ensure the security of people. President Jonathan said on Tuesday during the opening of bilateral talks between Nigeria and Niger Republic in Abuja. Jonathan, who is the current Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) chairman, assured the Nigerien President, Mahamadou Issoufou, that his country would be re-admitted to full membership and participation in the sub-regional body’s activities during the next summit, since complete democracy had been restored to Niger.

Nursing Mother Killed by Stray Bullet as Soldiers, Borno Youths’ Clash

A nursing mother, Hadiza Mohammed, was killed in a clash between soldiers and youths over arrest of suspected members of the Boko Haram sect and some Islamic clerics in Zarawuyaku ward of Biu, Borno state. The trouble began when more than 150 youths allegedly protested the arrest of clerics along with the suspects at Mandara Abdu Islamiya Primary School, before attacking the council secretariat complex and a Catholic church. Confirming the attacks and killing, the 23 Armoured Brigades, Army Public Relations Officer, Lieutenant Olumide Olukoya said that the protesting youths took the law into their hands by attacking Army officers and men over the arrest of suspected Boko Haram members along with their clerics. He confirmed the killing of a nursing mother and two other persons were hit by stray bullets.

10 in Zamfara Attacks

At least 10 persons were reported killed, when suspected armed robbers stormed Tungan Baushe and Guru in Dansadau in Maru LGA of Zamfara State. A survivor of the attack, Mallam Mande Adamu, said the robbers came in broad daylight. The attack on the two villages is feared could be a revenge mission as some of the villagers were reported to have killed some armed robbers who terrorised the villages in recent times. The source further said that the vigilante group had previously embarked on house to house search and had killed many people in the past in the guise of flushing out armed robbers. When contacted over the armed robbers attack, the state Police Public RelationsOfficer, ASP Sanusi Amiru, said the police had received the report and had sent their investigating team to the areas.

Global Fake Drugs Hit $200 Billion,-NAFDAC

The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii, has disclosed that about N200 billion worth of medical products are counterfeited on a yearly basis globally. According to Orhii, counterfeiting of drugs has become sophisticated as drug barons have discovered that it is cheaper, safer and less risky to engage in counterfeit medical drugs rather than diverting their resources to manufacturing counterfeit medicine. He noted that NAFDAC has deployed the use of a cutting-edge technology in dealing with the problem of fake drugs in the country.

JTF Cautions Residents over Use of Refuse Bins in Maiduguri

The Commander of the Joint Taskforce, Major General Jack Nwaogbo has cautioned residents of Maiduguri metropolis against use of refuse bins in residential areas and road sides, alleging that members of the Boko Haram sect use them to plant improvised explosives or bombs. Nwaogbo said the warning became inevitable, as the Boko Haram armed sect had resorted to planting or burying improvised explosives in the dust and refuse bins littered in the residential areas and road sides. He said the refuse bins, are not only to be emptied and cleared, but members of the public are to report what he described as “any suspicious movements in residential areas” to the security agents for prompt action and intervention to save lives and property.

Policemen Injured in another Bauchi Bomb Blast

Four policemen were injured penultimate Sunday when a bomb blast hit their patrol van near the central market in Bauchi State. The bomb was reportedly planted a few metres from where the van was parked. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Spokesman for the Bauchi State Police Command, Mohammed Barau, said a policeman and a bystander were injured in a separate attack a day earlier when gunmen opened fire on a patrol team in the city.

Residents Discover Planted Bomb In Bauchi Metropolis

Residents of the Anguwan Ngas in Yelwa, Bauchi State woke up to discover a bomb planted close to a drainage. According to an eyewitness, a boy was able to prevent the bomb from exploding, before a team of bomb experts from the police arrived to clear the object and take it away. Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, confirmed the object as a time-bomb device made from air-conditioner compressor.

4 Drown as Truck Plunges into River

Four persons were killed penultimate Sunday when a truck in which they were travelling plunged into the River Niger. The accident occurred on the Murtala Muhammed Bridge, at Jamata when the truck travelling from Nasarawa State to Kabba in Kogi State reportedly plunged into the river. The unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Kotonkarfe, Mr. Olusola Olusegun said the vehicle may have run into a big pothole on the bridge and as a result the driver lost control and plunged into the river. He stressed that the pothole on that section of the bridge had been causing numerous accidents, as he called on the Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to expedite action in completing the repair work on the bridge.

FG Orders Probe of Soldiers’ Excesses in Borno

The Federal Government, on Thursday, ordered the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, to investigate all allegations of misconduct against troops involved in internal security operations in Borno State. The order is coming on the heels of the killing of a woman in Biu, Borno State, by members of the military Joint Task Force, on Wednesday. Amnesty International has asked the Federal Government to investigate and punish soldiers for the cases of unlawful arrests, killings and disappearances in the state. Meanwhile, Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Yakowa, on Thursday, suggested that policemen should be made to undergo psychiatric and psychological tests twice in a year. Yakowa said the tests had become imperative because of the rising cases of extra-judicial killings by policemen in the country.

NDLEA Nabs 4 Suspected Traffickers in Kogi

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kogi State command, has arrested four suspected drug traffickers in the state. They were arrested with 14 kilogrammes of cannabis by the command following a tip off. The NDLEA Sector Commander, Muhammed Bello Idris, who disclosed this on Thursday, said the suspects were arrested between July 23 and 26, 2011 on Okene and Ankpan roads by NDLEA patrol teams.

Retiring AIG Ogbaudu Urges Training for Police Officers

Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Felix Onowo Ogbaudu, on Wednesday, officially bade him farewell at a parade held at the Eagle Square in Abuja. In his farewell speech at the occasion characterised by a ceremonial march past and cultural performance, AIG Ogbaudu expressed the need for the federal and state governments to make security a matter of priority and emphasise training for the officers and men of the Nigeria Police to confront the menace of violence sweeping across the country. Ogbaudu, who retired as the AIG in charge of Zone 7 Command of the police in Abuja, stressed that the inadequacies of the Nigeria Police cannot be adequately addressed without more funding and judicious utilisation of same.

Boko Haram Kills Teacher in Maiduguri

A 40-year-old school teacher, Nurudeen Algoni Umar, was on Sunday night shot dead by gunmen suspected to be members in Gwange ward of the Maiduguri metropolitan council. A younger brother to the deceased said that the incident happened on Sunday night shortly after the last prayer of the day. According to him, the assailants who might have been in the area for some hours monitoring the deceased opened fire on him immediately he came out from their family house and fled the area. The deceased who was a staff of Federal Government College, died before help could come his way.

INTERNATIONAL

Unrest in Israel

Israel is the latest country recording social discontent around the world. Tent cities have sprung up across the country, drawing in a large array of protesters including students, pensioners, Holocaust survivors and even taxi drivers. Israel’s social protest movement started with a tent on Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Boulevard and a few voices demanding affordable housing and better living standards. The protests are perhaps the most serious challenge facing the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli protest is over the high cost of living in the country. A quarter of a million people marched in Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial capital, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet responded by naming a public committee on Sunday to open a dialogue with protest leaders.

Seven Killed in Southern Russia

Seven people were killed in a brawl and shootout between residents of two villages in Russia's restive North Caucasus province of Dagestan early on Tuesday. Several people were taken to hospital in the village of Untsukul for treatment after a fight in which two people died, but shooting then broke out between the two sides, reports Reuters. Interfax news agency said two people were killed in the fight and the others in the shootout.

UN Condemns Killing of Peacekeeper in Darfur

The UN Security Council on Monday condemned an attack that killed one peacekeeper from Sierra Leone and left another seriously wounded when gunmen in the Darfur region of Sudan attacked their vehicle. A statement from the 15-member Council urged the Sudanese Government to ensure that the perpetrators of last Friday’s attack on peacekeepers serving with the joint UN-AU force in Darfur (UNAMID) were swiftly brought to justice. The attack, in which unidentified gunmen ambushed a vehicle carrying five UNAMID troops in the village of Duma, northeast of Nyala, capital of South Darfur state, occurred little more than a month after a UNAMID peacekeeper was shot and killed in West Darfur.

85 Civilians Killed by NATO’s Bombs in Libya

A Libyan government spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim, said on Tuesday that a NATO air strike has killed 85 civilians near Zlitan, the north western Libyan city, which has been the target of an intense aerial bombing campaign. Ibrahim said the incident happened late Monday night in Majar, a community about five kilometres south of Zlitan. A NATO spokesman confirmed the organisation had conducted air strikes in Zlitan, but said the target was a military complex used by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.

11 Killed in Russian Cargo Plane Crash

A Russian cargo plane, on Tuesday, crashed in a remote far eastern area, with all 11 people on board believed to have been killed. The wreckage of the Antonov-12 plane was found in the Magadan region after going missing earlier on Tuesday. The crew had reported that one of the plane’s four engines was on fire shortly after taking off, the regional prosecutor’s office said. Those on board included nine crew and two passengers, officials said.

UN Envoy Seeks More AU Troops for Somalia

The United Nations (UN) special envoy to Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, has appealed for more peacekeepers in the country, after militant Islamists withdrew from the city. Mahiga said the African Union force in Somalia needed to be strengthened to help the government re-establish authority in Mogadishu. Also, the Somali government has said it is offering amnesty to fighters from the militant al-Shaabab group. Al-Shaabab was in control of most of south and central Somalia, including the areas worst affected by the famine. But on Saturday, it surprised many analysts by announcing a withdrawal of its forces from Mogadishu. Mahiga said he believed al-Shaabab had made a tactical retreat. Mahiga said al-Shaabab was likely to wage guerrilla warfare in Mogadishu, including carrying out more suicide bombings.

North, South Koreas Exchange Gunfire

South Korea reportedly fired back at North Korea on Wednesday after it said three shots from the North hit waters close to the maritime border. There were no casualties reported, according to the South Korean defence ministry. Tensions between the neighbours heightened last year after 50 South Koreans were killed in two separate incidents. In November, the South accused North Korea of shelling Yeonpyeong Island, near the border between the two sides. The incident killed two South Korean marines and two civilians

Obama Pledges to Press on in Afghan War

US President, Barack Obama, on Monday pledged to forge ahead with his Afghan war strategy and the Pentagon sought to dispel fears of Taliban resurgence after militants shot down a helicopter killing 30 U.S. troops penultimate Saturday. The crash was the deadliest incident for U.S. forces since the war in Afghanistan began. The incidents have raised concerns about the extent of U.S. progress in the decade-long conflict, but Obama and Defence Secretary, Leon Panetta, said they were unwavering in their commitment to move ahead with the mission.

Burundi Police Kill Gunmen

Police killed three gunmen in Burundi’s capital after a heavy exchange of fire in recent clashes. Burundi has enjoyed relative peace since the former Hutu hard-line rebel Forces for National Liberation (FNL) laid down their weapons and joined the government in 2009 after two decades of insurgency. Two guns, two hand grenades and ammunition were seized after the shoot-out, police spokesman, Pierre Channel Ntarabaganyi, said on Monday. Witnesses said the people killed were former FNL fighters who had returned to civil life, but police said they were bandits. Last week three people died in another battle between police and gunmen. Burundi’s authorities continue to blame bandits for the attacks but Uprona, the main Tutsi party, has said the current attacks bear hallmarks of a new rebellion.

David Cameron Promises Fightback as 3 Die in London Riots

Three Britons of Pakistani origin died Wednesday after a car rammed into them during riots in Birmingham, officials said. The incident happened as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad taunted Britain by criticising the UN Security Council for remaining silent over the riots having already offered to send an expert team to investigate human rights abuses amid the riots. However, police said they had arrested a man and launched a murder inquiry. Two of the men were pronounced dead at the scene and the third died later in hospital. Prime Minister, David Cameron, who returned from travel to address the riots, promised a "fight back" was underway. He said every action would be taken to restore order, with contingency plans for water cannon to be available at 24 hours’ notice.

Woman Bomber Strikes in Pakistan

A woman covered in a head-to-foot burqa carried out a suicide bombing in north-western Pakistan on Thursday, killing herself and another woman, police said. The bombing occurred near a police check post just yards away from where a remote-controlled bomb hit a police van, killing four policemen and a child, less than an hour earlier. The woman, said to be 25 years old, blew herself up in the heart of the main north-western city of Peshawar. Police official, Tariq Omar, said a 60-year-old woman was also killed in the suicide bombing and police were investigating whether she was an accomplice or a passer-by. Fourteen people were wounded in the earlier attack on the police van. The bomb, concealed in a push-cart, exploded as the van passed by.

Jury Gives Serial Killer Death Sentence

A jury recommended the death penalty for a serial killer, Anthony Sowell, who kept the decomposing bodies of 11 women in his Ohio home for more than two years. Sowell, 51, showed no emotion as he stood in an orange prison jumpsuit to receive the verdict, though the clanking of his shackles could be heard as he fidgeted slightly. The former marine was found guilty of the gruesome murders by the same jury last month. He apologized for his crimes and described his troubled childhood during a sentencing hearing Monday in which two of his relatives and a former cellmate pleaded for mercy from the jury.

Police, Protesting Students Clash in Santiago

Policemen and protesters clashed on Wednesday in the Chilean capital, Santiago, as thousands of students marched to press their demands for changes to the education system. It was reported that masked protesters fought pitched battles in the city centre with policemen who fired water cannon and tear gas. Students, who have been demonstrating for weeks, said the current system is under-funded and unequal. Though President Sebastian Pinera has pledged extra funding, students said this was not enough. Interior Minister, Rodrigo Hinzpeter, said the violence showed that student leaders could not control their demonstrators.

US Denies Death of 160 Kids in Pakistani Drone Strikes

A senior U.S. official is dismissing a report that says covert American drone strikes in Pakistan have killed 385 civilians, including children, saying the findings by the London-based Bureau for Investigative Journalism are faulty and uncorroborated. The response by the official late Thursday follows a report released this week by the group that found CIA covert drone strikes since 2004 killed at least 2,292 people. Of those killed in the strikes, the group said it had credible reports of at least 385 civilians, including 160 children. Since 2001, according to the official, an estimated 2,000 militants and 50 civilians have been killed in strikes. Since May 2010, the strikes have killed 600 militants, the official said.

Student Accused of Killing Principal in Memphis

A teenage student is facing a first-degree murder charge, with police saying that he followed through on a plan to kill the principal of his small private school in Memphis. Eduardo Marmolejo was charged in the death on Wednesday of 49-year-old Suzette York, the Memphis Police Department said. A detention hearing was held on Thursday, during which Magistrate Judge Sheldon McCall ordered the suspect held without bail and also ordered a mental evaluation. Police said the suspect is 17 years old, while Chief Probation Officer Barry Mitchell of the Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court said he is 16. York was found Wednesday lying in a pool of blood at Memphis Junior Academy. Memphis Police Director, Toney Armstrong, said that the suspect "has been carrying a grudge all summer long" because the previous school year he'd been switched out of a class that he liked.

Former Judge Jailed for 28 Years over Plot to Unjustly Jail Youth

A former Pennsylvania juvenile judge was sentenced to 28 years in prison Thursday after being convicted for a scheme to make millions off unjustly incarcerating young people, court officials said. Former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella was also ordered by a federal judge in Pennsylvania to pay about $1 million in restitution. The sentence was four times the 87 months sentence that Ciavarella and federal prosecutors had agreed to when he pleaded guilty to charges in 2009. But that plea deal was thrown out by a federal judge and the case went to trial. Ciavarella was found guilty in February of 12 of 39 racketeering and fraud charges for accepting millions of dollars in bribes from friends who owned detention centers to which he sent juveniles.

Ban Urges Assad to Stop Violence against Civilians

United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on Monday renewed his appeal to Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, to stop the violence against civilians. Residents of a Syrian provincial capital Deir al-Zor said government tanks stormed the city last week, in the latest crackdown on five-month protests against President Bashar al-Assad’s rule. Activists said 50 people had been killed in the attack, while the government denied the assault had taken place, describing the protesters as terrorists, while the military unleashes a brutal crackdown on the protesters. Meanwhile, Arab nations have joined the international chorus of condemnation. But Assad, remaining defiant, said that his forces would continue to pursue "terrorist groups".

Villagers Kill Six Criminals in Mexico

Tired of the antics of suspected crime gang in Oaxaca, southern Mexico, dozens of armed villagers surrounded the home of the criminals, setting off a gun-battle that killed a child, a woman and four men. Mexican police authorities said that the confrontation took place after a town assembly decided to arm 90 villagers and send them to threaten the group allegedly behind cattle thefts, rapes and murders. The Oaxaca state public security chief, Marco Tulio Lopez, said that the people in the house responded by opening fire first.

Residents Flee Clashes in Mogadishu

Residents of Mogadishu fled fighting on Monday after remnants of extremist Al Shabaab rebel forces, who pulled out of Mogadishu battled with government troops overnight. The rebels, who had been controlling around half of Mogadishu, abandoned their positions in a surprise withdrawal last weekend. Fighting late on Sunday took place in several locations in the south and north of the city, as African Union-backed government troops set up bases in former Al Shabaab strongholds. Government officials celebrated the hard-line rebel pull-out, but the Al Shabaab said it is merely a change of military tactics. Meanwhile, aid efforts continue to reach some 100,000 people who have fled to Mogadishu over the past two months in search of food, water and shelter.

Libyan Rebels Open Embassy In London

Libya’s rebel council officially took over the country’s embassy in Britain on Tuesday, opening its doors as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people in London. British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, who invited the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) to take over the embassy and appoint an official envoy at the end of last month, welcomed the move. The embassy is now headed by the NTC’s charge d’affaires, Mahmud Nacua, who officially opened the mission by hoisting the black, red and green Libyan flag with a crescent and star which Moammar Gadhafi had banned for more than 40 years.