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

week 37

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

AIG Tasks CPs on Crime Fighting

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in-charge of Zone 6 Police Command, Muktari Ibrahim, has directed the commissioners of police within the command to collaborate with sister security organisations and stakeholders in the fight against crime. The AIG said internal security was the primary responsibility of the police and that the fight against criminal elements within the various state commands within the zone would not be left for the police alone without collaborative efforts with stakeholders. The AIG further warned that the present administration in the police would not tolerate bribery, corruption, complacency, ineptitude, incompetence and lack of focus.

Robbers Kill Two in Port Harcourt

Police in Rivers State said on Wednesday two persons were killed and a policeman injured by suspected armed robbers in Port Harcourt. Spokesman for the police in the state, Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, said no arrest had been made but that the police were investigating the matter. According to him, the policeman was injured while responding to a distress call and tried to foil the operation together with some other policemen. Ugwuegbulam however said the robbers got away with their loot but promised that the police would track them down. He said the victims of the robbery were conveying an undisclosed sum of money in a commercial vehicle when they were attacked.

Anambra Police Recover Arms, Ammunition in Criminal Hide Out

The Anambra State Police Command has recovered arms and ammunition from a dislodged criminal gang led by one Olisa Ifejika in Oraifite, Ekwusigo LGA. The State Commissioner of Police, Ballah Nasarawa, said the police team arrested the suspected kingpin and recovered the weapons acting on a tip-off. The CP said that the gang was responsible for the killing of policemen in April and June. He further said that the suspect has been responsible for the series of high-profile kidnappings, armed robberies and murder. Among the items recovered from the suspect in two building were 27 AK47 rifles, one K2 rifle, two type-06 rifles, one General Purpose Machine Gun, one rocket launcher, 17 rockets and others items.

Police Nab Seven over Ritual Murder of Teenager

The Ebonyi State Police Command said it has arrested seven suspects in connection with the ritual murder last Sunday of Miss Ukamaka Immaculata Ogboji, at Agubia community in Ikwo LGA of the state. The command also praised the contribution of the community under the auspices of Ebonyi Youth Assembly, (EYA) in the arrest of the suspects who kidnapped Miss Ogboji for ritual purposes and dismembered her body before dumping it in a cassava farm. Police Spokesman, Sylvester Igbo, disclosed that two of the arrested suspects had already confessed to the crime adding that full investigations into the matter have begun.

Shell Shuts Pipeline over Leak

A Shell pipeline that connects an oil well with the Nembe Creek 2 flow station has been closed after a leak was detected. The cause of the leak was not yet clear, according to the company’s spokesman, Precious Okolobo. He said the pipeline was shut down to prevent any impact on the environment, adding that an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the leak. He said a team of engineers had been mobilised to fix the damaged pipeline and that the impact on production was not considered major.

Navy Arrests Officer for Alleged Robbery

To get to the root of the incident, the Nigerian Navy has said that it will prosecute one of its personnel, involved in alleged armed robbery and car snatching in Port Harcourt. The navy has however handed over the civilian accomplice to the Police. The suspect is in detention and awaits the court martial. A car snatched by the rating in Port Harcourt, which had a tracker in it was traced to the Nigerian Navy Wey (NNS WEY) Barracks in Satellite Town, Lagos.

Man Hacks Wife, Son Hacks Father to Death In Enugu

A man who was identified by the police as Sunday Eze (Jnr), on Tuesday, hacked his wife to death in Nsukka, Enugu State. Eze was said to have killed her on Tuesday night in the presence of their only child Onyebuchi Eze, 11, following a misunderstanding he had with her. The boy also received a deep cut in his hand in an attempt to prevent his father from killing his mother. The suspect, who immediately fled into the bush, was arrested three days later by a search party. He was said to have attempted to kill himself with a screw driver before he was arrested. In a related incident last weekend, a young man hacked his father to death in Nkanu East LGA. The suspect, Chinedu Umahi, was said to have killed his father, Uwanuakwa Umahi, who was resting at home. Chinedu is now said to be in police custody where he had allegedly admitted killing his father.

Girl, 16, Stabbed to Death

A 16-year-old student was stabbed to death in Nawfia, Anambra State, and the police are working to unravel the circumstances surrounding her death. The deceased was said to have met her death, while she was hawking cooked groundnut. It was revealed that a man, who pretended to be working as a labourer in a farm, lured her, pretending to be a customer who wanted groundnut and, thereafter, stabbed her from behind. The shout for help by the girl drew passersby to the scene, but the assailant had taken to his heels before help could come her way. The girl, as a result of the attack slumped and died on the spot, while efforts to trail the assailant and arrest him failed. Police spokesman, Raphael Uzoigwe, confirmed the incident.

Police Recover Corpse of Missing Man in Bayelsa

The police in Bayelsa State have recovered the body of a 28-year-old man, who went missing penultimate Saturday. The body of the victim was battered, indicating that he was beaten to death by his assailants, who later dumped his corpse along the Alamieseigha Road in Yenagoa. It was gathered that the victim left home on Saturday at about 5pm but that nobody sighted him until his corpse was recovered by the police.

300 Ex-Militants Get Entrepreneurial Training

The Presidential Amnesty Office has trained about 300 former agitators from the Niger Delta in entrepreneurial skills and has arranged with banks to provide them loans to start their own businesses. The objective is to make the youths self-reliant by engaging them in businesses, which they initiated by themselves while they are guided by the Amnesty Office to effectively utilise the loans provided to them to grow their chosen enterprises. Speaking at the post-training empowerment programme recently, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Kingsley Kuku, said the pilot scheme was for beneficiaries that had completed their training in different vocations.

Man Kills Wife in Imo, In-Laws Kill Man in Calabar

A middle-aged man, Vitalis Okere, last weekend, in Enyiogugu Mbaise, Imo State killed his wife following a domestic squabble.  The man attempted to escape, but was apprehended by the some youths who handed him over to the police. In a related development in Calabar, Cross River State, the relatives of a woman, Nancy Odu, killed her husband, John Odu, after he bit off her nose during a fight. It was said John bit off her nose to free himself from the intense pains when the latter grabbed his penis during a fight. After that fight, John reportedly took his wife to the hospital, where the nostril was stitched. But as he was returning from the hospital, some members of the wife’s family ambushed and beat him up. John died on the way to the hospital. State Police spokesman, John Umoh, said efforts were on to track down the prime suspect.

MASSOB Leader, 18 Others Arrested in Onitsha

An Onitsha Regional administrator of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Arinze Igbani and 18 other members of the group were, on Tuesday, arrested by soldiers from the 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha. Igbani was arrested in a native orthopaedic centre where he was receiving treatment following injuries he sustained from a motorcycle accident along with five MASSOB members who had allegedly gone to visit him. The reason for their arrest was not immediately known, but MASSOB’s Director of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said that 13 other members of the group were arrested in different locations.

Abducted Monarch Regains Freedom

The traditional ruler of Okordia Kingdom in Bayelsa State, King Richard Seiba, who was abducted by unknown gunmen, was released on Tuesday. The Police Public Relations Officer, Fidelis Odunna, confirmed the release of the septuagenarian monarch. Odunna said that Seiba was abandoned near the Amassoma creek after a hot chase by security agents. While noting that no ransom was paid to secure the freedom of the 72-year-old traditional ruler, Odunna said none of the kidnappers was arrested by the police. Seiba was handed over to his family after a police medical officer administered first aid on him. The abductors had demanded N30million as ransom for his release.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

JTF Destroys Illegal Refinery in Delta

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, on Tuesday, swooped on operators of illegal oil refinery in Igbelebu, a village between the boundaries of Edo and Ondo States in Ovia South West LGA of Edo State. The illegal refinery, which was discovered inside one of the creeks, had several gallons of diesel, machines, tools and drums with refined diesel stored in them. The operators of the illegal refinery took to their heels leaving the community deserted as the JTF approached. The commander of the squad, Lt.-Col. Moruf Adewale Adegbenru, warned that the exercise will not stop and that if any information is received based on the illegal activities, they will act and make sure that the place is brought down.

JTF Intercepts Fire Arms, Ammunition in Delta

Operatives of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), last weekend, intercepted large cache of arms and ammunition in Ajudaibo community, in Warri South LGA of Delta State. Three persons, including a woman, were arrested by the JTF operatives over the incident, fueling suspicion of existence of more firearms and ammunition in the possession of some unidentified prominent indigenes of the area. Confirming the seizure, the head, media coordinating centre of the JTF, Lieutenant-Colonel Onyeama Nwachukwu, said that soldiers attached to the special security forces in a search operation at Ajudaibo in Warri South LGA of Delta State led to the recovery of five AK 47 magazines fully loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition each.

Police Defuse Bomb in Asaba

A bomb left in a carton and wrapped in different colours of tread was discovered at the entrance to the office of the Head of Service, Delta State. The workers were said to have stumbled on the bomb and raised the alarm. Security agents immediately swung into action to defuse it. According to police bomb expert, the substance was made of different electrical materials including a watch ticking to explode. Police investigations into the incident have commenced.

Varsity Lecturers Die as Vehicle Plunges into River

Four lecturers at the Igbinedion University in Edo state lost their lives as their vehicle plunged into the Ovia River, on Benin-Shagamu expressway, on Wednesday. Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, officials said that the corpses of the two women were still missing while those of the two men had since been deposited at the mortuary. Amin Adewale of FRSC explained that the accident occurred when the car crashed into the river near Ekiadolor, while trying to avoid an on-coming trailer that drove into their lane to avoid a pothole.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

NDLEA Nabs Man with Cocaine Hidden in Roasted Chicken

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), last weekend, busted a 2.655kilogram of cocaine hidden in roasted chicken at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, arresting an auto technician in connection with the seizure. The seizure, with an estimated street value of about N24million, was made at the MMIA during the inward clearance of passengers on a Turkish Airline flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil. NDLEA Airport Commander, Mr Hamza Umar, described the seizure as remarkable, explaining that the suspect had given investigators useful information. During interrogation, the suspect said he thought that the drug will not be detected.

Abducted Businessman Rescue in Osun

Osun State police command has rescued a Lagos-based businessman from kidnappers in Delta State. The businessman, who was kidnapped from his Ikorodu residence, was rescued by detectives last weekend. Osun state Police spokesperson, Sade Odoro, said the man was rescued in Kokori community of Delta State. He has been brought back to Osun State and handed over to his family.

Ex-Police Officers Arrested for Impersonation

At least 20 persons have been arrested for impersonating riot police officials in Lagos. The arrests were made when the Compol Monitoring Team from the Force Headquarter, Abuja raided parts of Lagos to arrest policemen mounting illegal roadblocks. It was learnt that some of the impersonators had long been dismissed from the force, while others acquired police uniforms from illegal sources. The team head of the operation, Superintendent Eyoh Aniete during the operation, said the team was on the ground to sanitise the police force. Meanwhile, Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu, has cautioned policemen in the state against acts of indiscipline. He also warned members of the public to desist from crime or any action that could breach public peace.

Nigerian Navy Rescues Hijacked Vessel

The Nigerian Navy, Wednesday, retook an oil tanker, MT Abu Dhabi Star, hijacked off the coast of Lagos, freeing 23 Indian sailors held hostage by pirates who fled as the navy arrived. None of the sailors was hurt in the hijacking of the MT Abu Dhabi Star, said Pat Adamson, a spokesman for Dubai-based Pioneer Ship Management Services LLC. Navy spokesman, Commodore Kabir Aliyu said that the pirates who took over the vessel fled when they saw the Nigerian naval ship on the horizon. It was unclear whether they stole any of the ship’s cargo. Commodore Aliyu said the pirates targeted the ship as it was anchored off the coast Tuesday night.

Robbers Attack Residents, Church in Lagos

A 64-year-old pensioner, Mr. Sunday Awobajo, was shot by robbers who also attacked residents and a church at Ebute Metta in Lagos, last weekend.  It was gathered that the eight-man gang broke into a house and robbed about eight tenants before proceeding to the Church. The wife of the pensioner that was shot, simply identified as Mrs. Awobajo, said her husband’s inquisitive nature got him shot by the robbers. It was also learnt that the pastor of the church was injured when he tried to escape. The robbers entered into the church after the vigil had ended. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, described the incident as burglary and not robbery.

Dismembered Corpse of Abducted Female Passenger Found

A corpse of a female passenger that was abducted at Ogere, along the Lagos-Sagamu expressway on her way to Lagos from Port Harcourt has been found close to the point where she was kidnapped two weeks later, with vital organs of her body, including tongue, breasts and clitoris missing. It was gathered that this is the second of such incident occurring in the area in three weeks. The victim, Tonia Ibelefa, 25, was travelling in company of two male relations in a private car when the incident occurred. The police in the area launched a manhunt for the criminals to no avail, while her family waited to hear from the abductors but got no information. However, the ritualists called her parents, penultimate Thursday, advising them to pick up the corpse of their daughter at a junction close to where the incident happened.

Final Year Student Shot Dead in Ibadan

A final year female student of The Polytechnic Ibadan, Omolola Senbanjo, was, on Monday morning, shot dead by suspected armed robbers. The 26-year-old student was shot in her room around 3am when the robbers struck. The robbers, numbering about 25, were said to have stormed the area and raided several houses. An eyewitness disclosed that the deceased was studying in her apartment when the robbers attacked her. According to the eyewitness, the robbers thought the deceased was trying to catch a glimpse of the situation when they shot her. Police spokesman, Daniel Oboyi, confirmed the incident and said investigation had begun.

3 Arrested over Drowning of Friend in Lagoon

Police in Lagos State, last weekend, arrested three friends that allegedly caused the death of their friend, Quadri Onolapo, by pushing him into the Lagoon. The suspects were arrested after some persons who witnessed the 18-year-old being pushed from a jetty at Iwaya-Sabo into the Lagoon, reported the incident to the police. Onolapo and his friends might have been involved in a bitter argument, which led to his death. While confirming the report, the spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said Onolapo’s corpse is yet to be recovered. Meanwhile, policemen attached to Ketu Division in Lagos, weekend, arrested two suspected members of a robbery gang said to be specialists in snatching vehicles outside the state and selling them at give-away prices in Lagos.

Masquerade, Others during Robbery

The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a masquerade and four suspected armed robbers during a shoot-out in Ado-Ekiti. The masquerade, who identified himself as Sunday Osalusi, 24, was said to have worn the costume to Stadium Area of Ado-Ekiti where he and other members of his gang unleashed terror on the residents. The Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Babayemi, while parading the suspects, on Tuesday, said that the leader of the gang, Odunayo Kolawole, was shot dead during the shoot-out with the policemen. He added that the gang inflicted machete cut injuries on their victims and attempted to rape some of the ladies. Three guns, 10 live cartridges, five expended cartridges, three machetes, six handsets, masks, two wrist watches and assorted charms were recovered from the gang.

CP Blames Police for Robbery Attack on Cow Sellers

A gang of armed robbers, last Sunday, laid ambush on cow sellers traveling along the Kobape-Siun-Sagamu highway in Ogun State, carting away an undisclosed amount of money. The State Police Commissioner, Ikemefuna Okoye, has, however, blamed the incident on the inability of policemen detailed to patrol the road at that time. It was learnt that the robbers laid siege for the cow sellers who were being conveyed from Lagos to Ogun State at about 3.45pm. A shoot-out between the robbers and a police patrol team forced them to discontinue with their operation, but not without their loot. Spokesman for the Ogun State Police Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, hinted that during the shoot-out, the robbers managed to escape with bullet wounds.

GENERAL

NDLEA Arrests 19 Suspects at Seaports

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday said that it arrested 19 suspects at seaports for drug-related offences between January and June 2012. Head of Public Affairs of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, who disclosed this, said that the figure represented total arrests at all the seaports. He said that the figure was lower than that of the same period in 2011 when 22 suspects were arrested. He said that the agency also seized 113.50 kg of heroin and 17.26 kg of cannabis at the ports in the first half of 2012. According to him, the seizures were also lower than those made in the corresponding period in 2011 when 280.61 kg of cocaine was seized. Ofoyeju said the effective security measures adopted by the agency led to the reduction in both arrests and seizures as the perpetrators kept away from the seaports.

FG Lifts Suspension on Dana Airline

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, lifted the suspension of the operating license of Dana Airlines. The government had on June 5, 2012 suspended the airline from operating its normal services two days after its Boeing McDonnell 83 plane crashed in Iju area of Lagos, killing 153 people on board and 10 on the ground. The Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, said that the decision to lift the suspension followed “government’s satisfaction with the airworthiness of the airline after a rigorous technical, operational and financial audit of the airline.”

Two Killed in Fresh Plateau Attacks

The Plateau State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed the killing of two persons in two separate attacks by gunmen in some villages in Barkin-Ladi LGA. Command’s spokesman, Mr. Abuh Emmanuel, said that one of the attacks took place on Tuesday in Raku village, where one Danjuma Adamu was killed in the bush. While in the second attack, gunmen opened fire on two women who were standing outside their compound in Sho Village. Emmanuel, however, advised people to go about their normal duties as security had been beefed up in the area, but added that everyone must always be on the alert.

Robbers Attack Corps Members in Taraba

Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers, Thursday, attacked some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Taraba State. The gunmen took with them the monthly allowance of the corps members, which runs into thousands of naira, a report said. The bandits were said to have stormed the Family House of the Redeemed Christian Corpers Fellowship (RCCF), held the corps members hostage for hours and took with them laptops and about 24 mobile telephone sets. The gunmen gained entrance into the members lodge through a toilet in the female wing of the building. The spokesperson of the Taraba State Police Command, Amos Olaoye, confirmed the attack. The case was reported at the GRA Police Division.

12 Killed, Several Missing, Displaced in Niger, Taraba Floods

Heavy rains have wreaked havoc on communities in Niger State, leading to the death of seven persons and the displacement of over 3000 people in 149 communities. Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Mohammed Shaba, said that the affected communities were located in 10 out of the 25 LGA of the state. Shaba stated that property lost to the flood, which included farmlands, livestock, houses and household items, is estimated at N500 million. Similarly five people were confirmed dead and more than 50 persons declared missing following torrential rains and flooding in Lau, Karim-Lamido and Gassol LGAs of Taraba state. The chairmen of the affected councils also said crops and livestock worth millions of Naira were washed away by the flood. They called for urgent intervention by the National Emergency Management Agency, the state government and individuals.

16 Killed as Gunmen Torch Telecoms Office, Masts in Maiduguri, Yobe

Unknown gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram sect members, have launched attack on MTN Office in Maiduguri where they set the office ablaze as well as several masts within and around the state capital. Less than 24 hours after the Borno incident, Yobe state, setting ablaze the service-base masts of Airtel, Glo and Etisalat in Potiskum and Damaturu, with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrol-bombs, while another gang of gunmen killed 16 people, including the Yobe state government protocol officer, Mallam Adamu.

Kidnappers Abduct NASS Staff, Justice’s Son

Suspected kidnappers launched an attack in Abuja, kidnapping one Justina Uwakwe, on Monday. The kidnappers are said to have demanded a ransom of N25 million for her release. The victim, said to be a staff of the National Assembly, was believed to have been dragged out of her car and taken to unknown place. When her car was found at Sabo Lugbe area, her GSM handset, shoes and handbag were intact. Similarly, the first son of a Supreme Court justice, Justice Olabode Rhodes-Viviour, Rotimi, has been reportedly kidnapped in Lagos, on Monday. It was learnt that he was kidnapped while driving around Island, but reportedly traced by police detectives to Festac Town, where the kidnappers are reportedly holed up. The police are said to be on top of the situation and had advised against negotiating with the kidnappers.

5 Killed, Churched, Police Station Torched in Borno

Gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram, last weekend, stormed New Marte in Marte LGA of Borno State, where they killed a Police Sergeant and two civilians. The gunmen also set ablaze the Divisional Police Headquarters, a Church and the residence of the Unit Commandant of the Army. It was gathered that the gunmen came in three cars and eight motorcycles, causing multiple explosions and gunshots. Similarly, two persons were killed in their separate houses in Ummarari and Gwange wards of Maiduguri metropolis by suspected terrorists.

Thunder Strikes Brothers Dead

Tragedy struck in Ioryiir village in Konshisha LGA of Benue State, last weekend, when two brothers died in a thunder strike. The young men, in their 20s, were returning home from work in the company of one of their brothers and two friends and made a stopover to watch a local football match, when the incident occurred. While the brothers died on the spot, the three others were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Bakassi: Indigenes Tasks FG on Resettlement

The Bakassi indigenes, led by their political leader, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Tuesday, stormed the regional office of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Lagos, pleading with the Federal Government to resettle them at Dayspring 1 and 2 and Kwa Island -the parts of the Bakassi Peninsula not ceded to Cameroun. Ita-Giwa emphasised that rather than waste resources in appealing the ICJ judgment, government should urgently address issues relating to resettlement of the Bakassi people in their places of choice which are Days Spring 1 and 2 and Kwa Islands, as promised by Federal Government in 2006. She affirmed the Bakassi people’s affinity with the Efik Kingdom in Cross River State, the original owners of the Bakassi Peninsula. Ita-Giwa added that the issue of revisiting the ICJ judgment is belated.

Blast Rocks Gombe State

Suspected Boko Haram members, on Monday, struck the in Sabon-Laye area of Gombe state, where they detonated a bomb. Security operatives stormed the area and blocked all the adjoining streets to the scene of the blast. The Police spokesman, Fuje Attajiri, confirmed the explosion, adding that no life was lost. He said that no suspect had been arrested. In Maiduguri, Borno state, men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, bomb-making materials, 39 cans of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and a notebook containing the names of suspected Boko Haram members, living and dead. The items were recovered during a raid on the residence of a commander of Boko Haram. The JTF spokesman, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed the raid.

Auto Accident Claims 11 Lives in Zamfara

No fewer than 11 people lost their lives in a motor accident in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State, last weekend, while four other survived with injuries. The people were on their way to Argungun, Kebbi State for a wedding ceremony of a village head. One of the survivors, Mallam Mohd Nakuku, said that the driver of the vehicles lost control of the 18-seater bus, before he summersaulted and landed in a bush. In another development, four people died, while three others sustained various degrees of injuries, following a fire outbreak from a petroleum tanker at Maje village, Suleja LGA of Niger State. The tanker was engulfed in fire when it lost control due to brake failure, which led to the spillage and fire.

Gunmen Kill Lecturer in Borno

A University lecturer, Mohammed Sani, was on Monday killed in Maiduguri by some persons yet to be identified. The late lecturer was said to be visiting his home in Borno State, when he was attacked and killed. The circumstances surrounding his killing remain sketchy.

INTERNATIONAL

Syria: Rebels Launch New Operation in Aleppo

Syrian rebels launched a major operation, targeting security compounds and bases around the city of Aleppo. The coordinated strikes, penultimate Friday, come two days after President Bashar Assad conceded his forces have been unable to quell the more than 17-month-old rebellion against him. Weeks of intense bombardments by the Syrian military, including airstrikes, have failed to dislodge the rebels. The rebel offensives in Aleppo, which began shortly before midnight Thursday and continued through Friday, were being led by a brigade mainly consisting of army defectors who specialize in operating artillery and tanks, said Mohammed Saeed, an activist based in the city. Opposition activists say that a warplane may have killed as many as 25 people in a single strike in Aleppo province.

Turkish Troops Killed in Rebel Attacks

Nine members of Turkey's security forces, were, last weekend, killed in clashes with Kurdish rebels in the south-eastern province of Sirnak, officials say. Around 20 militants were also killed, close to the border with Syria and Iraq, Governor Vahdettin Ozkan said. Clashes between the army and the rebel PKK, seeking autonomy for the Kurds, have intensified in the region. The PKK attacked a police and military complex in the town of Beytussebap late on Sunday night with guns and rocket-launchers, according to reports.

Envoy Warns UN on Syria

The new UN and Arab League envoy for Syria has said the death toll in the conflict is "staggering" and the destruction "catastrophic". Speaking to the UN General Assembly in his first formal speech since assuming the role, Lakhdar Brahimi called for unity in addressing the crisis. Brahimi was appointed last month, after his predecessor, Kofi Annan, resigned following the failure of his peace plan. The UN's Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said his mission was "daunting, but not insurmountable" and called for "a unity of effort that will have an impact on the ground". He told the assembly the conflict had "taken a particularly brutal turn" and that the increasing militarisation was "deeply tragic and highly dangerous".

42 Die as Bus Plunges in Morocco

A bus plunged into a ravine in the Atlas Mountains of southern Morocco on Tuesday, killing about 42 people, in the worst such accident recorded in the kingdom. All the victims were Moroccan, officials say. The crash also left some 25 people injured. The bus reportedly fell 150 metres. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear. But the bus, with 67 people on board, was overloaded, a source at the ministry of transport said. Road accidents in Morocco claimed around 4,200 lives last year, up by around 12 percent on 2010, according to figures from the transport ministry.

Sudan, South Sudan Resume Talks

Negotiators for Sudan and South Sudan, Tuesday, resumed talks in the Ethiopian capital to resolve outstanding disputes over oil, border demarcation, security and the Abyei region. Sudan and South Sudan fought along their un-demarcated frontier in March and April, sparking fears of wider war and leading to a UN Security Council resolution, which ordered a ceasefire. It also ordered the settlement of unresolved issues, under African Union mediation. Talks kicked off with South Sudan’s Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Deng Alor, meeting Sudanese negotiator, Idriss Qadir and the AU chief mediator, Thabo Mbeki. South Sudan took the disputed Abyei region with it at independence, two-thirds of the region’s oil, though processing and export facilities remained in the north.

Guinea Seizes Arms Heading for Mali

Officials in Guinea have seized a container of arms shipped to its port, but destined for Mali. According to Guinea’s Minister in charge of National Defence, Abdoul Kabele Camara, the shipment was intercepted a month ago. The arms, he said, appear to have been ordered by Mali’s ex-President, Amadou Toumani Toure, known by his initials “ATT,” who was ousted in a coup in March. Although an interim government is nominally in power in the Malian capital Bamako, Camara said that officials in Guinea were worried about allowing the arms to be transferred to Mali, which shares a land border with Guinea. The northern half of Mali has fallen into the hands of a mixture of al-Qaida-linked extremist groups. While the south, which is accessible from Guinea, is technically being led by the interim government, but a soldier who led a March coup is still believed to hold sway.

WAHO Moves against Fake, Sub-Standard Drugs in West Africa

West African countries have agreed to harmonise the process of medicine registration in the region. The move is a step forward on the eradication of fake and sub-standard drugs in the region. At a meeting of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) in Abuja, they agreed to quicken the medicine registration harmonisation. The officials are expected to establish workable plans to facilitate access to essential medicines in ECOWAS, bridge the gap between the pharmaceutical industry and regulators, make progress in medicine registration harmonisation, promote supply of medicines from Africa to Africa, and promote greater collaborations among medicine regulatory authorities in member-states.

100 Killed in Madagascar’s Cattle Rustling

Villagers in Madagascar have reportedly killed nearly 100 cattle thieves in a wave of weekend attacks in southern areas of the Indian Ocean Island plagued by rustling. Lieutenant Colonel Tahina Rakotomalala of Madagascar’s gendarmerie, or paramilitary police, said 23 cattle rustlers were killed on Monday night in an ambush by villagers armed with rocks, spears and firearms. He had earlier said another 67 rustlers were killed penultimate Friday night. The authorities had also said that nine people – two gendarmes, one policeman and six other thieves – were killed Sunday in the southern Ihaborano region of the island. The violence took place around a cluster of villages in the same region. Authorities have stepped up security in the area to prevent any reprisal attacks by the thieves, who are known as dahalos.

58 Dead as Migrant Boat Sinks off Turkish Coast

At least 58 people died and many were missing after a boat carrying illegal migrants sank off Turkey's western Aegean coast on Thursday morning, Turkish media reported. Tahsin Kurtbeyoglu, the governor of Menderes, a coastal district in Izmir province, confirmed the sinking. The boat had sunk around dawn after travelling just 50 meters from the Turkish coast. Television footage showed small boats searching for survivors close to the shore, reports Reuters. It was reported that most of those on the boat were Palestinian nationals and that the destination of the boat was not known. So far 46 people have been rescued alive. The boat's captain and his assistant, who were also rescued, have both been arrested.

Afghan Soldiers Detained, Sacked for Links with Insurgents

The Afghan army has detained or sacked hundreds of soldiers for having link to insurgents, the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday. This act comes as the ministry tries to stem the rising number of so-called insider attacks. The minister made the announcement as NATO chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, called Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, to express his concern over the attacks, in which Afghan servicemen have killed at least 45 NATO-led troops this year, including 15 in August.

Cholera Outbreak: Death Toll Rises to 244 in Sierra Leone

A Cholera epidemic in Sierra Leone, which was declared a national emergency in mid-August, has claimed 244 lives and affected 14,521 people, a statement from a special cholera task force indicates. Sierra Leone has been hit by its worst outbreak of the water-borne disease in nearly 15 years and cases are expected to peak at around 32,000 this September, according to the World Health Organisation. Neighbouring Guinea has also been hard hit with 104 deaths and some 5,000 cases. Whereas the disease usually appears at the start of the rainy season in June or July, this year cases were reported at the beginning of the year and have spread rapidly in the densely-populated capital.

Colombia Rejects FARC Ceasefire Call

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has rejected calls by FARC rebels for a ceasefire once peace talks begin with the government in October. Santo vowed that the government would not give anything until it gets the final agreement. He spoke after the left-wing rebels said they were prepared to disarm and would seek a truce when the peace talks opened in Oslo, Norway. Santos added that he did not want to "repeat the mistakes of the past" -an apparent reference to the failed peace talks in 2002, which reportedly gave time to FARC (The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) to regroup. Government military operations against the rebels are continuing, with the authorities saying that a top FARC commander had been killed in an air strike.

Gambia Defend Execution of Prisoners

The Gambia’s police chief, Yankuba Sonko, has defended the execution of nine death row prisoners in the country, saying it would make people think twice about committing crimes. Meanwhile, a rights activist, Trevor Uyi Omoruyi, has urged human rights groups to call on President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria to intervene in the killings in the Gambia. No official crime statistics are released by government in the country. Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh on August 19 announced that all death row prisoners would be executed by mid-September. A week later the first batch of nine convicts were executed by firing squad. The killings caused international outrage, especially in neighbouring Senegal, which counted two citizens amongst those executed.