Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 38

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

SSS Nabs 3 in Calabar over Sale of 10-Yr-Old

Three persons, who allegedly attempted to sell a 10-year-old boy, Mfon Bassey, in Calabar, Cross River State, were rounded up by officers of the State Security Service (SSS). The suspects were arrested last weekend following a tip-off by one of the persons that wanted to buy the boy. The prospective buyer alerted the SSS when the terms of the deal were allegedly not favourable to him. The Assistant Director of the SSS in charge of Operations and Intelligence, Mr. Bassey Ntewo, said upon receipt of the information, his men were immediately sent to Bogobiri area where arrangements for the transaction were said to have been perfected. The key suspect, a 28-year-old maternal uncle to the boy, alongside two others, was arrested.

No Amnesty for Protesting N’Delta Militants

The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has denied any deal with protesting ex-militants, who took over the East-west road last week over their non-inclusion in the FG amnesty programme. This comes amidst confusion over the deal entered into by the JTF and the protesters who claimed they constituted the third phase of the amnesty programme. The Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt. Col. Timothy Antinga, explained that although it collected arms from them after the amnesty promised by the FG had lapsed; it never offered them any amnesty deal. The JTF insisted that the submission and collection processes were done based on the required national duty of mopping up of arms in the region. The presidential adviser on Niger Delta, Hon. Kingsley Kuku had earlier stated that disarmaments for inclusion in the Amnesty Programme ended on October 4, 2009, he said.

Thieves Attack Bayelsa House of Assembly

Suspected thieves on Thursday invaded the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and burgled the office of the Speaker, Mr. Nestor Binabo and the accounts department. The thieves were said to have made away with cash and valuables in the Speaker’s office. They were, however, unable to open the safe in the accounts department. Investigations revealed that the armed policemen guarding the complex were caught unawares and did not know about the robbery operation until their attention was drawn to it by the workers when they resumed for work the following day. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Eguaveon Emokpae, who confirmed the incident, said investigation had commenced.

Police Hunt for Suspected Cultists in Bayelsa

The police in Bayelsa State have begun a manhunt for suspected cultists who have been killing people in Yenagoa, the state capital and its metropolis. The various police divisions in Yenagoa had commenced a stop and search operation, while the special security outfit, Operation Famou Tangbei (OFT) had stepped up its routine patrol to nip any attack in the bud. Checks indicated that between Friday and Sunday, the routine patrol of the operatives of the OFT prevented bloodshed in the state as the rival cult groups had enlisted the support of their members from outside the state for reprisal attacks. Investigations revealed that in spite of the tight security mounted in the state, there was fierce shooting at Agudama-Epie and one person was shot dead, while a stray bullet hit a female member of a church.

Bayelsa Community in Fear over Oil Spillage

The people of Kalaba community in Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa state are living in fear of the gaseous leakage from a ruptured oil pipeline in the community since September 5, when the gaseous substance was noticed, life has turned upside down for the people. Their anxiety now is that the spill could affect their source of livelihood as the environment where they farm and the water they drink stands the risk of being polluted. The people fear that the pipeline, which allegedly belongs to Nigeria Agip Oil Company, is likely to remain like that with its gaseous emissions. They appeal to Agip to come to the aid of the community before the situation gets out of hand.

Cross River Distributes Aids to Fire Victims

The Cross River State Government has distributed relief materials to victims of Saturday’s fire disaster at Dayspring Island, inhabited by the displaced residents of Bakassi.  Presenting the materials, the Director-General of the state Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Vincent Aquah, said the gesture was in line with the Liyel Imoke’s administration’s caring heart. Aquah, who was represented by the Assistant Director in charge of Information in the agency, Mr. David Akate, said Dayspring Islands was of high value in the economic map of the state. He reiterated government’s determination to effectively serve everyone living within the borders of the state. But he lamented that the state was already groaning under the weight of high disaster portfolio ranging from flooding, landslides, gully erosions, fires outbreaks, communal clashes and windstorms.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Kidnapping: 250 Jailed, 100 Arrested in Edo

Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday, disclosed that about 250 people were currently in prison custody, while another 100 were in police custody awaiting trial over alleged kidnapping in the state. Oshiomhole, who stated this when he paid a visit to Chief Executive of Tomline Enterprises, Elder Tes Soare, who was kidnapped recently in Benin City, said the state government was re-strategizing to tackle the incidence of kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state. The governor noted that the efforts had recorded some successes, adding that over 100 kidnappers had been arrested while more than 250 were in prison awaiting trial.

Oshiomhole Calls for Deployment of Marine Police in Edo

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to approve the deployment of a Marine Unit of the Police to the state as well as redress the absence of any form of marine military presence in the southern-most part of Edo State. The governor noted that the absence of security agents in the vast maritime stretch in the Southern-most part of the state makes Edo State vulnerable to internal cross-border strikes involving criminal syndicates based in other states. He challenged security to expedite their investigation on the recent cases of kidnapping in the state and ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended as was done in earlier cases.

Bomb Scare in UNIBEN, UI

The fear of the terrorist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, on Monday seized the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and University of Ibadan (UI), as rumours went round that the institutions were marked for attack. Security was heightened in both institutions as security agents deployed around the premises. While UI said it responded to speculations that the university was one of the seven earmarked to be bombed by Boko Haram, UNIBEN said it had received threat that it would be bombed. The Registrar of UNIBEN, Dr. G. O. Ogboghodo, was said to have received an e-mail threat from a group that describes itself as Boko Haram. The e-mail allegedly threatened that the university would be bombed between Monday and Saturday this week.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

NDLEA Arrests Britain’s Wanted Fire Arms, Drug Suspect

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday said that it had arrested Britain’s most wanted fire arms and drug suspect. Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Ahmed Giade, said the suspect was arrested on September 13, in Lagos. The statement said the suspected fugitive, was apprehended by officers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) of the NDLEA during an intensive manhunt for him around the country. The NDLEA has a statutory mandate to partner with other countries and International organisations in the global fight against illicit drugs. The suspect, an indigene of the Lancaster area, in the UK, is wanted by the Operation Greengage Team for his alleged involvement in the importation of cocaine, cannabis, firearms and ammunition into the UK from Amsterdam.

14 Teenage Sex Workers Arrested in Ogun State

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested 14 teenagers, who were allegedly forced into prostitution. It was learnt that the girls, who were arrested during a raid on a brothel, Temiogbe, in Akute area of the state, are between the ages of 13 and 20. Spokesperson for the command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, an assistant superintendent of police, disclosed that the brothel not only harboured commercial sex workers but also served as a hideout for hoodlums in the area.

WAEC Supervisors, Invigilators for Arrested for Exam Malpractice

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) have arrested some supervisors of the West African Examination Council, WAEC, following their involvement in examination malpractices. The arrest of the supervisors and invigilators in Ogun state was facilitated by information provided by the National Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps (NAVC). The ICPC spokesman, Folu Olamiti, who confirmed the incident, explained that the NAVC following a tip off had intercepted a WAEC/GCE supervisor and three invigilators at the Anglican Comprehensive High School, Ikoto, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State in the course of extorting money from candidates writing the on-going WAEC/GCE examinations.

Bloody Clash Claims 2 Lives in Lagos

At least two persons have been killed and about 15 others injured during a clash between rival groups in Amukoko area of Lagos State. The fight, which occurred between the hoodlums at Matono and Apasa Streets respectively, later spread to Alaba-Oro area. Many shops in the area were looted. It was gathered that the incident began last weekend after Matono Street youths allegedly went to burgle a shop on Apasa Street and the irate youths in the area caught one of them and almost killed him before policemen rescued him. The Matono youths stormed Apasa area on revenge mission, while hoodlums from other areas also joined in the looting. The Lagos state police spokesman, Samuel Jinadu, also confirmed that the State Government had compensated the two police families whose members died in active duty in the metropolis, with the issuance of cheques to the bereaved families.

Hospital Raises Alarm over Spread of Cholera in Oyo

The authorities of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday, warned that there was potent fear of major outbreak of cholera in the state, if actions were not taken fast to stem it. The UCH authorities also claimed that they recorded about 40 to 50 suspected cases, with 20 confirmed through laboratory tests. A member of the medical team, Mr Olusegun Fashina, said the samples reflected that all the zones within the state were affected at present. He described the cholera situation in the state as “very, very severe.” He expressed worries that if such a high number of cases could be recorded at the teaching hospital alone, several others would be elsewhere where they could not get treatment to prevent them from infecting others with the bacteria.

Ogun CP Consoles Robbery Victims

The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Mr. Nicholas Nkemdeme, on Tuesday, paid a visit to the State Hospital Ijaye, Abeokuta to sympathise with members of staff and patients who were robbed of their valuables in the hospital penultimate Sunday. Nkemdeme re-assured them of his readiness to beef up security in the hospital and the entire state. The police boss also advised the management of the hospital to circulate the distress call numbers of the command to all members of staff. He urged members of the hospital community to be more security conscious by putting up measures that would prevent hoodlums from gaining access to the hospital’s premises, adding that uniformed and plain cloth policemen would be deployed to the hospital and other ones for their effective protection.

Police, Customs Seek Collaboration to Check Crime

The Ogun state Commissioner of Police, Nicholas Nkemdeme, and the Comptroller of the state’s command of the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS), Oteri Richard, have called for collaboration between the two agencies to tackle the spate of insecurity, including cross-border banditry in the state. This was part of the resolutions reached when the Customs boss visited Nkemdeme at the state police command headquarters on Monday. The customs boss stressed that both the police and customs were interconnected, adding that they needed to work together for adequate security of the state. The police commissioner, who commended the Customs boss for his visit, also urged the agency to collaborate with the Police with a view to surmounting cross-border banditry.

Man Held for Stealing Gun Abandoned Gun

A youth simply identified as Gbenga has been apprehended by the police over the theft of a gun allegedly abandoned by suspected robbers in a taxi cab in Ondo town. Items found an axe, two laptops, a single barrel gun with one live cartridge, 10 GSM handsets, a face mask and a driver's license in the trunk of the car. It was learnt that the occupants of the cab fled to evade arrest on sighting the police. Police sources said that efforts to unravel the perpetrators of the crime yielded dividends when Gbenga, who was alleged to have stolen one of the guns in the abandoned taxi cab was apprehended by the police, and he was unable to give satisfactory account of ownership items found on him including N25000 cash, jewelry, a compact disc and six different brands of handsets.

GENERAL

Gunmen Attack Police Station, Kill 6 Policemen, Civilian

Unknown gunmen on Monday afternoon attacked the divisional police station at Misau in Misau LGA of Bauchi State, and a commercial bank, AfriBank Plc, killing six policemen on duty as well as a civilian. The gunmen, it was gathered threw an explosive at the police station, leading to explosion and the death of the five policemen on duty before they successfully broke into the bank from where a huge sum of money was carted away. A top official of the LGA disclosed that the gunmen invaded the town at about 3:00p.m, shooting sporadically before they attacked the police station and bank, adding that many people were injured in the attack as a result of gunshot injuries. The council official said that five policemen were killed at the station, while the sixth policeman and the civilian were killed on the bank premises during the attack. The Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Mr Ayo Ikechuwkwu Aduba, confirmed the incident.

President Orders Military to Take over Security in Jos

Following the unending bloodletting in Jos, Plateau state, President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin, to take over full charge of security matters in the State. But Presidency sources maintained that the order was not a backdoor declaration of a state of emergency. Over 100 persons have been killed in the last two weeks following a dispute over the venue of Eid prayers by an Islamic sect after the Ramadan. Thousands of lives have also been lost in the crises spanning over a decade.

Insecurity: Catholic Bishops Accuse FG of Negligence

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) Sunday accused the Federal Government of mishandling the Boko Haram issue, which it said, had culminated in the rising incidence of bomb attacks and killing of innocent Nigerians. The President of the Conference, Archbishop Felix Alaba Job, said SSS had in the last five years been monitoring the activities of the Boko Haram sect yet the federal government had failed to do anything meaningful. Also, the Kogi State Command of the State Security Services (SSS) has said it had commenced the interrogation of a 21-year-old undergraduate, Mr. James Shadrach, over his alleged membership of the Boko Haram sect.

Navy Trains Officers in Handling of Small Arms

The Nigerian Navy has begun the upgrade of the skills of its officers to enable to them respond effectively to the security challenges in the country. It was gathered that the training, which began last weekend at Naifor Island in Warri, Delta State was to “hone the marksmanship and the shooting ability of officers and provide a platform for selecting top firers.” It was also learnt that as part of the moves to beef up security around the Western Naval Command, some “capital ships in Lagos,” were already being “calibrated,” preparatory for their movements to Warri, while the command is expecting a ship “ENS Thunder” that would be able to accommodate naval helicopters. The Commanding Officer, Commodore Henry Babalola, said the command would continue to tackle threats to the oil fields in the Niger Delta.

FG Hunts Pro-Gaddafi Fighters in North

Fighters loyal to ousted Libyan leader, Col. Moammar Gaddafi, may be in Nigeria and the Federal Government is hunting for them, reports have revealed. The Gaddafi men reportedly crossed to the country on Thursday night through the Nigerian border with Niger Republic, which also shares a border with Libya. It was disclosed that the FG had ordered the security agencies to fish out the fighters, who would be handed over to the new government in Libya, if found. Media reports, last week, indicated that the Libyans, fleeing from the Special Forces unit of the French Foreign Legion and their British counterparts, entered Katsina State. But the security forces were reportedly searching beyond Katsina.

Kano Donates Operational Vehicles to Security Agencies

In its efforts to surmount the prevailing security challenges in the country, the Kano State Government at the weekend donated 55 Toyota Hilux double-cabin vans to all the security agencies in the state to assist them in crime fighting. Of the 55 vehicles, the Nigeria Police received 44, while the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, the State Security Services (SSS), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) got one each. While presenting the vehicles to the beneficiaries at the Government House, the state Governor, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, explained that though it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide logistics for the various security agencies, his administration decided to assist the agencies so as to facilitate the effective discharge of their statutory functions.

8 Suspected Boko Haram Members Arraigned in Court

The Federal Government, on Tuesday, charged eight suspected Boko Haram members for felony before an Abuja Magistrate’s Court. The eight are suspected to be among those who bombed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office on the eve of the Aprils general elections; the bombing of All Christians Fellowship Church, Suleja; bombing of political rally in Suleja, Niger State, as well as, the bombing of Dkana Village in Bwari Area Council, Abuja. In all, 25 people were killed, with several others sustaining varying degrees of injuries. Seven of them pleaded not guilty to the charges except the fourth accused, Ahmed Hassan Ezemakor, who owned up on the level of his conspiracy in the dastardly act.

FG Tightens Security at Oil Export Terminals

Security has been beefed up at strategic oil export terminals and several other oilfields following intelligence reports that terrorists are planning to launch serial attacks on industry installations in the country. Security sources said Tuesday that military and police high commands had directed that more security personnel be assigned on surveillance around all the export terminals to forestall any form of attacks that could cripple oil exports. Nigeria’s crude oil reserves, which stood at 35 billion barrels, dropped to 32 billion at the height of the crisis in the region.

Four Killed in Maiduguri

Four persons were on Monday night murdered by suspected Boko Haram members at a local drinking joint in Maiduguri, Borno state. Those killed in the attack which occurred at Jajeri area of Maiduguri metropolis, according to a witness, were the manager of the joint, the bar attendant and two others who had come to cool off. It was gathered that a few days before the Monday attack, a warning had been issued through informal sources by the group that the whole neighbourhood should be vacated as it had been marked for an assault. The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Simeon Midenda, confirmed the incident and added that the place had since been cordoned off in order to protect lives and property.

Security Chiefs Summoned over Boko Haram

The Seventh Senate resumed on Tuesday with the leadership setting the agenda for what to expect from the lawmakers. This is as the House of Representatives summoned security chiefs over acts of terrorism in the country. Senate President David Mark listed amendments to the Constitution and Electoral Act 2010 as the priority areas. Security chiefs for the third time this year were summoned for a closed-door session in a bid to proffer solutions to the spate of bombings by Boko Haram and the killings in Jos. The proposed Constitution amendment, according to Mark, would touch on state police, revenue formula, power, state creation and abolition of joint state and local government accounts.

Jonathan Sacks NDDC Board

President Goodluck Jonathan has dissolved the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim announced the dissolution on Tuesday. According to Anyim, the President has also directed the Managing Director and other members of the Executive of the Commission to hand over all the commission’s property in their possession to the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Mrs Osaro Areyenka with immediate effect. The dissolution follows the conclusion of the assignment of the Presidential Committee to look into the problems facing the NDDC and subsequent submission of the report of the Committee.

Security Operatives Begin Search of Vehicles in Abuja

As part of its crime prevention and control strategies to keep the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja safe and secure from the Boko Haram menace, the FCT Police Command has embarked on “Operation Velvet”, an exercise aimed at curbing the excesses of reckless driving, unlawful use of siren, revolving lights, indiscriminate use of unregistered vehicles and vehicles with expired documents and covered registration number plates and influx of unwanted persons and security threats to the FCT. The FCT Commissioner of Police, Mike Zuokumor, announced that the ministerial ban on the use of commercial tricycles and motorcycles in prohibited areas and misuse of public highways by drivers and other road users would be strictly enforced.

Fresh Alert over Suicide Bombers

Security alert heightened in Abuja last weekend over the alleged infiltration of three bombs-laden vehicles by Boko Haram. Sources said their targets are the aviation industry, among other public places. There are also fears that the security agencies may have been infiltrated as well. Details of the vehicles, including their makes and registration numbers, have been circulated among the various security agencies in the country for their possible arrest. The security agencies have also taken steps to flush out streets traders in the FCT, especially along the Nyanya/Mararaba/ Keffi Road, following security reports that the Boko Haram men plan to use the traders to attack locations in the satellite towns.

EFCC Arrests Cleric over $44,000 Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday arrested a catholic priest, Rev.Fr. Remigius Onyelu, for allegedly defrauding an Abuja based business woman, Mrs. Ijeoma Ugwah, of $44,000. The priest was said to have conspired with her younger sister, simply identified as Princess Ebere David, to obtain the money from the victim under the guise of helping her to process university education for her daughter in Canada. The priest was said to have claimed he had been on pastoral assignment in Canada for 15 years. Two years after making the payments, the victim discovered that she has fallen into the hand of a scammer, who hides under his pastoral duties, to scam unsuspecting parents seeking admission for their children in Canada. EFCC spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest of the priest.

INTERNATIONAL

82 Bodies Recovered after Kenya Fuel Fire

At least 82 bodies have been recovered after a fuel pipeline exploded in a densely populated Nairobi slum, Kenya Police spokesman, Charles Owino, disclosed. The blast, on Monday morning, flattened homes, reduced some bodies to dust and forced a massive evacuation of the area amid fears that big pools of leaked fuel could ignite, police and Kenya Red Cross officials said. The fire may have erupted as a group of people were siphoning fuel from the pipeline in the Sinai slum, officials said. Authorities set up counseling centers at a stadium in the city as hospital officials made an urgent appeal for blood, saying that many of those admitted to Nairobi hospitals suffered extensive burns and would require blood transfusions to survive.

Pro-Gaddafi Fighters Kill 15 at Oil Refinery

Loyalists to ousted Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, attacked an oil refinery on Monday, killing 15 guards. Witnesses said the assailants damaged the front gate of the refinery, but not the plant itself, which is not fully operational. About 60 workers were at the refinery at the time of the attack, according to one of two wounded survivors. Refinery worker Ramadan Abdel Qader, who was shot in the foot, said gunmen in 14 or 15 trucks, had come from the direction of the Gaddafi-held coastal city of Sirte. The assault occurred only hours after Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) announced that it had resumed some oil production, which had been all but halted since anti-Gaddafi protests turned into civil war in March.

Five Children Killed in Attack on Pakistani Bus

Gunmen have ambushed a school bus near the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing at least five children, police say. The driver was also killed and 19 other children were wounded. So far no group has said it carried out the attack. This is the first time a school bus has been targeted. However, militants have attacked civilian targets to punish residents in the area for not supporting them. The bus is thought to belong to a private school in Matani and was taking children back to a village after lessons. One report said that those who were killed were aged between 9 and 14.

Police in China Seize Tons of Recycled Oil

Chinese police have detained 32 people in a nationwide crackdown on "gutter oil," or old kitchen oil that has been illegally recycled, authorities said on Tuesday. The campaign is part of an effort to clean up China's food safety record following several scandals, including deadly infant formula and pork tainted with clenbuterol, a banned chemical harmful to humans. The Ministry of Public Security said that police had seized 100 tons (90 metric tons) of the potentially harmful oil in 14 provinces. It said six workshops were closed, including one operated by Jinan Green Bio Oil Co., a business that claimed to be turning kitchen oil into fuel but that was actually churning out recycled cooking oil that it passed off as new.

America Marks 10th Memorial of 9/11

Americans, last weekend, remembered the horror of September 11, 2001, and the nearly 3,000 people who died in the hijacked plane attacks as authorities worked to ensure the emotional 10th anniversary was peaceful. Law enforcement authorities in New York and Washington were on high alert against what was described as a "credible but unconfirmed" threat of an al Qaeda plot to attack the United States (U.S.) again a decade after the toppling of the World Trade Centre's (WTC) twin towers by hijacked airliners. Security was especially tight in Manhattan, where the police set up vehicle checks on city streets as well as bridges and tunnels coming into the city.

UN Urges Yemen to Stop Attacks on Civilians

The United Nations called on Yemen's government on Tuesday to halt deadly attacks on peaceful demonstrators, warning that civil war could erupt in one of the poorest Arab countries. Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured in unrest this year in Yemen, many due to the excessive use of force by security forces, according to reports. The report by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay called on Yemen's government to "take immediate action to end attacks against civilians and civilian targets by security forces," including their use of live ammunition on crowds.

Troops Kill Insurgents in Kabul Gun Battle

Afghan forces have killed the last insurgents who attacked the US embassy, NATO headquarters and police buildings in Kabul, after a 20-hour stand-off. The Afghan authorities say a multi-storey building where the gunmen were holed up has now been cleared. Officials say at least seven people, including four policemen, were killed as well as nine of the insurgents. The attack, the most complex in Kabul to date, comes as US and other foreign forces begin to withdraw their troops. The US embassy said none of its staff members was among the casualties, but NATO has confirmed six International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) personnel were injured. The Taliban said it was behind the attack, although Afghan officials blamed the Haqqani network, an insurgent group linked to the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Nine Die in India Train Collision

A passenger train rammed into a waiting train in southern India, killing nine people and leaving dozens injured, officials said. At least 60 passengers onboard the stationary train were injured, according to railway spokesman, Anil Kumar Saxena. The accident happened Tuesday at a stop sign in Tamil Nadu state.  Emergency crews have rescued all the survivors trapped in the wrecked carriages, he said. India's massive rail network, used by hundreds of thousands of passengers daily, has a poor safety record. Official figures show 100 train accidents occurred in India in the 2009-10 fiscal year and 115 in 2008-09.

4 Die in China Ax Attack

A man hacked four people to death with an ax in eastern China on Wednesday, authorities said. The attack took place in Gongyi city when a 30-year-old man, Wang Hongbin, allegedly began hacking people on the street, according to the International Information Office. Police have Wang in custody. The dead include three adults and one child. Two others were seriously injured.

UK Police Raid Suspected Slave Camp

British investigators arrested 5 questioning suspects after police rescued 24 men that they said were kept as slaves for as long as 15 years. The Police in London arrested five suspects alleging that they lured the men to a trailer park with promises of food and shelter, then threatened them with violence and forced them into hard labor. The men, who lived in squalid conditions in the town of Leighton Buzzard, were on the verge of starvation, with no electricity, no running water, according to Detective Chief Inspector Sean O'Neil of Bedfordshire Police. Tips from other alleged victims who had managed to escape the site led to a lengthy investigation that culminated in Sunday's raid, police said. A new anti-slavery law passed last year in Britain means that anyone convicted of holding a person in servitude can spend up to 14 years in prison.

US to Help Nigerians, Others in Libya

United States has expressed its concern about arbitrary detention and abuse of sub-Saharan African migrants and refugees in Libya, and said it was working with international partners to facilitate safe passage for foreign nationals that wish to leave the country. Over 200 Nigerians are believed to be among hundreds of others that are being held in various detention cells by fighters of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) on suspicion of working as mercenaries for Muammar Gaddafi, the deposed Libyan leader.  Their detention has also raised allegations of racism because most of the people being held are black Africans. The Department of States Spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, however, welcomed NTC's assurances of commitment to safeguard the well-being of individuals throughout Libya and to cooperate with international agencies in identifying and assisting those detained or at risk of being detained.

Fresh Clashes Kill 12 in Yemeni City

Fighting between the Yemeni army and militants in and around a southern provincial capital of Zinjibar killed 12 people on Wednesday. An army official said seven militants and one soldier were killed in a suburb of Zinjibar, which the army last week recaptured from Islamist fighters suspected of links to al Qaeda. Four more militants were killed in another part of Zinjibar. The United States and Saudi Arabia fear lawlessness in Yemen's south will embolden militants to launch strikes on the region and beyond. Opponents of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, have accused him of exaggerating the al Qaeda threat or even manipulating militants as a ruse to scare the US and Saudi Arabia into backing him. Saleh is holding onto power despite international pressure to quit and months of protests against his 33-year rule.

Ex-Secret Service Chief Jailed for Murder in Colombia

Colombia's Supreme Court, on Wednesday, sentenced a former secret service chief who served under ex-president Alvaro Uribe to 25 years in prison on various charges, including the murder of a university professor. The court declared Jorge Noguera, the former director of the DAS, a domestic intelligence agency, guilty of aggravated conspiracy and homicide in the death of Alfredo Correa de Andreis, a professor and activist. Assailants gunned down Correa and his bodyguard on September 17, 2004. The shooters were members of the Self Defence Units of Colombia (AUC), a right-wing paramilitary group. The DAS has been repeatedly accused of harbouring paramilitary fighters and of illegally wire-tapping the telephones of magistrates, politicians and journalists critical of Uribe.

Heavy Rains, Flooding Leave 226 Dead in Pakistan

Heavy rains and flooding in Pakistan's southeastern Sindh province have killed some 226 people in the last 30 over the past month, the National Disaster Management Authority said Tuesday. The dead include 34 children and 59 women, said an agency summary. In all, 5.3 million people have been affected by the flooding, and 1.19 million homes have been damaged, the authority said. Meteorological conditions indicate that a strong weather system is developing over central parts of India that would cause widespread heavy rains in Pakistan during the coming week, according to a weather advisory posted on the disaster agency's web site. The United Nations has arrangements to provide relief materials to half a million people for the next month in Sindh. Aid is also flowing in from other countries.

UN Probes Syria Crimes

The United Nations (UN), on Monday, named a three-member panel of international experts to investigate human rights violations including possible crimes against humanity since anti-government protests began in Syria in March. Sergio Pinheiro of Brazil will lead the commission of inquiry, which the U.N. Human Rights Council agreed to set up last month to probe arbitrary executions, excessive use of force and killings. At least 2,600 people have been reported killed in the pro-democracy demonstrations, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday.

Gunmen Kill 20 Shi'ite Pilgrims

Gunmen killed 20 Iraqi Shi'ite pilgrims in the mainly Sunni western province of Anbar on Monday, an Interior Ministry source said. According to Reuters, the source said the pilgrims, who were travelling in a bus to Syria, were shot at a checkpoint set up by the gunmen. Similarly, a suicide bomb and gun attack took place in Afghan capital, Kabul, with a string of blasts targeting the US embassy and NATO's ISAF headquarters. Gunmen were holed up in a partly-built high-rise building nearby, exchanging sporadic gunfire with police.  The Taliban say that they are behind the attack.

Two Plead Guilty in Ugandan Bomb Trial

Two suspects in Uganda pleaded guilty on Tuesday to involvement in the July 2010 bombings that killed at least 76 people, while 12 other suspects rejected all charges including murder and terrorism. A total of 14 suspects are being tried for the attacks. Twelve among them charged with murder denied the accusation. Two others face lesser charges. The suspects include seven Kenyans, six Ugandans and one Tanzanian. Twin suicide bombers struck bars in Kampala where people had gathered to watch the World Cup final on July 11 last year. The attacks were claimed by Somalia's Al-Qaeda-inspired Shebab rebels in revenge for Ugandan military involvement in the African Union's force protecting the Somali government.

UN, US Flay Maltreatment of Nigerians, Others in Libya

The government of the United States (U.S.) and the United Nations (UN) have condemned the unlawful arrest, detention and killings of Nigerians and other black Africans in Libya. Both the UN and the U.S. are calling for an end to the maltreatment, which has become more intensified since the onslaught on Tripoli by the rebel forces of the Libya National Transitional Council (NTC). It was observed that many of the Africans being maltreated are migrants and refugees, while some Libyans are being victimised based on the colour of their skin. The National Transitional Council (NTC’s) has assured of its commitment to safeguard the well-being of individuals in Libya.