Villeworth Security Services Ltd

Week 1

• 
• 

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

JTF Registers Vessels, Boats to Control Oil Theft

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, on Wednesday, said it had registered 85 vessels, 217 boats and 64 barges to check pipeline vandalism, illegal bunkering and other crimes in the region. The outfit also lamented the lack of diligent prosecution of arrested suspects, saying there was a need to establish a special court to handle oil theft cases. The JTF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Johnson Ochoga, said that the registration had helped in tracking “illegal oil bunkerers by tracing arrested vessels to their owners”. He referred to the use of unregistered vessels and barges as one of the factors undermining the outfit’s efforts to eradicate illegal oil business in the region. He noted that the outfit had organised advocacy programme to sensitise communities on the dangers of conniving with oil thieves.

Pirates Seize Italian Sailors off Bayelsa Coast

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has warned shippers to be careful of Nigerian coast after gunmen attacked a supply tug in the oil-rich Niger Delta, abducting foreign sailors, including Italians, in the latest attack that has become increasingly dangerous for shippers and oil companies. The call came as the Navy said it had launched massive hunt for the pirates, who abducted the four crew members last weekend. The attack, the IMB said in a statement, happened on the Italian-registered vessel, named by the navy as MV Asso Ventuno, which was boarded 40 nautical miles off the coast of Bayelsa State. The gunmen, it said, seized four workers and later fled, while those remaining on board safely guided the ship to a nearby harbour. A spokesman for the Nigerian Navy confirmed the incident.

5 Die in Enugu Cult Clashes

Five persons have been killed in renewed multiple cult clashes that took place in different parts of Enugu in the last one week. It was gathered that one of the victims of the clash was killed in Achara Layout in Uwani area of Enugu State at the weekend while another, who was shot severally near the popular Artisan Market is now responding to treatment. Two persons were killed in an unknown destination, on Tuesday, and the remains dropped at Ogui Junction. It was gathered that the two suspected cultists were killed by other rival cult group and brought to the junction for people and security agencies to see. It could be recalled that over seven persons have lost their lives since the renewed cult clash started last week. It was gathered that the development might have been caused by struggle for supremacy.

Police Arrest Men with Explosives

The Police in Enugu State, on Thursday, foiled an attempt by suspected terrorists to bomb the Akanu Ibiam International Airport. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amaraizu, said the operatives of the Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) of the state Police Command arrested four persons, including a driver in a vehicle. It was gathered that the suspects were heading towards the Airport in the morning hours with some items believed to be dangerous fireworks contained in two cartons, one packet of celebration thunder of 10 shots candle. The statement further disclosed that the suspects were already helping the police in their investigations.

Illegal Arms Factory Uncovered in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State command of the Nigeria Police has uncovered an illegal arms manufacturing factory at Ikot Ekpene in Ikot Ekpene LGA of the state. State Commissioner of Police, Umar Gwadabe, who revealed this in Uyo, said that the factory was raided following intelligence gathering by his men and that the factory had been operating for over 30 years. Gwadabe listed various items recovered from the illegal arm factory to include gun making machines, unspecified number improvised equipment and several ammunition which, he said, would help the command in its investigation. He called for improved working relationship with stakeholders and the general public and assured residents of peaceful New Year festivities.

Police Officer, Others Arrested for Operating Illegal Fuel Depot

The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has uncovered an illegal oil depot in Calabar, Cross River State, where no less than 8,000 drums of fuel and diesel were stored. The Public Relations Officer of the 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Capt. Joseph James, who disclosed this on Wednesday, said six persons, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), have been arrested in connection with the illegal depot. James said the place was uncovered on Christmas Eve following a tip off. Meanwhile, the force has burnt the products at Ikang in Bakassi Local Government Area of the state. He advised the perpetrators of the act to desist from the illegal bunkering or the long arm of the law would catch up with them.

Pastor, Two Others Killed over Land Dispute

The Pastor and founder of a Pentecostal church, Faith Builders Ministry, in Calabar, Cross River State, Rev. John Ene-Obong, was killed last Monday by irate youths over a land dispute in Ikot Ene-Obong. Ene-Obong was killed alongside two others whose names were given as Effiong Koko-Ette and Victor Ene-Boco when he went to inspect the land that belongs to his family. It was gathered that the pastor and two others might have been killed to avenge killing of one Eton, who was killed on the same farmland after being accused of maiming another man identified simply as Effiong, a victim of the land dispute. Residents of Ikot Ene-Obong community and its environs now live in fear following the war of attrition the land dispute had caused among members of late Chief Ene-Obong’s family.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Three Police Officers Fired over Kidnap of Judge

Three police officers, alleged to have been involved in the kidnap threat and demand for N20 million as ransom from a Delta State High Court judge, Justice Flora Azinge, have been dismissed from the force. The trio was dismissed after they were found guilty of complicity in the kidnap saga. A source said that “one of the policemen, attached to the armourer, who had been on the run since the bubble burst, refused to surface and was tried and dismissed in absentia.” It was learnt that five persons, including Justice Azinge’s driver and the police officer at large, were arraigned before a magistrate court in Warri, over the kidnap and attempt to poison the judge. The accused persons were remanded in prisons custody, while the case was adjourned till January 23, 2013.

Delta Group Raises Alarm over Plans to Blow up Chevron Pipeline

There are surreptitious plans to blow up pipelines belonging to Chevron Nigeria Ltd in Egbema-Gbaramatu community of Delta State, a group has alleged. The allegation was made chairman of the Coalition for Defence of Human Rights in Delta State, Rufus Olanrewaju. A leadership tussle between two warring factions was said to be tearing the executive committee of the community apart, already with allegations of kidnapping as well as attempted murder. It is alleged that there is the Anthony Lawuru-led newly elected executive and the Darlington Lelekumo defunct executive, both of which are not ready to step down for each other, while one of the factions was said to be perfecting plans to blow up Chevron pipeline which passes through Egbema-Gbamaturu axis.

Gunmen Shoot Toddler, Kill Father and Abduct Mother

A 3-year old boy is hospitalised after unidentified gunmen shot him and killed his father while abducting his mother last weekend in Benin. The incident took place when the boy’s father, a Sales Representative, was returning home after work. The victim, Olowo Lafe, who was attacked and killed a stone throw from his residence, had two weeks earlier escaped a kidnap attempt by unknown persons. Mr Lafe, who was returning home in company of his wife and three little children when the gunmen ambushed him, opened fire, killed him and dragged his wife into their vehicle.

Soldiers Deployed after Violent Protests in Delta Councils

After a violent protest at the weekend by youths in Isoko North and South Councils of Delta State, soldiers have been deployed to the area to secure oil facilities to avert further vandalism of pipelines. It was learnt that the soldiers from the 3rd Battalion Effurun were sent to Shell and Agip oil facilities in the two councils to protect them from possible attacks. Thousands of youths invaded the two councils protesting government’s alleged neglect and marginalisation of the area. Several vehicles in the premises of the councils were allegedly torched by the youths during the protest. The youths, according to reports, became angry when they heard that pipeline surveillance jobs were offered to some youths in the Niger Delta instead of them.

Three Killed in Petrol Tanker Explosion

Three persons were killed and several others injured, while 13 vehicles were burnt when a petrol tanker exploded and went up in flames in Benin City, Edo State on Wednesday night. It was gathered that those whose properties were torched were said to have urged the state government to identify the owners of the tanker in order to compensate them. Eye witnesses said the tanker, which apparently lost control, fell into a ditch and its products spill on the road, which later resulted in an explosion.

Suspected Prostitutes Beat Up Landlord in Asaba

Commercial sex workers in Asaba, Delta State, on Thursday, manhandled their landlord over his demand for their unpaid rents. The victim had reportedly sought for payments from the prostitutes, for three months of unpaid rents when they allegedly descended on him after exchange of words. The Landlord had allegedly called them “bastards without future” which provoked the prostitutes, who have been complaining of low patronage since the commencement of Christmas/New Year festivities. The ladies allegedly swooped on him and inflicted finger nails cuts all over his body and tore his clothes to shreds. Police authorities confirmed the arrest of the prostitutes.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Women Protest against Invasion of Community

Several aged women in Sonde-Apon, a rural community in Ifo LGA of Ogun State, last weekend, stripped themselves almost nude to protest the continued invasion of the community by hoodlums. They claimed that they are often attacked, and the most recent one is the third in a row. The women marched through the streets of the community, chanting emotive songs and sometimes raining expletives on people they accused of turning the community into a dreaded place for its inhabitants. According to reports, whenever the youths, who are always armed, invade the community, they end up inflicting injuries on some of the residents and even raping some of the women. The latest of the attack was perpetrated by about 20 hoodlums, who invaded the community with machetes and guns while most of the residents had gone to work.

Fulani Herdsmen Kill Farmer in Ogun State

Some Fulani herdsmen, last weekend invaded a farmland in Oja-Odan, a border town in Yewa North Local Council of Ogun State, and killed one Agbose Sewotan, a middle age farmer who was said to have prevented their cattle from grazing in his farmland. The Oja-Odan community had last month addressed a press conference, where it alleged that some foreign Fulani herdsmen, in collaboration with their counterparts in Nigeria, have killed 40 of their kinsmen within the last decade for daring to prevent their cattle from using their farmlands as feeding ground. The community appealed to the federal and state governments to come to their aid. Meanwhile, the Chairman Yewa North LGA, Tajudeen Alani, has assured that the government would end such senseless killings.

Suspected Oil Thieves Arrested in Lagos

Seven foreigners and three Nigerians have been arrested by the Nigerian Navy for transporting 77,500 litres of fuel allegedly siphoned from the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) facility in the Atlas Cove area. The seven foreigners, all Ghanaians, said that they were on charter services for the head of the gang, a Nigerian. The Commander of the NNS Beecroft, Commodore Martins Njoku, said the 11 suspects were caught with 310 large plastic drums of 250 litre size each, loaded with petroleum product, in a wooden boat and apparently being transported out of the country when they were arrested.

One Dead, Scores Injured in Fireworks Warehouse Explosion

A female teenager was, on Wednesday, killed in an explosion that rocked a fireworks’ warehouse at Isale-Eko, Lagos Island, while several others sustained injuries. The victim was reportedly killed in one of the buildings razed by the inferno that lasted for hours. The Lagos State Government dismissed claims of a bomb explosion in the city, clarifying that the explosion was from a warehouse in which fireworks had been stored that went up in flames. Street urchins and others cashed in on the rowdy situation to go on a looting spree that was halted by security agents who arrested no fewer than 20 of the suspected looters. The inferno gutted over 10 buildings, destroyed over 20 cars and goods worth millions of naira.

NDLEA Nabs Drug Trafficker at Lagos Airport

Luck ran out on a suspected drug trafficker on Tuesday as he was nabbed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. He was caught on his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil, with parcels of high-grade cocaine with a total weight of 1.620kg concealed in his shorts. The drug was detected during inward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight at about 3.26p.m on Christmas Day. The suspect said he ignored his wife’s warning of danger. NDLEA Commander at the airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the suspect, Patrick Madueke Chukwuemeka, was apprehended on his way from Brazil.

NDLEA Arrests Colombian Drug Baron, 7 Others in Lagos
…Discover Drug Factory

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Colombian drug lord and seven Nigerians, who specialise in the production of methamphetamine in some parts of the country. Chairman of NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade also voiced concern over the health and security implication of illegal methamphetamine production in Nigeria. This followed the discovery of three production factories in Lagos and Anambra States. The undercover operation which led to the crackdown on the criminal gang, according to Giade, commenced in November 2011 when Gonzelo Osorio was contracted by a Nigerian drug syndicate to establish three methamphetamine production laboratories in different parts of the country. He described the operation as one of the best coordinated in terms of duration, expertise and professionalism by the agency.

Man Kidnaps, Rapes Ex-Girlfriend for Dumping Him

A 22-year-old lady has reported being abducted and raped by her ex-boyfriend, Ibrahim Bolaji, in Lagos. The lady was abducted by armed men riding on motorbikes in front of her compound, penultimate Friday. The lady was rescued about seven hours later after she secretly used her mobile phone to alert her current boyfriend on where she was. Policemen from Layeni division, somewhere around Arinu Ishola Street, Alaba, where she was held, facilitated her rescue. Bolaji, who has been arrested, lamented that she left him for his friend, giving rise to his anger. According to him, he only sent some of his friends to abduct her so as to teach her a lesson. The police remain on the trail of the other members of the kidnap group.

NSCDC Arrests Seizes Adulterated Diesel Truck

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ondo State said they impounded truck laden with 33,000 litres of adulterated diesel. The command also seized two cars carrying about 4,000 litres of adulterated diesel and arrested three suspects during routine patrol in the state. The Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Kayode Balogun, who said this in a statement on Thursday, noted that the suspects were arrested with the vehicles on the Ore-Sagamu Expressway. According to him, the NSCDC and other security agencies have been having a running battle against illegal oil bunkerers, who operate in the Niger Delta creeks and use the Ondo coastal area as routes through which they convey their illegal products to markets.

Nine Die in Osun Road Accidents

At least nine persons died in an auto crash along Gbongan-Ife road, Osun State, on Thursday. Eyewitness said the accident occurred when a commercial bus collided with a diesel tanker. It was gathered that 11 persons sustained injuries in the crash. A passer-by said the accident was caused by over speeding, adding that many of the victims had their bodies mangled. The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Imoh Etuk, said preliminary investigation showed that the accident was caused by recklessness.

GENERAL

Islamic Group Claims Kidnap of French Citizen

The radical Islamist group, Ansaru, has claimed responsibility for the recent kidnapping of a French citizen in Katsina State, citing France’s push for military intervention in Mali as a justification. According to the group, the reason for his kidnap is the stance of the French government on Islam and Muslims. The group also cited France’s “law outlawing the use of Islamic veil by Muslim women, which is an infringement on religious rights.” France has backed plans to deploy a West African force to northern Mali to flush out the al-Qaeda-linked Islamist groups who took control of the vast desert territory in early 2012, and has a law banning the wearing of the full-face veil. An explosion, suspected to have been caused by a bomb, went off on Sunday night near a local beer parlour in Kano, causing pandemonium.

Police Urge Borno Residents to Provide Information

The police in Borno State on Sunday renewed calls on residents of the state to supply vital information on suspected criminals and terrorists hideouts in the state. Reports say that the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, Ibrahim Leha, made the appeal in Maiduguri. Leha said that residents must cooperate with the police if they wished to overcome the current security challenges in the state. Leha explained that the police could not operate successfully without the people’s help. Leha, however, said the police had recorded some level of success in the state in the fight against crime. He thanked other security agents for their supports and cooperation.

FG Uncovers Plot to Attack 10 States

The Federal Government has uncovered plots by Boko Haram Islamist sect to unleash mayhem in some parts of the country and Abuja. A source disclosed that the targeted states include Borno, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Niger and Abuja. It was gathered that following this development and its determination to checkmate the activities of the defiant group before, during and after the Yuletide, the Federal Government had placed all its security agencies on red alert while military personnel from the various military formations across the states of the federation and the FCT have been deployed in the perceived black spots to ensure maximum security in such areas and the country in general.

Gunmen Attack Village Kill Pastor, Others

Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members attacked a Church at Piri village near Potiskum on Christmas day. They torched the church and killed the pastor, Yohana Sini (50) and five other worshipers. The gunmen, according to an eyewitness, Ibrahim Audu, slit the throats of two of the victims, while four others were shot dead before their wives and children. He added that the gunmen set ablaze 21 houses in the village in their three-hour siege. The emir of Fika, Alhaji Muhammadu Idrissa Ibn Abali Mohammed Idrissa visited the village, and pledged that more soldiers and policemen would be deployed to prevent further attacks and killings. The Yobe State Police Command spokesman, Salisu Adamu, confirmed the attack, adding that no arrests had been made by either the police or JTF.

JTF Assures on Safety in Yobe

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe State has assured residents of security of lives and property as the task force and the police intensify patrol of the state capital, Damaturu, and Potiskum to prevent acts of criminality. The JTF said some security measures it put in place recently have remarkably reduced the incessant attacks and killings by the Boko Haram terrorists in the state, noting that it has not recorded any killing in the last two weeks in the state. The JTF spokesman, Lt. Col Lazarus Eli, gave the assurance as he debunked the rumours that JTF in the state would restrict movements during the festive periods. The statement enjoined law-abiding citizens to go about their lawful activities without any fear of being attacked by the Boko Haram terrorists.

US, Canada, Taiwan Warn Citizens against Travel in Nigeria

The United States, Canadian and Taiwanese governments have warned their nationals against non-essential travel to Nigeria, following increased terrorist attacks in the North-East. The Taiwanese government cited fear of another terror attack on Abuja for its security alert. The travel warning issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the United States Department of State dated December 21, 2012 also warned of increased kidnapping in the Niger Delta and armed attacks in parts of the North. Meanwhile, additional security measures had been provided around major hotels including Transcorp, Sheraton and NICON Luxury Hotels in Abuja.

Army Foils Bomb Attack in Abuja

The Nigerian Army, on Thursday, foiled a plot by members of Boko Haram to carry out bomb attacks during the Christmas and New Year celebrations in Abuja. Two drums loaded with explosives, several sizes of cans, including those of vegetable oils and palm oil converted to Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs; about six AK-47 rifles and timing devices were reportedly recovered. Two persons, the landlord of the house where the high caliber explosives were recovered, and another man, who facilitated the movement of the plotters and IEDS to the house, where the attack was to be coordinated, have been arrested. A manhunt is on for the persons scheduled to carry out the bombings.

Air Traffic Experts Declare Nigerian Airspace Safe

The National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) has declared the Nigerian airspace “safe, secure and reliable”. This comes as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) deployed emergency airfield lighting on the 2.7-kilometre runway 18/left of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. The runway has been without light for over five years, forcing domestic airlines land at the international wing after sunset thereby burning extra fuel to taxi down to their various terminals. NAAE said that air navigational facilities at all the airports, especially the communication facilities, were operational. According to NAAE, the above clarification has become necessary in order to allay the fears that the Nigerian airspace is not safe.

Gunmen Kill Eight in Borno, Plateau

Renewed violence in Borno and Plateau states claimed eight lives. In Borno State, gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members shot dead an oil marketer, Alhaji Abubakar Girgir in Maiduguri on Thursday. Three security guards and two other residents were also killed by slitting their throats in their houses in the early hours of the day. Spokesman of JTF, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed the killing of the security guards by suspected members of Boko Haram, adding that efforts were on to apprehend the culprits. In a similar incident, gunmen stormed Bachit village in Riyom LGA of Plateau State, and killed three people, including a man and his wife, leaving others with severe injuries. A retired soldier residing in Rim village in the same local government was also killed at his residence. A mobile Policeman and a woman were also killed by the gunmen.

Army Kills 5 Gunmen, Destroys Bomb Factory in Kaduna

Soldiers, on Thursday, killed five and injured two suspected members of Boko Haram, following a shootout in Kaduna. The operation took place in Rigasa district of Igabi LGA when the soldiers stormed a bomb making factory in the area following a tip-off. The Army operatives demolished the bomb factory after about 5 hours of gun battle, arrested some suspects and also discovered already made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 1 Division, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, confirmed the incident, saying that the terrorists had opened fire on the soldiers when they arrived at the area. He further stated that the factory had been demolished and advised property owners to be wary of their tenants, even as he advised people to always volunteer information to the security agencies.

Nigeria Deploys 140 Police Officers to Somalia

The Federal Government and the African Union have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the contribution of one Formed Police Unit (FPU) of 140 police officers and other resources to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Director of Peacekeeping of the Nigerian Police Force, Kayode Aderanti, said the MOU was signed on behalf of the AU by Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, while the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the AU, Bulus Paul Zom Lolo, signed on behalf of the Federal Government. Under the AMISOM Strategic Concept, which was approved by the AU Peace and Security Council of the African Union and endorsed by the UN Security Council, the AU is authorised to deploy two FPUs to AMISOM with the mandate to provide security and operational support to the Somali Police Force.

Nigerian Army to Channel Resource to Training

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, said that the Nigerian Army would channel resources toward providing first class training for its personnel to meet contemporary challenges. Ihejirika made the statement during the graduation ceremony of the 8th Basic Counter-Terrorism Training for junior officers. He explained that the training was organised for junior officers because of the deficiency in professional conduct bordering on indiscipline, negligence in performance of duties and illegal duties.  Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding (G0C) 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Odogbo, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Abubakar, has advocated collaboration among the army and other security agencies in the country to tackle the security challenges.

Jonathan Pledges Better Days in 2013

President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to forget the current challenges, confronting the country, pledging his administration would perform better in 2013. He said the New Year would better the lots of Nigerians in all aspects and urged Nigerians not to lose hope because he had resolved with his cabinet to make significant changes. President Jonathan said although the changes might seem to be slow in coming because of the tedious processes involved, they would soon be manifesting in forms of better wellbeing for the people. He said he was aware of the doubts Nigerians were expressing about his government because of challenges.

Police Assures Zamfara of Security

The Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Usman Gwary, has assured the people that the police command is on top of the crime situation in the state. Gwary gave the assurance on Tuesday over the spate of killings by gunmen in some parts of the state. Gwary stressed that the command had been working to ensure that normalcy returned to the affected areas, where gunmen killed 10 vigilante members. The police chief appealed to the people to assist the police with useful information about suspected movements of criminals even before they perpetrated their crime so that the police can quickly move in and tackle the situation. Gwary, however, lamented that some criminal hideouts in the state were difficult to penetrate by the police because of the dearth of access roads and communications network in such areas.

Northern Governors Condemn Christmas Day Attack in Potiskum

The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has, again, condemned the spate of terrorist attacks in the north, and urged security agencies not to despair. Chairman of the forum and governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, on Wednesday, reacted to the latest terrorist attack on a Church in Piri, Potiskum, Yobe State, on Christmas Day. The forum reiterated its commitment to continue to work closely with the Federal Government in finding a lasting solution to the security challenges confronting the nation. Gunmen killed six people at a church in Potiskum, Yobe state on Tuesday. The gunmen were repelled by the troops after they attacked a church in a village known as Jiri, military spokesman, Eli Lazarus, said as he confirmed that six people were killed.

Group Demands Release of Arrested Journalists

A group, Protecting the Rights of Journalists of Africa (PRJA), has called for the immediate and unconditional release of two journalists arrested in Kaduna State by State Security Service (SSS) operatives. In a statement issued by its President, Adamu Gwarzo, in Kano, the group, which condemned the arrest, described the action of the SSS as “unfortunate and disappointing. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of the two journalists writing for the popular Hausa newspaper, Al-Mizan. PRJA is disappointed and concerned about the development. The statement noted that the arrest came at a time when Nigeria’s human rights record regarding freedom of the press had improved.

INTERNATIONAL

UN Okays Deployment of Troops in Mali

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has adopted a resolution authorising the deployment of an Africa-led International Support Mission (AFISMA) in Mali. The adoption of Resolution marks a defining moment in the coordinated international efforts to assist Mali to re-establish her unity and territorial integrity; dismantle terrorist and criminal networks in the north, and restore full constitutional order. Besides the UNSC decision on December 20, which started the process of adoption, there were over 60 resolutions, including those pending adoption, plus the one wholly sponsored by Nigeria on poverty reduction, which was also adopted. The adopted resolution on Mali also paves the way for concerted international efforts to eliminate the serious threat posed by Al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Movement of Unity and Jihad in Western Africa (MUJWA) and affiliated terrorist groups to regional and international peace and security.

Hostage Crew Rescued after 1,000 Days in Captivity

A ship crew held hostage on their own ship by Somali pirates off the coast of Yemen for 1,000 days, have finally regain freedom. They were huddled in tight spaces aboard the MV Iceberg 1 and given only rice and water to survive. Conditions were so harsh on the ship that one member of the 24-person crew reportedly committed suicide by jumping overboard. Another was killed by pirates. Troops from the Puntland Maritime Police Force rescued the 22 hostages remaining on the Panama-flagged vessel, according to Michael Howlett, deputy director of the International Maritime Bureau. Their rescue, penultimate Sunday, was the result of a two-week operation, the International Maritime Bureau said. In March 2010, pirates hijacked the ship, which had been transporting mechanical equipment and was en route to the United Arab Emirates, the European Union Naval Force Somalia reported at the time.

Israel to Deport Illegal African Migrants

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has disclosed that he aims to repatriate tens of thousands of illegal African migrants and that the inflow into Israel from the Sinai peninsula has been brought to a halt. He said that Israel had been in contact with several African governments. Israel began constructing the fence in late 2010 to stem the influx of thousands of illegal migrants through the porous border, which has also been a major drug and human trafficking route into Israel. Interior, Minister Eli Yishai, had warned that Sudanese illegals that did not leave the country by October 15 would be detained, held in camps and deported. Israel already began expelling South Sudanese in June after Yishai ruled they were no longer at risk in their newly independent homeland.

Indians Protest Gang Rape of 23-Year-Old
…As Victim Dies in Singapore

Several persons in India trooped to the streets of New Delhi to protest a gang rape of a 23-year-old medical student by three men. The Indian government attempted to stamp out the growing protests since the incident, but thousands of protesters remained adamant. The victim of the December 16 attack was beaten, raped for almost an hour, and thrown out of a moving bus in New Delhi. She died, at the weekend, in a hospital in Singapore. The six men accused in the rape have been arrested and will now face murder charge. New Delhi has the highest number of sex crimes in India. Most sexual assaults go unreported and unremarked, but the brutality of last week's attack triggered the biggest protests in the capital. Similarly, a 17-year-old victim of gang-rape, on Wednesday, committed suicide after being pressed by the police to drop charges and marry one of her assailants. The authorities have promised better police patrolling to ensure safety for women, and fast-track courts for swift verdicts on cases of rape and sexual assault.

Air Strike on Bakery Kills Dozens in Syria

Dozens of people are reported to have been killed or wounded in a government air strike on a bakery in the central Syrian province of Hama. The incident took place in the town of Halfaya, the activists said. Rebels have been fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad for 21 months. Opposition activist groups say more than 44,000 people have been killed, including nearly 31,000 civilians. There are fears the toll of casualties could be considerably high.

Syrian Minister Fears Arrest, Leaves Beirut Hospital

Syria's wounded interior minister, Mohammed al-Shaar, rushed home from a Beirut hospital on Wednesday for fear he would be arrested after some Lebanese called to put him on trial for his role in a 1986 crackdown by Syrian troops in Lebanon. Al-Shaar was wounded on December 12 when a suicide bomber exploded his vehicle outside the Interior Ministry, killing five and wounding many. This is as President Bashar Assad’s commander of military police defected. The defector, Maj. Gen. Abdul-Aziz Jassem al-Shallal, is one of the most senior members of Assad's inner circle to join the opposition during the 21-month-old uprising against authoritarian rule. In his speech announcing his defection, he said that the army has been turned into a gang to kill and destroy.

3 Killed in Deadly Attack at US Base in Afghanistan

A suicide car bomber has killed at least three people near a US military base in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, officials say. They say the vehicle exploded near the entrance to the Camp Chapman in the city of Khost, killing three Afghans. The Taliban later claimed responsibility for the attack. Khost has recently seen a dramatic rise in violence. In October, a suicide bomber killed at least 20 people, three of them NATO soldiers, in the city. In June, a suicide bomber killed 21 people - including three US troops and a local interpreter. The Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network regularly mounts large-scale attacks and suicide bombings in the area.

Ruling Party Official Shot Dead in Caucasus

Two gunmen, on Tuesday, shot dead a ruling party official in Russia's North Caucasus, where the government is fighting to an Islamist insurgency. Unknown assailants burst into Boris Zherukov's office in Nalchik and shot him twice in the head, Russia's Investigative Committee said. Zherukov was head of President Vladimir Putin's ruling United Russia party faction in the local parliament. Insurgents fighting to carve an Islamic state out of a patchwork of mainly Muslim regions in Russia's mountainous south stage near-daily shootings and bomb attacks targeting officials and police.

Passenger Plane Lands in Rice Field, Two Feared Dead

Two people were killed and 10 wounded in northeast Myanmar on Tuesday when a passenger plane missed an airport runway in heavy fog and landed in a rice paddy. The pilot of the Air Bagan plane touched down beyond Heho airport in Shan state, killing an 11-year-old passenger and a motorcyclist on the ground, MRTV said. Four foreigners and the pilot were among the injured. The plane was carrying 63 passengers, 51 of whom were foreigners. MRTV said. Air Bagan, one of five airlines operating domestic routes in Myanmar, is owned by Tay Za, a local tycoon blacklisted by the United States for his alleged links to former military regime.

South Korea Stages Live-Fire Drill Near Disputed Border

South Korean marines staged a live-fire exercise on Wednesday near the disputed Yellow Sea border with North Korea amid high tensions over a display of front-line Christmas lights. The exercise involving self-propelled howitzers and a multiple rocket launch system was held on two islands, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. A similar drill on Yeonpyeong in 2010 provoked a North Korean artillery barrage that killed four people and sparked international alarm. The exercise came after the marines’ strengthened guard around a giant display featuring thousands of glittering bulbs on a tree-shaped steel tower in Gimpo west of Seoul. The lights, which will remain switched on until early January, can be seen several kilometres away in the impoverished North. The North has condemned the display as "psychological warfare".

Protesters Attack French Embassy in CAR

Hundreds of people protested outside the French Embassy in Central African Republic on Wednesday, throwing stones at the building and tearing down the French flag in anger at a rebel advance in the north of the country. Some protestors accused France of backing the rebels while others demanded French forces in the country help the army fight off the rebel push. A smaller group of protestors gathered outside the US Embassy, while cars carrying white passengers were stoned, reports say. Rebels have in recent weeks taken a string of towns in the country's north. On Tuesday the rebels, known as the Seleka alliance, took the central town of Kaga Bandoro despite the presence there of troops from neighbouring nations meant to shore up the weak national army. CAR President, Francois Bozize, has appealed for assistance from France and US to halt rebels’ advancement. But the United Nations (UN) is pulling out its staff and the U.S. has warned its citizens to leave the country, while France vowed it would not intervene in the country.

Morsi Signs Contentious Constitution into Law

Egyptian President, Mohamed Morsi, has signed into law a new Islamist-drafted constitution he says will help end political turmoil and allow him to focus on fixing the fragile economy. Results announced on Tuesday showed Egyptians had approved the text with 63.8%, paving the way for a parliamentary election in about two months. Opposition groups condemn the new basic law as too Islamist and undemocratic, saying it could allow clerics to intervene in the law making process and leave minority groups without proper legal protection. But Morsi believes adopting the text is important to ending a protracted period of turmoil. A key opposition group in Egypt, National Salvation Front, has called for an investigation into allegations of vote fraud in the referendum on a deeply divisive Islamist-backed constitution after the Muslim Brotherhood, the main group backing the charter, claimed it passed with a 64 per cent “yes” vote.

Military Plane Crash Kills 27 Officials in Kazakhstan

A military plane said to be carrying senior Kazakh security officials has crashed in the south of the country, killing all on board, reports say. Twenty-seven people were on the flight, which went down near the city of Shymkent, officials said. The Antonov An-72 plane was carrying border service officers, including acting head Turganbek Stambekov. Eyewitnesses said that the plane fell from a height of 800m (2,600ft), causing a loud explosion. The plane went down 12 miles (20km) from Shymkent airport in very bad weather. Seven crew and 20 military personnel were on board the military transport plane, Kazakhstan's Committee for National Security said in a statement.

Four Mexican Police Officers Ambushed, Killed

Gunmen ambushed and killed four policemen and injured another five in central Mexico, officials said. They said the policemen were responding to reports of a traffic accident in a rural area of Michoacan state when the attackers opened fire on them between the cities of Brisenas and Sahuayo. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack in the state, which has been plagued by drug-related violence. Some 60,000 people have died across Mexico since 2006 when the government deployed the military against the drugs gangs.