Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 38

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Task Force Hunt for Illegal Arms Importers

The National Task Force to Combat Illegal Importation of Goods, Small Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons in Anambra State has begun a manhunt for the importers of the sophisticated weapons used by armed robbers, kidnappers and illegal bunkerers to operate in the state. Director of Operations of NATFORCE in the state, Chief Alex Igwemma, disclosed that some of the importers, who are members of an oil bunkering syndicate, escaped arrest on Monday after some security agents working with the organisation, sabotaged the mission. Igwemma said the illegal importers were on the run with 15 AK47 riffles, 30 Pump Action guns, 20 double barrel guns, and four tankers of oil allegedly got from oil bunkering in Bayelsa and Delta states.

Floods Sack Enugu, Anambra Communities

Floods triggered by torrential rains have wreaked havoc in Enugu State, and rendering many homeless in Anambra. Reports on Thursday said after the end of a 14-day rainfall in Okutu, Nsukka LGA, markets, schools, churches and homes were swept away. The disaster, which rendered many Okutu inhabitants homeless and damaged property running into millions of Naira, caused all the streams surrounding the community to overflow their banks. Chairman, Nsukka LGA, Tony Ugwu, said no life was lost. On his part, Anambra State Governor Peter Obi called on the Federal Government to declare the two affected LGAs in the state “flood disaster areas’’. They are Ogbaru and Anambra West.

Gunmen Attack Fuel Station, Kill 1 in Ebonyi

Two commissioners and an adviser to the Ebonyi State governor, Martin Elechi, on Monday, escaped death when gunmen stormed a petrol station where they were on queue to buy fuel and opened fire. The government officials were on their way to Ishiagu, in Ivo LGA of the state for the conduct of elections into the executive positions of the community when the attack occurred. However, a middle-aged man was shot dead by the rampaging hoodlums, who shot sporadically at a Toyota Hilux van. One of the gunmen was shot dead by a combined team of military and police personnel while the others escaped. The Ebonyi State Police spokesman, Sylvester Igbo, confirmed the shooting.

Kidnappers Demand N40m for Deputy Governor’s Aide

The abductors of Emenike Ihekwuaba, the Principal Secretary to the Imo State Deputy Governor, Jude Agbaso, have demanded N40 million for his release. Emenike was abducted on his way to Nkwerre to attend a function in the company of his wife and driver on August 26 in Isiala Mbano LGA. A source said that Deputy Governor, Jude Agbaso, was working to ensure the release of his aide.

Suspected Kidnappers of VC Arrested

Suspected abductors of the Vice-Chancellor, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Prof Cyprian Onyeji, have been nabbed by operatives of the anti-kidnapping squad of the Enugu State Police Command.  The nine-man gang was said to have confessed to having carried out series of kidnapping in the South-east region. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amarizu, said members of the syndicate were arrested on Wednesday after a heavy gun battle. Security agents had surrounded their hideout at Safety Hotel, Uwani in Enugu South LGA following a tip-off. Among items recovered from the suspects was a Volkswagen Vento car. The police said on searching the car, two AK47 rifles and five loaded magazines with 52 rounds of ammunition, among other items, were found in it.

Ritualists Kill Lunatic in Anambra

There was confusion at the popular Upper Iweka area of Onitsha, yesterday, following the alleged murder of an insane woman by suspected ritualists, who allegedly snatched her five-year-old son. But the police in Onitsha, however, said it was not ritualists that killed the woman, as she might have slumped and died. An eyewitness in Onitsha had said the woman was sitting with her son when suspected ritualists accosted her and forcefully took her son. The source said she was killed because she put up resistance. Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Onitsha Central Police Station, Abdul Yusuf, confirmed the death of a woman, but dismissed the ritualist angle of the story.

Publishers Raid Book Pirates in Onitsha

Publishers and policemen invaded Onitsha on Thursday in a crackdown on Book pirates. During the raid, the police arrested a suspect, while five others escaped. The Onitsha branch of the Nigeria Publishers Association had over the years been complaining of the effects of the book pirates on the works. Secretary of the association, Felix Ogbalu, said they got information on the latest activities of the pirates and alerted the Police Area Commander, who ordered his men to raid and arrest the alleged pirates. Two bus-load of pirated books of publishers were confiscated

Man Kills Cousin in Bayelsa

A young man, identified as Richman Osain, has been arrested in Bayelsa state for allegedly hacking his cousin, Diedem Otegbe, to death. The incident occurred in the forest between Azikoro and Agbura community in Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State. It was gathered that Osain dealt a fatal machete blow on Otegbe, leading to his death. Though the motive for the attack could not be immediately ascertained, sources disclosed that the duo who went to the forest were best of friends and living in the same house. Some of the natives returning from their farmland were said to have raised alarm on noticing the body of the deceased leading to the arrest of the suspect. Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Fidelis Odunna, confirmed the incident.

Governor Tasks Security Outfit on Professionalism

Governor Seriake Dickson has urged the operatives of the newly formed security outfit in Bayelsa State, “Operation Doo-Akpor”, to conduct their activities in a manner that would improve the image of the Police. Dickson, who made the call following reports of accidental killings by the operatives, said government was poised to implement its policy of zero tolerance on crime and violence with a view to creating conducive environment for socio-economic activities to thrive in the state. He charged the outfit to avoid the pitfalls of its predecessor (Famou-Tamgbe) and justify its establishment as well as allay the fears of the people. He commended the men of the security outfit and urged them to collaborate with other security agencies to promote peace and security.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

JTF Destroys 221 Illegal Refineries

A combined team of the Oil Facility Surveillance team and the Joint Task Force (JTF) destroyed over 221 illegal refineries at Isaba, Isapama, Asugbu and Eleme communities in Delta and Rivers states. The team also destroyed 15 camps where the illegal act was carried out. Equipment used in the illicit activities including pumping machines, pipes, boats, others were destroyed, while several suspects were arrested and handed over to the police. The surveillance team alerted on huge arms buildup in Escravos area and said that when the team attempted to storm some known illegal refining points in the Escravos area they came under heavy attacks but that the situation was doused by men of the JTF. The team disclosed that illegal refiners were now moving out of Gbaramatu kingdom where they were previously concentrated to Warri and Ondo axis.

Ex-Militant Leader Shot Dead in Delta

An ex-militant commander, Selekeme Alade, was shot dead and a police officer wounded by a police patrol team on the hunt for fleeing armed robbers in Effurun, near Warri, on Wednesday. Angry Ijaw youths besieged Ekpan Police Station in protest against the shooting that occurred when Selekeme was reportedly returning from a restaurant. Police Area Commander, Hussein Rabiu, confirmed the incident, but the circumstance surrounding the shooting is yet to be known. He said the policemen were in pursuit of robbers and caught up with three persons at Okito Junction, but a police officer identified the driver. But as they were exchanging pleasantries, gunshots were fired from an unknown quarter. According to Rabiu, the police officers involved in the operation had been detained for questioning.

Gully Erosion Threatens Edo Communities

The people of Ibori, Ugbalo, Ewu-Eguare, Idogalo and Oludide communities of Edo State have cried for urgent help from the government over the gully erosion that is threatening their existence. The various community leaders said that over 23 persons had so far been washed away by the ravaging gully erosion. The erosion that had so far claimed eight persons and eight houses in Ibori-Uneah, have also cut the community from Ugbalo and Uwessan. The state commissioner for Environment, Prince Clem Agba, said that the government is aware of about 110 active gully erosion sites in the state.

MTN Partners Delta Govt to Fight Crime

MTN Nigeria Limited has donated five patrol vehicles equipped with security gadgets to the Delta State government as it collaborates with the government to combat crime in the state. The Regional Sales Manager of MTN, Mrs. Ifeanyi Udom, explained that the Security Support Project was aimed at supporting the efforts of the state government in curbing criminal activities. She said the project being carried out under the MTN Foundation was also aimed at improving the lives of the people they work for through corporate social responsibility.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Pipeline Vandals Kill Oil Workers

Three officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were, last weekend, shot dead by suspected oil pipeline vandals in Arepo village in Ogun state. Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Fidel Pepple, who confirmed the incident, said a Deputy Manager and two staff members of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, had gone to repair a damaged portion of the NNPC pipeline when the hoodlums opened fire on them. The vandals were said to have been siphoning fuel from a vandalised portion of the pipeline when fire erupted. He said the PPMC team was on the verge of gaining access to the damaged point when the vandals opened fire on them from a distance.

Robbers Kill Seven in Lagos Raid

Robbers, last Sunday, launched multiple attacks on various targets in Lagos state. Seven persons, including three policemen, were shot dead in the raids on targets in Ojodu, Ikeja, Surulere and Agege, among others. Some others, including a year-old baby, Taiye, were left with varying degrees of injuries from gunshot. The robbers had first struck at a bureau de change in Gbagada area before moving on to Ojodu and Ikeja. Another gang was believed to have launched attacks on targets around Anthony, Oshodi, Itire, Agege, Bariga, Ilasamanja and Adelabu Street in Surulere. Telecommunications Company, MTN, has reportedly donated the N500,000 needed to treat the baby, who underwent surgery to have the bullet removed from his head. The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, charged the police to be more alert to its duty and demonstrate competence on the job.

3 Die as Police, Robbers Engage in Gun Duel

Two persons, including a police sergeant lost their lives on Wednesday, while three policemen were injured, as men from the Oyo State Police command and some dare devil armed robbers engaged themselves in gun duel. The robbers, who had reportedly attacked some places in Ilorin, Kwara State used dynamites on the police vehicle. The state Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, said the “robbers opened fired at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), and one policeman was killed. The police also found the corpse of one of the robbers in the bush where they fled to. He called on the public to give the police information on the whereabouts of the remaining robbers.

Robbers Kill Undergraduate

A 200 level student of the Tai Solarin University of Education, Wunmi Adebayo, was, on Monday, killed in Ijebu Ode when a four-man armed robbery gang raided her friend’s house, where she spent the night. The robbers allegedly shot her for refusing to cooperate. The robbers were said to have raided all the rooms in the building, carting away three laptops and gold necklaces. Other items allegedly stolen from the house were 10 mobile phones, wrist watches, perfumes and cash. The Ijebu Area Commander of the Nigeria Police, Usman Alabi, confirmed the story, adding that police investigations so far revealed that the deceased was killed because she recognized one of the hoodlums.

Auto Accidents Claim 18 Lives in Ogun

Two separate accidents, last weekend, claimed the lives of 18 persons in Ogun State while seven others were left with varying degrees of injury. In the first accident, 12 persons were burnt beyond recognition during a ghastly motor accident which occurred between Odogbolu and Ososa, along the Sagamu-Benin expressway. While in the second accident that occurred at Odeda, two vehicles, a Trailer and a Nissan bus, were said to have had a head-on collision leaving six people dead and four others injured. According to the Ogun State Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ayobami Omiyale, the accident was caused by a reckless overtaking by one of the articulated vehicles.

Police Hunt for Suspect in Rape of 4-Year-Old

The suspect in the rape of a four-year-old girl in Yaba area of Lagos is reported to be on the run and the police are looking for him. The suspect, who lived in the same compound as the parents of the girl, reportedly lured her into his room, where he raped her. The act was discovered following the little girl’s disclosure of what he did to her, first to her parents, and to doctors. The girl’s distressed father, Innocent, said he reported the sexual abuse of his daughter to Yaba Divisional Police Station, but not before the suspect, Ishanq had run away.

Robbers Raid Bank in Kwara, Kill Two

Two security personnel were killed on Wednesday, in a bank robbery attack in Ifelodun LGA of Kwara State.  An eyewitness said that the armed robbers, numbering about nine, stormed the bank around 10.30am with sophisticated weapons, were said to have gained entrance into the bank after they used their sophisticated weapons to break its main entrance. The armed robbers reportedly raided from the counters to the banks’ till, carting away large sums of money. The robbers kept shooting into the air as they exhibited a great show of their mastery of the weapon. Many of the residents sustained injury while scampering for safety.

Ambulance Driver Dies after Police Brutality

A driver of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, Jimoh Fasasi, has reportedly died after he was allegedly brutalised by some policemen from the Surulere Police Station. Eyewitnesses disclosed that Fasasi was on his motorcycle when he was arrested at the Barracks bus stop by the policemen around 6pm on Tuesday for plying the bridge. It was learnt that an argument ensued and one of the policemen hit the driver with the butt of his gun. Fasasi promptly fell on the ground. Another eyewitness, said immediately the policemen realised what had happened, they fled the scene and took the motorcycle away. However, police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said the deceased fell and hit his head on the ground, adding that the police did not do anything to him.

Kidnapped Lebanese Regains Freedom in Lagos

A 23-year old Lebanese, Ahmed Mohammed, who was kidnapped in Lagos, last Monday, has been set free. Mohammed regained his freedom a week after gunmen seized him in front of a restaurant in Ikeja. Family members confirmed his release but declined to say whether any ransom was paid before they secured his freedom. Six gunmen had abducted Mohammed at about 10pm, penultimate Monday, in front of the restaurant where he works.

GENERAL

FG Plans Overhaul of Armed Forces

The Federal Government has disclosed plans to embark on a comprehensive overhaul and restructuring of the armed forces to ensure “more efficient, effective and rapid response to the emerging security challenges”. Minister of State for Defence, Olusola Obada, mentioned this on Tuesday, while inaugurating Course 21 Participants of the National Defence College (NDC) in Abuja. Obada explained that the objective of the ministry was to overhaul and transform the armed forces into an institution that “would be able to prove its worth whenever it is called upon to do so.” She also said the initiatives includes re-orientation of the armed forces for proper appreciation of its relationship with civil authority and building virile and intellectually sound armed forces, through training and re-training.

Oil Workers Task FG on Security

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), have called on the Federal Government to tighten security around oil pipelines criss-crossing the nooks and crannies of the country. Reacting to the recent killing of three workers by pipeline vandals at Arepo, Ogun State, PENGASSAN President, Babatunde Ogun, expressed dissatisfaction over government’s inept attitude to the security of the personnel sent to repair the pipelines, noting that the same vandals had attacked PPMC staff and journalists, who had gone on an assessment visit to the site of the vandalised pipeline when it was first reported. PENGASSAN had directed its members not to make any further attempt to repair the pipelines until their security was guaranteed.

IG Orders Tight Security around US Embassy

Nigeria has beefed up security around the US embassy and other missions in Nigeria in the wake of the attacks on US embassies in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia in which the US Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three other diplomats were killed. The protesters were demonstrating against a movie that purportedly cast Prophet Mohammed in a bad light. The protesters had attacked the US Consulate in Libya, over the film produced in America by an Israeli. The protest, which began in Egypt, had spread to Tunisia by Wednesday. The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar, directed all state police commands and their supervising zonal commanders to ensure that they strengthened security around foreign embassies in their domains. The US also issued warnings to its citizens in Nigeria, particularly the north, to be cautious.

JTF Arrests Suspected Boko Haram Commanders

The Military Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri, the Borno State, has arrested five suspected Boko Haram commanders and six others. Acting on an intelligence report on the sect’s hideout in Biu LGA, the JTF arrested the suspected terrorists on Monday night. JTF spokesman, Lt.-Col. Musa Sagir, confirmed the arrest. Recovered from them were a sub-machine gun, seven AK-47s, 1,568 rounds of ammunition, 12 empty shells and 19 home-made bombs. Apart from arms and ammunition, 36 primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), five riot tear gas and four tear gas canisters, bomb making materials, two handcuffs, two cameras and a binocular were also recovered, alongside police accessories.

NEMA Issues Flood Alert

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has ordered an immediate evacuation of people living along the River Niger plains. The Head of Public Relations of NEMA, Yushau Shuaib, on Monday, said that the alert comes because the dams have attained their highest water levels in 29 years which is unprecedented in the history of Jebba and Kainji hydroelectric power dams. The threat has created a high risk of imminent flooding in the downstream of the river, he added.

The Gambia Sued over Execution of Inmates

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and two Nigerians on death row in The Gambia have taken their case to the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja. They are asking the court to urgently stop the impending execution. In the suit filed against the Gambian government, SERAP and the Nigerians are alleging that the threat of execution while they (2nd and 3rd plaintiffs) have been denied the right to appeal “violates their rights to life and to due process of law, amongst others. The 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs are among the 48 people on death row in The Gambia. Without allowing them to exhaust their right of appeal, the government has threatened to execute them and others.

NIS Promotes 124 Officers, Warns on Illegal Operations

About 124 officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) officers in Kano State Command have been promoted. Kano State Comptroller, Dr. Brasca Ifeadi who performed the decoration exercise on the officers warned them not to involve themselves in illegal operations, saying that doing so will amount to disobedience to the rules of engagement in service. The Comptroller also advised that they should ensure vigilance at all times in view of the prevailing security challenges in the country.

10 Drown in Taraba Boat Mishap

Ten teenage girls drowned while three others remained missing after a canoe they were travelling in capsized in the Karim River in Taraba state, the Red Cross said on Wednesday. The head of the Red Cross in Taraba State, Manja Agwe Mathew, said that the accident occurred, late Tuesday, while the group was travelling “to a wedding ceremony in another village across the river.” Taraba is one of the northern states experiencing severe flooding since July. Water levels have surged on the River Benue, which feeds the Karim, causing at least 30 deaths. A spill-over of a dam in Kano State has led to the overflow of Katagum River in Bauchi State, causing flood that has killed seven people. In Kaduna state, over 300 houses at Kigo Extension in Kaduna North LGA and other areas have been submerged by flood.

STF Parades Armed Robbery Suspects

The Special Task Force (STF) in Jos, Plateau state, has arrested and paraded an undergraduate student and two others for alleged armed robbery and car theft. the STF spokesman said that men of the STF at Dogon Karfe area of the city, received information from a staff of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC) that his car was snatched at gun point. He further said that his men, went in pursuit and the robbers were intercepted on Wednesday at the Police Staff College check point. The spokesman said the suspects were found in possession of two locally made pistols and two hand sets and are undergoing preliminary investigation.

NIMASA Seals Tank Farm over Fuel Theft

Officials of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and armed security personnel, Thursday, invaded the depot of the Integrated Oil and Gas Limited at Apapa over an allegation that the company received stolen petroleum products. Officials of NIMASA tracked a cargo allegedly laden with stolen petroleum products to the tank farm of Integrated Oil and Gas Limited. Some workers, alleged to have been transporting hijackers of vessels to the high sea, were arrested. The Chairman of the company and former interior minister, Emmanuel Ihenacho, denied being involved with stolen products. The Director General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, said that the search for the sponsors of these pirates has led to the tracing of the stolen products to the company.

Flood Displaces 25,000 in Benue

The overflow of River Benue has displaced over 25,000 persons in 14 communities in Benue State. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) disclosed this yesterday after ordering an immediate evacuation of citizens living in flood-prone areas of the state to avert disaster. However, the communities have refused to move to any place of safety. Also, thousands of residents in Kaduna metropolis have been displaced by floods from Kaduna River and some communities in Kano State submerged after the collapse of Warawa dam.

STF Disperse Anti-US Protesters in Jos

Security operatives, on Friday, dispersed protesters outside a mosque in the Jos, Plateau state. The crowd was planning protests over an anti-Islam film produced in the US. The soldiers fired warning shots in the air, but there were no casualties,” Captain Salihu Mustapha, military spokesman said. The United States earlier warned of potential unrest in Jos. The US also closed its embassy and consulate in Nigeria early on Friday as a precautionary move, following protests outside its diplomatic missions in several Muslim nations. Protests against the film, reportedly produced by a Coptic Christian in California, have spread across the Middle East and Asia.

Police Raid Criminals’ Hide-outs, Arrest Suspect in Kaduna

The police Special Taskforce on Heinous Crimes (STHC), set up to track down and arrest criminals, last weekend, raided some suspected criminal hide-outs in Kaduna, recovered 19 stolen vehicles and arrested three suspects. The police also confirmed the killing a suspected armed robber and the arrest of another in Zaria on Tuesday. Police spokesman, Aminu Lawal, said that the police recovered two guns from an aborted robbery attack on the house of a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, by gang of four armed robbers. While one of the suspects was killed, another was arrested. This feat came as the Bauchi State Police Command said it will soon arraign two suspects, who were nabbed while in the process of vandalising armoured cable wires.

Minister Advocates Life Sentence for Rapists

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, has called on lawmakers across the country to come up with a legislation that will make life imprisonment the penalty for rapists. This came as the wife of the Oyo State governor, Florence Ajimobi, said arrangements were being finalised to forward a bill that would criminalise violence against women to the state House of Assembly. Maina spoke on Tuesday during a visit to Mrs Ajimobi in her office in Ibadan preparatory to a two-day national summit on women. The minister stressed that pro-women legislation was necessary to guarantee the rights of women and promote the welfare for children and those in the vulnerable groups.

Security Beefed Up In Sokoto

Measures have been taken to ensure adequate security of lives and property in Sokoto and its environs following reported threat by terrorists to attack the city. The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the state has consequently taken over places of worship, particularly mosques and churches, as well as government institutions and hospitality centres. The security threat is coming after a filling station was attacked last week, in which innocent people were killed and millions of naira taken away. Sokoto State has come under attack in recent times and there have been calls for government to take decisive steps to address the issue.

25 Bodies Recovered in Adamawa Floods

More bodies have been found in River Benue after a weekend flood wreaked havoc in Adamawa State. The State Deputy Governor, Ahmed Gumel, has charged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to go beyond forecasting of flood disasters and device appropriate means of averting them. Meanwhile, the state government has warned those that were displaced by the flood not to go back to their homes until further notice.

INTERNATIONAL

US Ambassador Killed in Libya as Protest Spread over Anti-Islam Film

US Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, 52, and three other Americans died, on Tuesday, after the gunmen attacked the US consulate in Benghazi. The attackers were part of a mob blaming America for a film they said insulted the Prophet Mohammad. The attackers used guns, mortars and grenades. Libyan and U.S officials said the attack may have been planned in advance. Another assault was mounted on the U.S. embassy in Cairo, Egypt in which protesters tore down and burned a U.S. flag. Libyans identified units of a heavily armed local Islamist group, Ansar al-Sharia, which sympathizes with al Qaeda and derides Libya's U.S.-backed bid for democracy. The film that sparked the demonstration is said to have been produced by a 52-year-old US citizen from California named Sam Bacile, and promoted by an expatriate Egyptian Copt. The two men are described as having anti-Islamic views. US President, Barack Obama, vowed on Wednesday to "bring to justice" the Islamist gunmen responsible for the assault.

Bombs Hit Army Compounds in Aleppo

Two bombs, penultimate Sunday, exploded simultaneously next to Syrian army compounds in the city of Aleppo, killing and wounding scores of President Bashar al-Assad's forces. Reports said an explosion near a hospital and a school in the Municipal Stadium district killed 17 people and wounded at least 40. Residents said the facilities were used to house soldiers fighting an 18-month uprising against Assad. The Noble Aleppo brigade of the Free Syrian Army said in a statement it carried out the Muncipal Stadium district attack, killing or wounding 200 troops. It said the bombs were planted inside the buildings in cooperation with a loyalist sympathizer. Syrian warplanes earlier bombed a residential district to the east after rebels overran army barracks there, killing and wounding dozens of people.

100 Killed in Series of Explosions in Iraq

Over 100 people were killed as series of bombs ripped through mainly Shi'ite Baghdad districts, penultimate Sunday, after Iraq's fugitive Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi was sentenced to death. The violence and the sentence for Hashemi, a senior Sunni politician, threatened to stoke sectarian tensions in Iraq where a Shi'ite-led government is battling political instability and a Sunni Islamist insurgency. Hashemi, a fierce critic of Shi'ite Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, fled Iraq after the authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in December. Hashemi, who is unlikely to return to Iraq from Turkey, had accused Maliki's government of controlling the judiciary and of orchestrating a crackdown on Sunni opponents.

Teenage Bomber Kills Six in Kabul

A 14-year-old suicide bomber detonated explosives near the heavily barricaded NATO headquarters in Kabul on Saturday, killing six civilians including children, officials said. The bomber wore a vest packed with explosives and rode right up to the NATO gates on a bicycle. Pieces of flesh and splattered blood lay on the street near the base, where the small bodies of children were lifted into ambulances. The Taliban took responsibility for the attack, but denied they had deployed a teenage bomber, saying instead he was a 28-year-old who targeted the Kabul offices of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) condemned the use of children.

Soldiers Kill 16 Islamists in Mali

About 16 members of an Islamist sect were killed when Malian soldiers opened fire on their vehicle in the central region of Segou last weekend. The incident occurred in the town of Diabali, but it was not immediately clear if the presence of Islamists in the area signified an advance by the jihadists who have controlled northern Mali for five months. The sixteen, who are members of the Dawa sect, allegedly refused to stop their vehicle after warning shots were fired, a security ministry official said. The dead include Malians and Mauritanians. A Diabali resident said earlier the men had been on their way to a “religious meeting” in Mali, but did not give details.

12 Killed in attack on Defense Minister, as Yemen Forces Kills al Qaeda Leader

Yemeni armed forces have killed Said al-Shehri, a Saudi national seen as the second-in-command of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), reports say. The Ministry of Defence said Shehri was killed on Monday, along with six other militants, in an operation at the remote Hadramout province. AQAP, which has planned attacks on international targets including airliners, is seen to be the most dangerous wing of al Qaeda. There were conflicting reports on how Shehri, was killed. Meanwhile, 12 people were killed in an assassination attempt on Yemen's Defense Minister on Tuesday. But the minister escaped the car bombing attack that followed the killing of al Qaeda's second-in-command in the country. Witnesses said the blast happened as Major General Muhammad Nasir Ahmad's motorcade left the prime minister's office in Sanaa after a cabinet meeting. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Al Qaeda blames the minister for leading a campaign that drove it from strongholds in southern Yemen.

Syrian Rebels Execute Soldiers

No fewer than 20 Syrian government soldiers have been summarily executed by Syrian rebels in the embattled northern city of Aleppo, according to reports. The news came as peace envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, admitted he faces a “very difficult” task. Brahimi made the remarks in Cairo where he launched his first official visit to the region. Reports of the executions came as Syrian MiG warplanes blitzed areas of Aleppo, dropping two bombs at a time and then opening up with machinegun fire. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier said at least five people died and an unknown number were hurt when the warplanes staged waves of bombing raids.

US Braces for More Attacks, UN Appeals for Calm over Film Protests

Following attacks on its Consulates in parts of North Africa and the Middle East, the government of the United States is bracing for further attacks and violent demonstrations by Muslims angered by an anti-Islam video. The U.S. put all of its diplomatic missions overseas on high alert, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered an explicit denunciation of the video, saying the US had nothing to do with it. U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has appealed for calm. Ban reiterated his condemnation of the attack that killed 4 Americans in Benghazi on Tuesday. He also condemned the hateful film that appears to have been deliberately designed to sow bigotry and bloodshed.

China Surveillance Ships Enter Disputed Waters with Japan

Six Chinese surveillance ships entered waters near disputed islands claimed by Japan and China on Friday, raising the stakes in a long-running territorial row between both countries. China's foreign ministry said that the ships entered the disputed waters to carry out maritime surveillance and that for the first time China was carrying out a mission of "law enforcement over its maritime rights". Japan had disclosed plans to buy the disputed islands. China warned Japan on Thursday that trade could be hurt by the flare-up in tension. China, the world's second-largest economy is Japan's biggest trading partner with mutual trade in 2011 growing 14.3 percent in value to a record $345 billion.

Gambari Quits UN Mission in Darfur

The Joint Special Representative of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) in Darfur, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has announced that he would be relinquishing the headship of the hybrid international force in Sudan. A statement released on Tuesday the United Nations African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and signed by Gambari, said his mandate as UNAMID’s head actually ended in July this year, but based on pressure from the AU and UN; he chose to extend his stay just a little longer.

UN Tasks Somali Leader on Government

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has lauded the election of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as new president of Somalia and urged him to quickly appoint a government. Ban congratulated Mohamud on his success in winning a vote by Somalia’s new federal parliament and commended the “peaceful” process. Ban Ki-moon encouraged the Mohamed to move expeditiously, to appoint an inclusive, accountable government that can begin the work of peace-building in the country. About 20,000 African Union troops protect the government in Mogadishu, which is battling Islamist rebels as well as crippling political infighting inside the transitional parliament.

Revenge Attacks Leave Several Dead in Kenya

At least 50 people have been killed in renewed ethnic clashes in a remote part of south-eastern Kenya, officials say. The killings continue even as President Mwai Kibaki warned that his government will not tolerate criminal acts, following violent incidents witnessed in Mombasa after the assassination of controversial cleric, Aboud Rogo. Armed raiders set fire to houses overnight, a local official said. The raid happened in the Tana River area of Coast Province, where clashes between the Orma and Pokomo communities killed at least 52 people in August. Local residents said that the attackers wore army uniforms. The two groups have a long history of tension over access to land and water. The Pokomo are mostly farmers, while the Orma are semi-nomadic cattle-herders.

Mexican Navy Captures Top Drug Lord

The Mexican government has announced the capture of one of its most wanted drug bosses, the head of the Gulf Cartel, Jorge Costilla, alias "El Coss," by the Mexican Navy. A government source said Costilla was detained in Tampico, Tamaulipas, where the cartel was active, without putting up a fight. The U.S. State Department had a reward of up to $5 million for Costilla's capture. The Mexican Navy recently captured senior Gulf Cartel member, Mario Cardenas, alias "Fatso," also in the north-eastern state of Tamaulipas where Costilla was caught. The cartel's power has waned during a feud with the brutal Zetas gang, which acted as enforcers for the Gulf Cartel before breaking with their employers.

Over 300 Die in Pakistan’s Factory Fires

Over 310 people died in horrific fires that destroyed two factories in Pakistan on Tuesday. Reports indicated that at least 289 people died at a garment factory in Karachi city, few hours after 21 died at a shoe factory in Lahore. Karachi city’s top official, Karachi Roshan Shaikh, said that the toll may rise. The toll rose rapidly during the day as firefighters extinguished smouldering embers and found dozens of dead huddled together in the basement and ground floor of the factory. Karachi fire chief, Ehtesham Salim, said many of those on the upper floors of the building were rescued or jumped to escape the inferno, although dozens broke limbs. Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik has ordered an inquiry into both fires. Officials said the factory in Karachi in particular was in poor condition and lacked emergency exits.

30,000 families Face Acute Hunger in Mozambique

Authorities in the southern Mozambican province of Gaza have announced that 30,000 families are facing acute famine in the area since March. According to the provincial governor, Raimundo Diomba, urgent food aid is needed to save the lives of the people in the area. He said people are eating leaves, roots, wild fruits, and little food they have, but warning that all these would not last longer. According to Diomba, Gaza managed to produce more food around a month ago, but distribution is not yet in progress. The four regions are fed by the World Food Programme (WFP) since March. But pockets of hunger are also felt in other neighbouring zones. Production was hampered in Gaza by heavy rain, which fell from February to March, causing floods on the Limpopo valley.