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Latest News: Training and recruitment is ongoing - Wednesday, 02 March 2011 22:54

week 24

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

16 Killed as Security Operatives Clampdown on MASSOB

A combined team of the police, army and other security operatives, on Tuesday killed about 16 members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and injured 83 others as they raided the offices of the group in Onitsha and environs, Anambra State. Over 500 members of the group, including women were also arrested during the raid. The MASSOB National Director of Information, Uchenna Madu, declared that the raid on their offices by the security operatives was unwarranted and provocative. He urged the immediate and unconditional release of all its members that were arrested. The Anambra State Police spokesman, Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the operation. However, an Onitsha Magistrate’s’ Court, on Wednesday granted bail to 50 members of MASSOB that were arrested and arraigned on a two counts charge of conspiracy and unlawful possession of fire arms.

Journalist Kidnapped in Imo, as Abducted Doctor is Released

An editor with the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), Chief Ndubuizu Ugorji, was, on Tuesday kidnapped in front of the IBC staff quarters, Orji. The kidnappers have reportedly demanded for N5m as ransom for his release. Journalists have condemned the act and appealed to the security agencies to increase security around media houses. Meantime, Dr Adebowale Saddiq, the Medical Director of Mount Arafat Hospital, Nsukka in Enugu State, who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen, penultimate Saturday, has been released. Enugu state police spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the release of the medical doctor. Meanwhile, a tailor, identified as Igwebuike, was shot dead at Ofulonu Road, in Nsukka same day the doctor was kidnapped. It was gathered that armed men were robbing the compound where Igwebuike’s lived. It was gathered that on hearing cries of his neighbours, he came out to ascertain what was wrong and was killed in the process.

Gunmen Abduct Imo Trader

A trader in the building materials market in Owerri North LGA of Imo State was abduction, penultimate Thursday by unidentified gunmen. The victim, Mazi Bertram Nwosu, was trailed to his warehouse by the gunmen. It was gathered that the kidnappers pretended to be customers and waited for the right time to strike. They shot severally into the air and people, who were around the vicinity, quickly scampered for safety. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Sam Oodee, denied knowledge of the kidnap but assured that the Command is prepared to tackle crimes.

Widow Slain at Home

A 60-year-old widow, Mary Agada, has been brutally murdered in her home in Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo State. The crime was not discovered immediately, and her 35-year-old son, who was still at large, is suspected in the crime. Her death was discovered after villagers noticed her absence and her door was securely locked from outside. The villager said “the sudden disappearance of mother and son, heightened our suspicion and started digging into the mystery”. According to reports, when her door was opened, her lifeless body was seen lying in a pool of blood, while the blood-soaked knife was also abandoned in the room by her assailant. It was gathered from some villagers before this sad development, that the deceased had appealed in vain to her son to stop hard drugs business. The Police have promised thorough investigation into the incident.

JTF Arrests 17 Suspected Oil Theives, Destroys 3 Boats in Port Harcourt

Men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Thursday, arrested about 17 persons suspected to be involved in illegal oil bunkering during a raided on the Borokiri shoreline in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State. The JTF also destroyed three boats and 30 drums containing illegally refined products. A resident of the waterfront said that most of people arrested by the JTF were not involved in the illegal business. She stated that most of the people, especially youths who were involved in the illegal oil bunkering ran away from the waterfront before the arrival of the security agents, and appealed to the security outfit to release the arrested persons. Spokesman of Sector Two of the JTF, Captain Sunny Samuel, confirmed the raid.

Money Laundering: Court Grants Sylva Bail

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva bail in the sum of N100m. Justice Adamu Bello also ordered him to produce a surety in like sum. Bello stated that the said surety must be a resident of the Federal Capital Territory with a landed property in the FCT. Sylva was also ordered to submit his passport to the court. Adamu adjourned the case till September 19 for tentative date of trial. Sylva was on Tuesday remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after he was arraigned for six counts of money laundering and advance fee fraud amounting to about N6.4bn while he served as governor from 2007 to 2012. The former governor pleaded not guilty to the charges.

One Killed in Awka Building Collapse

One person was killed on Wednesday in Awka, Anambra State when a multi-storey building under construction collapsed. Four persons remained trapped under the rubble of the building located off the Miracle Junction along the Ifite –UNIZIK road. Students, who live around the area, laboured with diggers and spades to remove the rubble to rescue the trapped workers. Emergency Management Agency operatives were not at the scene. Efforts by students to get a major construction company in the city to come for the rescue operation failed as the company refused to release their equipment to assist with the rescue operation.

Abia Donates 25 Vehicles to Army

Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, on Wednesday, presented 25 patrol vans to the Nigerian Army and tasked the soldiers to use the vehicles to beef up security in the state. The governor charged the Army to stop illegal bunkering and acts of vandalism against oil pipelines in the state, which he stated, had put Abia’s economy in danger. The governor, who handed over the vans to Commander, 14 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Ohafia, Brig.-Gen. Jubrin Tanko Abubakar, assured that the state would soon extend the gesture to other security agencies. Abubakar thanked the governor for boosting the Army’s logistics and pledged that the vans would be used to curb crimes in the state.

Bridge Collapses in Enugu, Thousands Cut-Off from Town

A 37-year-old bridge linking Abakpa Nike with the rest of Enugu state collapsed during a heavy rainfall on Wednesday, disconnecting thousands of residents from the capital city. The bridge, said to have been built in 1975, did not show any sign of threat before its sudden collapse on Wednesday night. No causality was, however, recorded. The Enugu State government had deployed a construction company to the location, while the bridge had been barricaded with security men keeping vigil at the place.

NSCDC Parades 8 for Selling Fake Products

Eight suspects including one female, believed to be dealers in fake and adulterated products were, Thursday, paraded by the Abia State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC). The Command also impounded fake consumer products at a warehouse in Eziukwu Cemetery Market, Aba. The impounded products include Insecticide and assorted alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Handing over the suspects and the fake products to National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the state Commandant of NSCDC, Nathaniel Ubong, said the suspects were apprehended by his men following a tip off. According to him, his men met very hostile environment during the raid forcing them to retreat.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Army Arrests 58 Suspected Oil Thieves

Fifty-eight suspected criminals, including alleged operators of illegal refineries and some unrepentant militants in Edo and Delta States, were Monday paraded by the Brigade Commander of the 4th Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin City, Brig-Gen. Abel Umahi. Umahi disclosed that men of the Anti-Crime Joint Patrol also destroyed more than two thousand illegal refineries in the states. Some of the suspects were alleged to be involved in armed robbery, illegal oil theft and kidnapping. He disclosed that they were able to achieve success in battling the criminals due to intelligence reports and the assistance of both the Edo and Delta state governments. According to him, the sophistication of some of the weapons captured from the criminals, including an anti-aircraft missile, machine gun bullets, dynamite and electricity cable wires, five AK 47 rifles, six magazines, one Mark 4 rifle, live cartridges, hammers and cutters, were shocking.

Community Calls for Military Presence over Terrorism

A riverine community in Ovia North East LGA of Edo State has cried out to the federal government and security agencies to come to their rescue owing to the activities of some ex-militants allegedly terrorizing them. They called on the Federal Government to establish a military presence in their community which has been under attack by ex-militants that are re-arming themselves, using monies being paid to them under the Federal Government Amnesty Programme to acquire arms and ammunitions.

Customs Destroy Banned Poultry Products in Warri

Banned poultry products estimated at over N57 million seized by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), were on Wednesday night set ablaze at the Warri Ports in Delta State. Three suspects were arrested in connection with the illegal importation by a Warri-based company, Chalisco West African Company. Operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service, from the Federal Operations Unit, Zone C, in conjunction with their counterparts from the Delta/Edo Area Command, acting on a tip-off stormed the warehouse, where the products were kept last Monday, and sealed the place.

1 Killed, 5 Injured as Building Collapses in Benin City

A three-storey building housing the state-owned Central Hospital, which is under construction, Monday collapsed, trapping two persons, and killing an Italian worker in Benin-City, Edo State. But the state government said the collapsed building occurred as a result of the fact that one of the cranes collided with a freshly constructed beam, affecting a section of the multi-storey structure. Five other members of staff of the construction firm, NCI Construction Company, who were also said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries, were immediately rushed to hospital’s accident and emergency ward for medical attention. Commissioner for Works, Francis Evboumwan, said the Italian, who was the project manager, was a worker with Sincies Chimentin Ltd, the construction company handling the project.

Driver, Security Guard Arrested over Threat to Kidnap

A driver to a clergy man in Benin City has been arrested for allegedly plotting to kidnap his boss.  The clergy reportedly received threat messages to pay N2 million or be kidnapped. Luck, however, ran out of the syndicate when the police arrested one Iyoto Emmanuel who attempted to collect the money where it was dropped at Uwasota area in Benin City. The arrested suspect was said to have named the driver identified as Ogie Omorotiomwan as the mastermind. Similarly, a security guard at a private, Chris Moses, was arrested for arranging the kidnapping of his boss, a businessman. Moses was also alleged to have stolen some personal effects of his boss and fled to Akwa Ibom after collecting the ransom. State Commissioner of Police, Olayinka Balogun, said the police trailed the suspect to Uyo where he was arrested.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Ex-Militant Accuses Security Operatives of Complicity in Crime

Leader of a repentant militant group in Ondo State, Bibopere Ajube, popularly known as ‘Shoot-on-Sight’ has accused some security operatives of supporting criminals terrorising residents in the area. Ajube noted that the high rate of kidnapping, sea piracy, and other criminal activities in the area was already taking dangerous dimension with the involvement of armed uniformed personnel. The ex-militant said his vigilance group had to seek the support of the Nigerian Army to arrest a group of unrepentant militants led by one Nelson Oweifa invaded one of the communities, penultimate Thursday. Meanwhile, Oweifa had denied being part of the people that invaded the community but confirmed that some of the members of the group that escaped had been involved in kidnapping and other violence activities in Edo State and Bayelsa State.

NIS Arrests Suspected Human Trafficker, 8 Victims

The Ogun State Command of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), on Wednesday, said it had intercepted an alleged human trafficker, Mrs Amosan Nimonta, who was reportedly trafficking eight Nigerians. She was arrested last weekend about 3am at Ajanlekoko, Idiroko border. The Command’s Comptroller, Mr Greene Anik’Nweze, said the victims aged between 20 and 29. He said items recovered were nine fake Nigerian passports, charms and luggage, adding that security measures introduced by NIS on the new passports had made it difficult for forgery. He further hinted that the victims and suspect would be handed over to National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP), for rehabilitation and prosecution respectively.

Police Rescue Abducted Teenager

The Ogun state Police Command, Wednesday, said that it had rescued a teenager from a six-man-gang of kidnappers who demanded N50 million as ransom from her parents. Police Commissioner, Okoye Ikemefuna, said that the incident occurred at Agbado Area of the state on Monday. It was gathered from the father of the victim that his daughter was kidnapped shortly after he asked her to check what was wrong with the generator. The teenager described her experience in the hands of kidnappers as terrible.

Insane Man Commits Suicide in Oyo
…Suspected Ritualist Burnt to Death

A 23-year-old man, Akande Waliyu, on Monday, committed suicide in Koso area, Iseyin LGA of Oyo State. The deceased, was reportedly suffering from mental insanity and was receiving treatment from a herbalist. The herbalist said the deceased was brought to him for mental care and had been responding positively for over a year. In another development, a middle-aged man was lynched and burnt to death on Monday evening by a mob for allegedly being in possession of human parts. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olabisi Okuwobi, who confirmed the incident, warned against people taken laws into their hands, saying that the police would not hesitate to charge people arrested for extra judicial killings in the state.

Students Remanded in Prison over Colleague’s Death

Two students of Osun State Polytechnic, Mufutau Saheed and Adeeko Olamilekan, have been remanded in prison by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for their alleged involvement in the killing of another student, Adeola Balogun. Saheed and Olamilekan, who are members of a paramilitary corps in the institution, were said to have suspected Balogun to be a member of a cult group. They allegedly arrested and tortured him with intent to compel him to confess his involvement in cultism. Other students arrested and tortured along with Balogun are said to be on danger list in hospital. The accused, who are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder, allegedly committed the offence with others now at large in the polytechnic. Magistrate Olusola Aluko refused the plea of the accused but ordered the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) to duplicate and forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice. He thereafter ordered that the accused be remanded in Ilesa prison and adjourned the case to July.

Police Arrest Suspected OPC Leader after Clash

Lagos State Police Command, on Tuesday, said it had arrested a suspected leader of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), over Monday’s attack on a congregation of Hausa in the Idi-Araba area of the state. The invaders allegedly attacked the worshippers with broken bottles, cutlasses and other weapons during their evening prayer. Residents of Idi-Araba fled their homes in fear. Spokesman for the Command, Joseph Jaiyeoba, who confirmed the arrest, added that policemen were on ground and patrolling the area while efforts were on to arrest the fleeing hoodlums. He said the arrested suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

GENERAL

Several Killed, Injured in Suicide Attack on Church

About 21 people were, penultimate Sunday, killed in a suicide attack on a Living Faith Church in Bauchi. The attacker was reportedly prevented from reaching his target by the security operatives but still went ahead to detonate the bomb in front of a nearby church, Harvestfield Church of Christ. The impact of the explosion made a part of Harvestfield Church of Christ to cave in while worshippers were still holding service, injuring many. The Boko Haram group claimed responsibility for the bomb attack. The statement also threatened journalists over what the statement described as biased stories about the sect’s actions. The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Mallam Mohammed Ladan, confirmed the attack, but said only 9 were killed.

Police Uncover Bomb in UNIJOS

The police in Plateau State on Monday confirmed that two bombs were discovered in the premises of a hostel at the University of Jos, penultimate Sunday. The Police Commissioner, Emmanuel Ayeni, said the officers were able to detonate one of the bombs while the second exploded, injuring no person. Ayeni said although the police had begun investigation, but no suspect had been arrested. He said the bombs were locally made, promising that the planters would be found and brought to judgment. He called on students and members of the university community to go about their normal activities as the police were on top of the situation.

Nigeria to Deploy Over 800 Soldiers to Dafur

The Nigerian Army is set to deploy 805 soldiers to Dafur, Sudan for peace-keeping through the UN peace keeping mission.  General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Jacob Minimah, warned the fresh peacekeepers to stay away from acts that might soil the country’s reputation while deployed abroad for peacekeeping. Minimah added that the Nigerian Army will not accept situation where its troops are disarmed. However, he warned that they would not accept any form of abuse rendered to the soldiers, and Nigeria reserves the right to protect and also take legal action. He charged the soldiers to defend themselves during the peace- keeping Mission against assaults and abuse. The Commandant, Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Major General JS Zaruwa commended the NIBATT 35 for providing the 805 soldiers and confirmed them suitable for operation.

Jonathan Vows to Carry out Thorough Probe on Plane Crash

An official of Dana Airline, said the management of the airline knew that the plane was faulty before takeoff but still went ahead to fly it. This was corroborated by two officials of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA), who argued that the airline should be charged with murder because “the particular aircraft had history of technical problems which both the airline and regulatory agencies were aware of. The staff alleged that the Indian owners of the airline insisted that the plane must fly, when it should have been returned to Lagos for further repair as it has had persistent history of faults with its hydraulics in recent times. President Goodluck Jonathan, Monday, promised serious investigations into the cause of the crash. He assured Nigerians that government would do its best to ensure that the aviation sector was safe in line with international best practices.

Plane Crash: Dana Air Grounded

The Federal Government has suspended the operating license of Dana Airlines following last weekend’s crash that claimed over 160 lives, including tenants of a residential building. The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has also concluded plans to send a team of investigators to the United States with the recovered Flight Data Recorder (FDR), also known as the “Black Box”, for further analysis. The captain of the ill-fated Dana flight was said to have complained about engine problems and requested emergency landing but could not make it to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State. It crashed on a two-storey building at Iju-Ishaga, Agege area of the state. Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, on Tuesday, confirmed the suspension of the license of Dana Airlines.

JTF Kills 16 Suspected Boko Haram Members in Raid

The Joint Task Force (JTF) has killed at least 16 suspected members of the Boko Haram sect in an overnight gun battle in Maiduguri, Borno State in a searched through the sect’s enclaves in the city. Members of the group allegedly resisted the onslaught leading to the gun battle on Tuesday. Many residents of the city fled, for fear of being caught in the crossfire. The JTF moved to dislodge the sect’s members after receiving threats that soldiers and security agents would be attacked. Witnesses, however, said civilians were hit by stray rounds. Meanwhile, a retired deputy inspector-general of police (DIG), Mr Abubakar Saleh Ningi, has been killed in Kano by yet-to-be identified gunmen. Reports said the retired DIG and three police aides were allegedly killed by gunmen at Kawaji-Dakata.

IGP Names New CPs for 5 States, Redeploys 54 Officers

The acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Abubakar, has named new commissioners of police for five states, as part of the ongoing restructuring in the force. The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba said by the posting, Mallam Mamman Sule became the new Commissioner of Police for Ebonyi State, Danladi Mshebwala for Ondo State, Patrick Egbuniwe for Yobe State, Ibrahim Maishanu for Taraba State and Sontonye Wakama for Ekiti State. Mba said a general breakdown of the reshuffle showed that altogether, 57 senior officers were affected. The officers comprised 15 commissioners of police; 22 deputy commissioners and 20 assistant commissioners.

Lawmakers Direct Immediate Airworthiness Checks on Aircrafts

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, directed that immediate air-worthiness checks must be conducted on all aircraft flying domestic routes in Nigeria. It also asked the Committee on Aviation of the National Assembly to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the Dana airlines plane crash in Lagos. The House resolution noted that “the Dana Air crash might be indicative of a greater rot in the aviation industry, which could portend more danger ahead.”

Patrol Team Nabs Man with 87 Bullets

A security patrol team, on Wednesday, arrested a middle-aged man near Abuja with 87 rounds of AK47 ammunition strapped to his thighs. Two magazines each of 30 rounds of ammunition and 27 extra were strapped with masking tape inside his trousers, said military and mobile police officers who arrested him. The man was picked up at a military checkpoint along Abuja-Keffi expressway, when the car he was traveling in was stopped for a routine security check. Officers became suspicious as the man nervously asked them to quickly check the car boot and wave them through. The officers said the suspect admitted he was transporting the ammunitions on behalf of an unnamed man in Niger Republic to be delivered to another man based in Abuja. Officials suspect the man is involved in a weapon-running operation for possible robberies.

Police Arrest Suspected Cultists In Makurdi,

The Benue State police command has arrested about 100 suspected cultists in Makurdi. The arrests followed several cult-related killings in parts of the city. Sources revealed that most of the suspects were arrested in Wadata, Wurukum and North Bank as well as Logo One and Two areas of the town. It was gathered that the police had begun thorough screening of those apprehended during the special operation. The Police Public Relations Officer, Philip Agena, confirmed that the Police had commenced raids on hideouts of criminals and cultists in Makurdi town, explaining that it was a routine exercise of the force.

Priest Found Dead in Benue Bush

A priest with Methodist Church, Otukpa, Benue State, Reverend Michael Ejeh, was found dead in a bush on Monday morning, some metres away from a church he had visited the previous day for prayers and deliverance services. Wife of the deceased, Charity Ejeh, told that her husband suffered from hypertension and had gone to a deliverance ministry owned by Prophet Moses Ujah at Odebe and met his death there. A source disclosed that Rev. Ejeh was allegedly found tied to a tree some metres away from Prophet Ujah’s church where he was said to have gone to the bush to ease himself.

Bomb Kills Man in Maiduguri

One person was killed in Maiduguri, Borno state, when a bomb killed detonated on Friday morning. The army said victim was a suspected Boko Haram member trying to plant the explosive device. Residents however said they thought he was a drug addict living in the vicinity, who had been trying to find out what was in the bag.

Customs Comptroller Arrested for Gun-Running

Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Mr Jack Bot, was, on Thursday, arrested by men of the Nigeria Police force for alleged gun-running while on official duty in Niger State. The Comptroller in the Inspectorate Division of the Service was fingered in an on-going investigation into illegal procurement of weapons from the Police armoury. Also, another junior officer, Shehu Ahmed, who worked with Jack as his orderly in Minna who is alleged to have been an accomplice in the crime was also handed over to the Police.

Lebanese Kidnapped in Benue

A Lebanese working with Rock Bridge Construction Company, Mohammed Dhabre, was, on Wednesday, kidnapped by unknown men on the company’s premises in Benue State. According to a witness, about 10 gunmen stormed the site and started shooting into the air to scare away people. As people scampered for safety, Dhabre was picked up and hoarded into their waiting Nissan bus, before they sped off. The Otukpo police area commander, Samuel Darakoji, who confirmed the incident, said the kidnappers were yet to open any line of contact.

Nigerian Plane Crashes into Bus in Ghana

A cargo plane, last weekend crash-landed in Accra, Ghana, hitting a bus full of passengers. The 10 passengers on board the bus were reported to have been killed while all four crew members survived. Ghana's airport operator said the plane, which had flown from Lagos, Nigeria, overshot the runway, penultimate Saturday. Ghana's Vice President, John Dramani Mahama, said that a thorough investigation would be carried out.

Police Foil Bank Robbery

The Nasarawa State police command successfully foiled a bank robbery attempt in Keffi and recovered a rifle abandoned by the robbers. It was gathered that the armed robbers, numbering five, stormed the bank around 2.00 a.m. and started shooting sporadically at the security post. The State Police spokesman, Cornelious Ocholi, confirmed the incident on Tuesday, saying one AK 47 magazine, with five live ammunition and two cartridges were abandoned by the robbers, who bolted away as policemen on duty repelled them with shooting from different angles.

Bomb Blast Kills Six at Police Headquarter

A bomb blast at the entrance of the police headquarters in Borno state killed many people on Friday, mostly police. Many people, mostly policemen and women, were killed in the explosion, according to witness, Ali Alhaji. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bomb. Police spokesman for Borno state Gideon Jibrin confirmed there had been bomb blast and that there were casualties, but he did not have further details or a precise toll.

INTERNATIONAL

Suicide Attack Kills 15 in Iraq

A suicide bomber detonated his car next to a government building in Baghdad on Monday, killing 15 people and wounding 65 others, police said. The attack targeted the offices of Shiite religious affairs in the Bab al-Mouadham district in north-central Baghdad. Day earlier, a series of explosions in a three-hour period shook several areas in Baghdad, leaving at least 14 people dead and dozens injured. It was unclear who committed the attacks and whether they were linked.

Police Arrest Tokyo Gas Attack Suspect after 17 Years

A member of the Japanese doomsday cult responsible for the 1995 nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway has been arrested, Tokyo police say. Naoko Kikuchi, 40, a follower of the Aum Supreme Truth Cult, was apprehended in the town of Sagamihara after a resident tipped off police. During a rush-hour attack on the morning of March, 20 1995, cult members released sarin gas that led to the death of 13 people and sickened more than 5,500 commuters. Kikuchi has admitted to helping make the gas, which attacks the central nervous system, but was not aware how it would be used, Police said. She was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Another resident, a 41-year-old man, was arrested for allegedly hiding the suspect. Kikuchi was one of two remaining cult members wanted for their involvement in one of the most shocking acts of terrorism in Japan's history. Katsuya Takahashi, 54, is still at large.

Lebanese Army Deploys Troops after 15 Killed in Riots

Lebanese troops were deployed in the Lebanese second largest city of Tripoli penultimate Sunday after 15 people were killed in clashes between supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Residents said relative calm had returned to the Mediterranean city since the soldiers took up positions around the city. Prime Minister Najib Mikati and other local politicians held a crisis meeting in Tripoli at the weekend and instructed security forces to use an "iron fist" to quell the violence. The mainly Sunni Muslim protests against Assad have polarised Tripoli, where a small community of Alawites, from the same offshoot of Shi'ite Islam as Assad, have frequently clashed with majority Sunni Muslims who support the uprising.

Venezuela Arrests Top Colombian Drug Lord

A top Colombian drug lord, Diego Perez Henao, has been arrested by police in neighbouring Venezuela. Perez Henao, who is the leader of Los Rastrojos, a drug cartel, exporting tonnes of cocaine to the United States via Mexico, was captured penultimate Sunday on information provided by the Colombian authorities. The Venezuelan government says it will hand him to the Colombian authorities. Venezuelan Justice Minister, Tareck El Aissami described him as "one of the most wanted criminals in the Americas". According to police in Colombia, Diego Rastrojo controlled half the members of the paramilitary criminal organisations involved in drug trafficking in Colombia.

Syria Accused of New Massacre
…UN Monitors Shot At

Syrian troops and militiamen loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have been accused of a new massacre of scores of villagers. Activists who monitor the 15-month-old revolt said that women and children were among the dead when the village in central Syria came under artillery bombardment before fighters moved in on the ground and shot and stabbed dozens of people to death. Echoing descriptions of a massacre of 108 civilians at Houla on May 25, which U.N. observers attributed to Assad's troops and loyalist "shabbiha" militia, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, "Shabbiha headed into the area after the shelling and killed dozens of citizens. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, alleged that monitors trying to get to the scene of a new massacre were also shot at. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that about 55 people were killed in Wednesday’s assault.

Colombians Protest Rape, Murder of Woman

Thousands of people joined a march in the Colombian capital to demand justice in a case of rape and murder of a young woman, Rosa Elvira Cely. Cely, a single mother, who worked selling sweets in the streets of Bogota, was attacked on 23 May. She died four days later of her injuries. Her story has led to an outcry in Colombia, where more than 51,000 women were victims of violence last year. Demonstrators called for tougher punishments for rapists. Rosa Elvira Cely, 35, was found semi-naked and with signs of torture in the middle of the night at the National Park. She was discovered after making a call to an emergency line from her mobile phone. A 44-year-old man, Javier Valasco, was arrested on Friday accused of torturing and killing her. A second suspect was also detained on Sunday.

Drone Strike Kills 15 Militants in Pakistan

A US drone strike targeting a militant compound in Pakistan's north-western tribal area killed 15 insurgents in a pre-dawn attack on Monday, according to security officials. Two missiles were fired on the compound in Mir Ali, an area considered a hive of Taliban and Al-Qaeda activity. The attack was the eighth drone strike in Pakistan since a NATO conference on Afghanistan in Chicago last month. A security official in Peshawar confirmed the attack and said 15 militants were killed.

Denmark Jails Four over Terror Plot

A Danish court on Monday sentenced four men to 12 years behind bars for committing "terrorism" with a plot to kill the staff of a newspaper that first published controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. The three Swedish nationals and one Tunisian living in Sweden had pleaded not guilty to the terrorism charges, but in a unanimous verdict a district court convicted all four. The convicts, however, were found not guilty of a secondary charge of weapons possession due to a technicality, chief judge Katrine Eriksen said. Prosecutors had charged that the four planned to "kill a large number of people" at the offices of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in Copenhagen when they were arrested on December 29, 2010.

Syria: Violence Flares after Rebel Deadline

Syrian rebels killed at least 80 army soldiers in a surge of attacks last weekend, an opposition watchdog said on Monday, as they carried out their threat to resume fighting if President Bashar al-Assad failed to observe a U.N.-backed ceasefire. A Free Syrian Army spokesman said the rebels were no longer bound by the truce after their Friday deadline passed. Insurgents said they had killed more than 100 soldiers and destroyed some tanks in clashes across Syria, including Damascus and Idlib province in the northwest. Syria's state news agency reported the burial on Monday of 30 members of the security forces killed by rebels.

Gunmen Kill 12 in Attack on Drug Centre

Gunmen have killed 11 people and wounded at least eight others in an attack on a drug rehabilitation centre in the north of Mexico, penultimate Sunday. Police said the assailants escaped in two pick-up trucks. Mexico has seen an explosion of violence in recent years as gangs fight over trafficking routes, with drug rehabilitation centres often targeted. An estimated 50,000 people have been killed and more than 5,000 have gone missing since the crackdown on cartels began in 2006. Sunday's attack in Torreon, an industrial city in the border state of Coahuila, comes almost exactly a year after 13 people were killed at a rehabilitation centre in the same city.

Arsonists Attack African Migrants in Israel

An apartment housing Eritrean migrants was on Monday set on fire by Israeli arsonists, who also sprayed a painting which reads “get out of the neighborhood” over the entrance. Some 60,000 Africans, who were fleeing poverty, fighting and authoritarian rule, have crossed illegally into Israel through the relatively porous desert border with Egypt in recent years. But Israel said most of the migrants came, seeking work rather than refuge. Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the arson attack. Street violence has surged in recent months against Africans. Israeli residents accuse the newcomers of being responsible for rising crime in their areas. A law recently came into effect that will allow Israeli authorities to jail illegal immigrants for up to three years. The measure has been denounced by liberal politicians and human rights activists.

Libyan Jails 24 Foreign Mercenaries

A Libyan military court has handed stiff prison terms to 19 Ukrainians, three nationals from Belarus and two Russians accused of serving as mercenaries for ousted leader, Muammar Gaddafi in Libya’s conflict last year. According to reports, one of the Russians, judged to have been the coordinator, was condemned to life imprisonment while the others were sentenced to 10 years’ hard labour. The 24 men, who denied the charges and insisted they were in Libya to work in its oil sector, were accused of having primed ground-to-air missile batteries to target NATO warplanes supporting the revolt against Gaddafi. Russia has expressed “indignation” at the sentencing. The Russian foreign ministry said it would be working with Ukraine and Belarus to make sure “this tendentious sentence” is reviewed.

Drone Strike Kills Al-Qaeda Number Two

The United States said on Tuesday that Al-Qaeda number two man, Abu Yahya al-Libi, has been killed. Officials refused to confirm the circumstances of Libi’s death, but Pakistani authorities spoke of a pre-dawn CIA drone strike on Monday on a compound in North Waziristan, near the Afghan border. Officials were unable to say whether there were any other casualties in the attack on Libi, after earlier reports that 15 people had died in the drone strike.

Suicide Attackers Hit Kandahar

Two suicide bombers have killed at least 22 people at a bazaar near the Afghan city of Kandahar near the city's airport, which houses a large NATO airbase. Provincial police chief, Abdul Raziq, said the area was used by drivers whose vehicles carry supplies for NATO. Some 50 people were also hurt in the attack. The Taliban said they carried out the attack. Officials said almost all of those killed in the latest attack were civilians, and they included shopkeepers and passersby. The first suicide attacker was on a motorcycle and struck a line of trucks waiting to supply NATO forces at Kandahar airport. Minutes later, when a crowd had gathered a second attacker, on foot, detonated an explosives vest.

Sudanese Mother Beaten, Sentenced to Stoning over Adultery

A young mother, Intisar Sharif Abdallah, accused of adultery has been imprisoned with her newborn and sentenced to death by stoning, after confessing to the charges following beatings, and without a lawyer or translator. Sudanese rights campaigners blasted the sentence as a "failure of the justice system". Abdallah, aged between 16 and 20, is detained with her four-month-old baby. She was convicted in a rapid single session at Ombada criminal court on May 13, on charges of adultery. The young woman is said to be shackled at the legs, in deep psychological distress and does not understand the nature of her charges because she cannot speak Arabic. It is alleged Abdallah endured beatings by her brother, after which she confessed to the charges of adultery. Abdallah's other three children are in the care of her extended family who are filing an appeal in Ombada.

19 Killed as Clashes Erupt at DR Congo’s Army Base

About 19 people were reportedly killed when Congolese soldiers and rebels clashed at an army base in eastern part of the country. The government said the attack had been carried out by Mai Mai fighters, linked to ex-rebels who were at one point integrated into the army but deserted in recent weeks to protest Kinshasa’s decision to arrest a renegade general, Bosco Ntaganda. Clashes in the last two months have forced over 100,000 people to flee their homes. The attack by Mai Mai fighters loyal to General Kakule Sikula Lafontaine on Tuesday morning targeted an army base in the Lubero territory. Lafontaine said that his men had suffered one fatality and killed 31 soldiers in the clashes.

S’Sudan Concludes Airlifts of Citizens from Sudan

The airlift of about 12,000 South Sudanese ended with a final flight from Khartoum on Thursday with reports claiming that thousands more continue to live in makeshift conditions while awaiting transport to the South, officials said. One hundred Southerners took the last chartered plane from Khartoum to South Sudan’s capital, Juba, according to Jill Helke, chief of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Sudan. The IOM began more than three weeks ago flying out Southerners, whom local authorities ordered to leave the Kosti way-station. Kosti became home to the biggest single concentration of South Sudanese needing transport to South Sudan, which became independent last July.

Bomb Targets US Mission in Libya

In what was regarded as a retaliatory action for the killing of al Qaeda’s Libyan second-in-command in a United States (U.S.) drone strike in Pakistan, a bomb exploded outside the America’s diplomatic mission in the Libyan city of Benghazi on Thursday but no one was injured. The US authorities had confirmed that a U.S.-operated drone had killed Abu Yahya al-Libi, a Libyan-born cleric and senior al Qaeda operative, in Pakistan.  Similarly, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the US Deputy Ambassador to Islamabad, Richard Hoagland, to lodge a formal protest over a series of drone strikes in its volatile tribal regions. Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has begun posting Internet advertisements on jihadist web for a, offering training for suicide bombers to target the United States, Israel and France.

Syria Expels Western Envoys

As governments around the world expelled Syrian diplomats from their countries; Syrian government, Thursday, reciprocated and declared the ambassadors of several Western states as personae non-gratae in Syria. About 17 diplomats were affected by the Syria’s reciprocal action. However, many of the envoys have already left Damascus. In the past, President Bashar al-Assad has blamed outside powers for Syria’s divisions. Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) has said the Syrian government has agreed to allow aid agencies to enter the four provinces that have seen the most violence.