Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 5

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

2 Kidnap Suspects, as Police Rescue Abducted Woman

Operatives of Imo State Police Command, on Wednesday, arrested two suspected kidnappers and freed a woman they abducted from Igwuruta, Rivers State. Imo state Police spokesman, Vitalis Onugu, said that four armed men stormed the home of Mrs. Linus Okechi, ordered her into her car and took her away. Onugu recalled that the hoodlums ran into a traffic gridlock and on realizing that the police was closing in on them, jumped out of the vehicle and ran into a nearby bush. The Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bolanta, has appealed to youths to resist every temptation to crime. He warned that the police would not take kindly to anybody involved in any criminal activity.

Bayelsa Govt Passes Kidnap Prohibition Law

In a bid to end crime in the state, the Bayelsa State Government has passed, “The Bayelsa State Secret Cult, Kidnapping and Similar Offences Prohibition Law 2012.” Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, on Monday, said the law will enable government carry out effective prosecution of offenders possible as it is an attempt by the state to emphasise its drive towards attaining security and achieving its development goals. Adding that there will be no sacred cow in the enforcement of law and order as “the era of playing politics with security matters are gone for good” and offenders should be ready to face the full wrath of the law.

Eighteen Bodies Recovered from Ezu River

Some 22 bodies were seen floating on the Ezu River in Amansea, Awka North LGA of Anambra State. Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State visited the river and immediately ordered that the bodies should be recovered. He expressed worry over who killed the people, who they are, why they were killed and where they were killed as he announced a reward of N5 million to anybody with useful information on who dumped the bodies. The Ezu River stretches from parts of Enugu State. Obi has implored the acting Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi, to set up investigation process aimed at unravelling the cause of the deaths and the identities of the victims.

Bayelsa Accuses Politicians of Sponsoring Kidnappings
…As Speaker’s Mother Regains Freedom

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has blamed those he described as “failed politicians” for the series of kidnappings in the state. Dickson said the aim of kidnap sponsors was to scare away investors and make the state ungovernable. This follows the kidnap and release of the mother of the speaker of the State House of Assembly. After eight days in the den of her abductors, Mrs Betinah Benson, 78-year old mother of the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson, regained freedom. Although her abductors had demanded a ransom of N40 million for her release, official sources indicated that no ransom was paid at the end for her to being released. The state’s Commissioner of Police, Kings Omire, confirmed her release. The Speaker said his family did not pay any money for her release.

Suspected Vandals Nabbed in Ebonyi

The Ebonyi State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Monday, said it arrested four persons suspected to be involved in vandalism of transformers meant for Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in the state. Parading the suspects at the Command’s Headquarters, Abakaliki, the Corps Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Nwali, explained that the suspected vandals were rounded up at Orizor in Ezza North LGA where they were allegedly seen tampering with the transformer opposite the residence of Senator Igwe Nwagu. According to him, one of those arrested claimed to be a staff of PHCN as items recovered from the suspected vandals were safety belt, pliers, fuses and cables.

Group Tasks Bayelsa Governor on Rape

The National Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps, on Monday, called on the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, to act against the rising cases of rape, child abuse and violence against women in the state. The group urged the governor to prevail on the state police command to investigate the gang-rape and murder of an 18-year-old girl, Miss Imomoemi Esegi, by some unknown persons. The group said it was worried by the rising cases of child rape, violence and gross abuse against children. Group Coordinator, Elizabeth Egbe, argued that the data compiled showed over a hundred cases of violence against children and women carried out in most parts of the state without any of the culprit being prosecuted and jailed due to the greed of parents and fear of disclosure.

13 Foreigners, Nigerians Arraigned for Oil Theft

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday arraigned 10 Indians, three Ghanaians and 10 Nigerians accused of oil theft before a Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The Nigerian Navy arrested and handed over the suspects to the EFCC for prosecution. After the charges were read to them, the court presided over by Justice Charles Archibong, remanded them in prison custody. The Indians and two Ghanaians, who were arrested on board a vessel, MT ASHKAY, were in the first count, charged with conspiracy to commit felony in dealing in petroleum products and without “authority conveyed 157,822 litres of petroleum products suspected to be crude oil bunkered. The suspects, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Kidnap Suspect Killed in Delta State

A suspected kidnapper was shot dead by men of the Delta State Police Command while rescuing a kidnap victim in Agbarho community, Ughelli North LGA. It was gathered that the kidnap victim, Omamuyovwi Oseri, owner of a popular hotel in the area, was whisked away in a car by one of the suspected kidnappers, while one other escaped with bullet wounds. The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Agbarho Police division, Mr. Paul Audu, said the police swung into action after a distress call was received from the management of the hotel and accosted the other two kidnappers, who were already escaping in a Jeep they had snatched from the bishop of one of the churches in the area.

MEND Threatens Deadly Offensive over Okah’s Conviction

The Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) has issued a stern warning to the government in South Africa to stop meddling in Nigeria's internal politics or risk dire consequences. The group also threatened to attack Nigeria like never before, in a manner that might lead to the disintegration of the country. In a statement signed by one Comrade Azizi, MEND said last week's conviction of its leader and founder, Henry Okah by the South African Supreme Court on all 13 counts charge of complicity in the 2010 Independence Day bombing in Abuja amounted to a betrayal. Describing the conviction as a sham, the militant group said its High Command is compelled to advise South Africans to tell their government to stay away from Nigeria.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Father Jailed for Beating Son to Death

A Lagos High Court, Ikeja on Monday sentenced Mr. Obot Friday to four years imprisonment for beating his 11-year-old son, Michael, to death in September 2009. Thirty-seven-year-old Friday was said to have beaten his son with a kitchen spatula (commonly called garri turner) for refusing to sleep at home the previous day. The deceased who was hit on the head was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where he later died. Justice Olabisi Akinlade in her judgment on Monday convicted Friday of manslaughter and ordered that the four-year jail term slammed on him would begin counting from October 9, 2009, which was when he had been on remand. Akinlade said Friday’s confessional statement was sufficient for the court to rely on to convict the accused.

Man Strangles Boy to Death, Demands Ransom from Parents

A man, Onyeka Patrick, strangled Ayuba, the seven-year-old son of his neighbour to death in Ikotun, Lagos State, and there after demanded N5 million from the boy’s parent as ransom for his kidnappers. The deceased was killed when he playfully strolled into Patrick's compound on January 12. The bubble burst when Patrick’s elder brother saw the “kidnapper’s” handwritten note and recognised the handwriting to be that of his younger brother. Suspicious of Patrick’s moves, the elder brother reported the matter to the police. Promptly, Patrick was arrested, and after initial denials, he confessed to the crime. He eventually led the police to where he dumped Ayuba’s body.

Rainstorm Destroys 200 Buildings in Ondo State

Over 200 public and private buildings and other property worth millions of naira were on Monday evening destroyed by a heavy rainstorm that hit the town of Owo, Ondo State. Residents and leaders of the community, which witnessed the first rain of the year after the storm, have therefore, appealed to governments and concerned agencies to assist them in rebuilding their town. The state Commissioner for Special Duties, Niran Sule-Akinsuyi and a community leader, Tayo Aisida, whose family property were destroyed by the storm, said the extent of damage was such that assistance is needed by the mainly indigent population. Apart from buildings, many electric poles were damaged, thereby causing non-supply of electricity to many areas of the town.

Vandals Arrested over Attack on Pipeline at Arepo Village

The Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Anti Pipeline Vandalism, on Thursday, arrested four suspected pipeline vandals in connection with the attack on pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), at Arepo village of Ogun State. Earlier, the Civil Defence Corps had arrested some 15 suspects who would be arraigned soon. The arrested suspects along with some other suspects, now at large, had set another fire on an NNPC pipeline in the creeks before they were rounded up. The vandals, last Wednesday, torched another pipeline, thus causing fire at the Arepo axis where the NNPC pipeline is laid. The timely intervention of the rescue team, which included the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the state fire service, prevented the fire from claiming lives.

NDLEA Arrests Clearing Agents with Drugs

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended three clearing agents at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) export area of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. The clearing agents were caught when they tried to smuggle two consignments of methamphetamine on board an Emirate flight to Malaysia. The NDLEA said that the drug weighed 36.44kg and was concealed in foodstuffs and laptop bags declared as personal effects by the consignor. On finding the drug, the suspects claimed that they thought the methamphetamine was a food seasoning. NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr Hamza Umar, disclosed that the seizure was made during a search at the export processing section. According to the statement, the Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade has warned the clearing agents, urging them to know their customers as the law would run its full course if they were found wanting.

Man Nabbed over Alleged Rape of Deaf and Dumb Girl

Osun State Police Command, Tuesday, paraded a 21-year-old Shina Amusa, for allegedly having canal knowledge of an 18-year-old deaf and dumb. The Command stated in Osogbo that already the suspect had been subjected to thorough and systematic investigations by detectives attached to Dugbe Divisional Police Headquarters, Osogbo

Man Stabs Ex-Girl Friend to Death

An aggrieved ex-boyfriend, Osita Amanunwa, is on the run after stabbing his 26-year-old ex-girlfriend, Onyinyechukwu Aleato, to death. The incident occurred last weekend after he trailed her to her Ajangbadi, where she had gone visiting a friend, called her out to a private area and stabbed her. Before the incident, Osita, a trader at Alaba International market, had on several occasions, threatened to leave an indelible mark on her for dumping him. Onyinyechukwu reportedly dumped Osita after he raped her teenage sister and got her pregnant. Policemen are said to be on his trail, while Osita’s whereabouts is unknown.

Police Arrest Kidnap Suspect in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man, Tope Akingbemila, who allegedly kidnaps children. Also arrested, are a couple and a middle aged man who masqueraded as house-helps, only to rob their supposed employers. Akingbemila met his waterloo following a failed attempt to kidnap a five-year-old child in Ketu on Tuesday. According to the State’s Police Spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, Akingbemila had succeeded in dragging the child into a tricycle, but the victim’s mother raised alarm when she sighted her son being driven away. An angry mob chased them and eventually rescued the child. Tope Akingbemila was arrested while three others escaped. He is now helping the police to track his fleeing gang members.

Sex Worker Jailed for Manslaughter

A 27-year-old commercial sex worker, Nkechi Okafor, who was accused of murdering a client, Abiodun Sarumi, has been sentenced to six years imprisonment. Okafor was, on Monday, sentenced by Justice Lateefa Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court to six years imprisonment, starting from the time she was remanded in prison custody. The prosecution had earlier charged Miss Okafor for murder, but later amended the charge to manslaughter. Okunnu said from evidence before her, Miss Okafor acted on impulse by stabbing Sarumi but without the intention to kill. She noted that her defence for the act was not enough to exonerate her of the crime. After the judge pronounced the judgment, Miss Okafor, pleaded with the court, amid sobs, to have mercy on her, saying she didn’t have anybody to help her and that she was sorry for what happened.

GENERAL

Islamist Group Claims Attack on Mali-bound Troops

An Islamic group, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan, last weekend, claimed responsibility for an attack that killed two soldiers due to be deployed in Mali, and injured five others in Kogi state. The statement by Ansaru said that the attack was to hit back at Nigeria over its deployment of troops in Mali. Ansaru had also claimed last month’s kidnapping of a French citizen in northern Nigeria. In November 2012, Britain’s interior ministry identified Ansaru as a “terrorist organisation” and declared membership of or support for it illegal. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has assured Nigerians of adequate protection from the threats of the group. The Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen Bola Koleosho, who reacted to a statement by the group, urged Nigerians to resist being intimidated and volunteer necessary information on the group. He said the military was prepared and ready to ensure that the society was protected against any terror network.

S’African Court Convicts Okah

A South African court, Monday, found Nigerian militant leader, Henry Okah, guilty of masterminding the 2010 Independence Day car bombing, which killed 12 people and injured several others. Okah was convicted of 13 counts related to acts of terrorism. Okah, who was arrested in Johannesburg on October 2, 2010, a day after two car bombs exploded during the 50th anniversary of Nigeria's independence anniversary, was convicted in a trial that began in October 2012. He had denied the charges of being behind the bomb attacks for which the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility. The prosecutor of a similar case in Nigeria, involving Okah’s brother, Charles, and two others, Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN), welcomed the court’s verdict, while Lagos-based lawyer, Festus Keyamo, described the conviction as “politically motivated and legally incorrect.” Prosecutor Shaun Abrahams said that Okah faced life in prison.

Senate Wants Police to Submit Financial Records

The Senate’s Public Accounts Committee has directed the Nigerian Police authorities to submit to it the records of appropriation and implementation of the budgets on the Nigerian Police College in the last five years. Chairman of the committee, Senator Ahmed Lawan, said that the committee would commence its investigation by first examining the contents of the documents on the budgetary allocations to the college before taking further steps. The Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (rtd), Monday, answered questions on the rot at the Police Training College, Ikeja, which was brought to the public’s attention after a Channels Television documentary trailer on the college. The documentary had forced President Goodluck Jonathan to pay an unscheduled visit to the college last Friday, the first of such visits by a sitting president to the 73-year-old college.

Labour Seeks Protection from Terrorists

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to take adequate steps to ensure the protection of Nigerians from reprisals by terrorists’ networks which may be borne out the ongoing AFISMA engagement in Mali. This, it said in reaction to the weekend attack on Mali-bound troops in Okene, Kogi State which left four soldiers dead and many injured. The Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Chris Uyot, lamented that soldiers who were prepared for war were murdered so ‘cheaply’, when they had not even reached the war front. He described the attack as shocking and unfortunate, adding that it underscores the need to overhaul Nigeria’s internal security system.

FG Vows to Apprehend Attackers of Emir

The Presidency on Monday vowed to bring those behind the attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, to book. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, in a statement, said the attack on the Emir underscores the need for all Nigerians to be vigilant on the security challenge posed by terrorism in the country.  It described the attack on the Emir’s convoy that resulted in the death of four people with others sustaining various degrees of injuries as “unfortunate and also a regrettable incident.” The Emir and two of his sons, who sustained injuries as a result of the attack by gunmen, have been flown to an undisclosed hospital in the UK.

20 Feared Killed in Fresh Hostilities in Plateau

No fewer than 20 persons are feared killed in a fresh onslaught on the Plateau resulting in a serious tension on Thursday. The clash was between Fulani and the native Taroh community in Wadata, a rural settlement in Wase, LGA in the southern part of the state. A source from the community said the clash took place in the early hours of Thursday following the discovery of a decomposing corpse of a young man who had earlier been declared missing in a nearly bush. This, according to the source resulted in reprisal and counter-reprisal attacks during which 19 other persons were killed, and scores of houses torched.

SSS Advises Boko Haram to Embrace Dialogue

The Director of the State Security Service (SSS) in Borno, Alhaji Abdullahi Ahmed, has advised members of the Boko Haram sect to drop their violent campaign and embrace dialogue. Ahmed said the sect must embrace dialogue if it truly wanted to achieve its aim. He explained that criminals had taken advantage of the violent nature of the sect’s campaign to perpetrate their criminality. He said that the sect must have a re-think if it was truly concerned about Islam. The SSS had last week paraded two suspected fraudsters Mohammed Garba and Luka Dogo who posed as Boko Haram sect members to extort money from the public using text messages in Maiduguri.

School Principal Arrested for Inflicting Burns on Son

The principal of a secondary school in Lokoja LGA of Kogi State, Mr Christopher Ogbeun, has inflicted serious burns on his son, Stephen, for destroying a West African Examination Council (WAEC) approval letter. He used an electric iron which he was using to press his clothes to burn his son. Stephen, a 10-year old, is under medical watch at the State Specialist Hospital Lokoja, where he is critically lying ill on bed. He said that he discovered that the boy had destroyed a letter of approval from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) which authorised his school to be a centre for WAEC examinations, got him furious. The state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, said the intervention of the Special Ambush Squad, saved the boy as the suspect had tied up the boy’s hands and closed his mouth using the electric iron on him.

Abducted Indian Sailors Freed

Five Indian sailors kidnapped when their ship was attacked off the coast of Nigeria last month have been released. Pirates looted the SP Brussels, an oil and chemicals tanker, on December 17 about 40 miles off the coast of the Niger Delta. All five sailors are in good health after their ordeal, Medallion Marine said in a statement. There were no details on how they were freed.

Bauchi Governor Assures Worshippers of Security

Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, on Thursday, said that the government would guarantee maximum security to all its citizens as they fulfill their religious obligations. The governor gave the assurance in his congratulatory message to Muslims celebrating the Eid-el-Maulud in commemoration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad. Yuguda said the government was working hand in hand with all stakeholders towards ensuring lasting peace in the state. Yuguda reminded Muslims to live according to the tenets of the Quran and the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad.

Police Detonate Bomb in Kano

Police in Kano State, on Monday, uncovered and detonated an explosive abandoned near a bank along the Murtala Muhammed Way, Kano. According to the state Police spokesman, Magiya Magaji, the bomb was concealed in a bag and kept very close to the bank premises. He disclosed that the strange object attracted the attention of some customers and passers-by that drew its attention to the management of the bank. Following this, the bank immediately notified the police command on the development, after which men of the bomb disposing unit were mobilised and dispatched to the scene.

House Urges Army to Unmask Culprits in Rape Allegation

The House of Representatives Committee on Justice, on Monday, expressed dismay over the manner in which military authorities have handled the recent alleged rape of women by men of the Nigerian Army. The rape incident which was first reported on January 14, said a detachment of soldiers driving in a black Hilux van around Wuse 2 in Abuja, forcefully took the women labelled “prostitutes” and drove them to a black spot where they were raped. The Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Hon. Ali Ahmad, worried that several days after the alleged rape and call on Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika, to investigate the allegation; nothing had been heard regarding involvement of the army personnel or what the authorities are doing in this regard. Ahmad disclosed that the House of Representatives will pass the Violence against Persons Bill, which fortifies the laws of rape, defilement, sexual harassment and other gender-based attacks.

Mad Man Kills Brothers in Benue

A man, feared to be mentally unstable, was lynched last weekend, after he reportedly murdered five brothers at Naka, headquarters of Gwer LGA of Benue State. According to eyewitnesses, the suspected mad man, one Edwin Jato, was said to have been alright until last Sunday evening when he asked his brothers to follow him to the earth dam, but as soon as they got to the dam, Jato brought out a cutlass, hacked them to death and fled. Mr Mike Torkuma, the council secretary said the culprit was later beaten to death by local residents. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ezeala, confirmed the incident and stated that police were investigating the report to ascertain the sanity level of the culprit. He condemned the use of jungle justice.

Gunmen Shoot Dead 18 Hunters in Borno Market

Damboa town in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State was thrown into confusion on Monday, when gunmen attacked the market in Damboa killing 18 hunters. The deputy governor of Borno State, Alhaji Zannah Mustapha, expressed shock on the why one of the busiest towns in the state was deserted. The district head of Damboa, Alhaji Abba Ahmed said that unknown gunmen on Tuesday came to the market, attacked and shot dead 18 people, mainly local hunters. According to him, they hunters were said to have been given strange warnings by unknown persons before that day.

Daura Emirate Cancels Festival over Attack on Emir of Kano

The Daura Emirate Council in Katsina State announced the cancellation of the annual Maulud festival in honour of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, who was attacked by gunmen on January 19th. The attack had left six people dead and others, including two of the emir's sons, injured. The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk told a delegation from Baure LGA that the festival earlier slated to begin on Thursday, had been cancelled. Faruk prayed for continued peace and security in the country and for the repose of the souls of those who died in the incident.

12 Oil Pipeline Vandals Nabbed

Two Indian suspected oil pipeline vandals and 10 Nigerian suspects were paraded at the police force headquarters, Abuja. The anti-pipeline vandalism unit of the police arrested the two Indians, Ashok Agarwal, 66, Kamal Shema, 32, and 10 Nigerians during different operations. The Commander, Anti-pipeline vandalism task force, Friday Ibadin, stated that the suspects were arrested along with Agarwal and Shema while discharging crude oil at the Premises of Prism Steel Mill in Ikirun, Osun State on January 13, 2013. He said that Agarwal who is the director of the firm and Shema, security manager, admitted to receiving the product from vandals due to the shortfall in supply from the Nigerian National Petroleum.

Senate Queries Harassment of Nigerians Abroad

The Senate, on Tuesday, urged the Federal Government to intervene on behalf of its citizens facing harassment abroad. Moving a motion on the ill-treatment of Nigerians in some countries, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Matthew Nwagwu, said many Nigerians had been maltreated and jailed abroad for offences they did not commit and expressed concern over the silence on the part of the Federal Government. According to him, it was not in all the cases that Nigerian citizens so treated were guilty. He said the Federal Government should explore diplomatic means of registering its protest. He prayed the chamber to urge missions abroad to be proactive, seek redress and strengthen consular services.

Pirates Hijack, Release Nigerian Ship, Crew-Members in Cote d’ Ivoire

A tank ship, belonging to Brila Energy, a Nigerian company, which specialises in trading on petroleum products and other derivatives, carrying 5,000 tonnes of jet fuel was seized in the Cote d‘ Ivoire port of Abidjan on Monday. The ship was seized as it was preparing to deposit the fuel at the port, according to a statement from the Ivory Coast’s government. Brila Energy confirmed the attack. Then ship consignee Koda Maritime informed port officials that armed men had taken control of the tanker. Armed hijackers have freed a fuel tanker seized last week in Ivory Coast after escaping with cargo worth $5m (£3m), its owner Brila Energy has said. The 16-member Nigerian crew on board the Panamanian-flagged vessel ITRI was released unharmed, it added. The crew was locked in a dining room while the hijackers siphoned off 5,000 tonnes of the fuel, the company said.

Defence Minister Lauds Navy over War against Oil Theft

Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Olusola Obada, last weekend, said that the Nigerian Navy was winning the war against oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger-Delta region. Mrs. Obada said that the navy had proved its readiness to continue prosecuting the war against maritime crimes through organising ‘Exercise FARAUTA” last year where it arrested nine vessels involved in oil theft and illegal bunkering. She spoke at a reception held by members of Course 22 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in honour of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, commending him for leading other top naval officers on the exercise to put an end to illegal practices in Nigeria’s maritime waters.

Gunmen Kill Policeman, Girl in Kaduna

Unknown gunmen, last weekend, killed a policeman and a girl at Ungwar Dosa, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis. They also inflicted severe injuries on another policeman, a woman and her daughter. An eyewitness disclosed that the gunmen came on a motorcycle and shot the two policemen who were on duty at the area. A woman and her daughter, who were said to be within the vicinity of the incident, were hit by stray bullets. The Kaduna State Command Police Public Relations Officer, Aminu Lawan, confirmed the incident. He said that the command had launched an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack on the two policemen. Lawan pointed out that the two policemen engaged the gunmen in a shootout and in the process one of the policemen died on the spot while the other one sustained severe injuries. He also confirmed the death of a six-year-old girl who was killed by a stray bullet during the gun battle.

Gunmen Kill Five, Injure Two in Kano

Unidentified gunmen Tuesday killed five persons in Dakata area of Kano metropolis. The gunmen, who rode on a motorcycle, according to a source, stormed the area about 100 meters away from Dakata bus stop and started shooting sporadically. The source also added that the gunmen opened fire on some persons playing; killing five on the spot, while two others sustained injuries. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Magaji Majia, said he cannot ascertain the number of casualties.

Army Dismisses Four Soldiers over Rape, Abduction of Women

The Nigerian Army has dismissed four soldiers who were involved in cases of abduction, rape, extortion and assault. The Commander, Guards Brigade, Brig-Gen Emmanuel Atewe, who disclosed this, said the soldiers were later handed over to police for prosecution. Following the incident, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had called on the Chief of Army Staff and the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command to investigate the allegations that some men in Army uniform abducted and raped some women in Abuja under the guise that they were prostitutes. The Executive Secretary NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe further requested that the two concerned security agencies to update the commission with any action taken on the subject matter to enable it take further necessary action in line with its mandate.

FG Beefs Up Security to Check Reprisals from Islamists

The Federal Government has increased security at its borders in a pre-emptive step to check attacks on the country by Islamist militants aggrieved by Nigeria’s participation in a military expedition to dislodge insurgents from Mali. The military expedition is being executed under the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA), spearheaded by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). As a result, defence authorities believe that Nigeria’s participation in the international effort to wrest the northern part of Mali from Islamic militants could make the local insurgent group, Boko Haram, step up attacks on various targets in Nigeria.

INTERNATIONAL

Obama Pledges Support for Democracy

US President, Barack Obama, has said his country would support democracy in Africa and elsewhere because it is in its interests to do so. In his inaugural address delivered Monday shortly after his public oath-taking ceremony in Washington DC, Obama also said that America would remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe and renew those institutions that extend its capacity to manage crisis abroad. The colourful ceremony watched by millions of people around the world and witnessed by hundreds of thousands of people at the inauguration ground, including two of Obama's predecessors, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, along with their spouses, was themed: “Faith in America's Future”.

26 Killed in Kenyan Police Ambush

Death toll from an ambush on Kenyan police officers in the north of the country, on Thursday, rose to 26 after more bodies were found. Locals in the northern district where the initial attack took place also said that fighting between police and gunmen had continued for a second day. The previous police death toll from Saturday’s attack on officers pursuing cattle thieves was 11. But a police source said that more bodies had been recovered bringing the total to now 29, including 26 police officers and three bandits. The remoteness of the northern Baragoi district, where the attack took place, explained why it took a day after the attack for the bodies to be discovered, said the source. Witnesses to the attack said that the attackers had used heavy weapons against the police officers. The group of rustlers police were pursuing is already suspected of killing 13 people in another raid on October 30.

UN Security Council Allows Drones for Eastern Congo

The U.N. Security Council has given a green light for peacekeepers to use surveillance drones in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after weeks of delay over concerns of Russia, China and Rwanda about the use of aerial spy equipment. UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, had advised that peacekeepers in Congo planned to use unmanned aerial systems "to enhance situational awareness and to permit timely decision-making" in dealing with a nine-month insurgency by M23 rebels in the mineral-rich east. The council also noted that it would be a trial use "in line with the Secretariat's intention to use assets to enhance situational awareness, if available, on a case-by case basis".

American Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison over Mumbai Attack

David Headley, an American who admitted scouting targets for the 2008 Islamic militant raid on Mumbai and later agreed to testify against the plotters to avoid the death penalty, was, Thursday, sentenced to 35 years in prison. The sentence was the maximum sought by federal prosecutors. The attacks killed more than 160 people, including six Americans. Headley, a 52-year-old U.S. citizen of Pakistani descent, admitted videotaping sites that were targeted by the Mumbai attackers. He was arrested in 2009 and pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including conspiracy to bomb places of public use and commit murder and plotting an attack on a Danish newspaper. After entering his plea in 2010, Headley cooperated with U.S. investigators to avoid the death penalty and extradition to India, Pakistan or Denmark.

Pakistan Holds 700 Suspects without Trial

Pakistan has for the first time admitted that it is holding about 700 suspected militants without trial. Attorney General, Irfan Qadir, said the prisoners were in internment centres in the tribal belt near the Afghan border. The admission came during a Supreme Court hearing about seven suspects who were freed from jail in 2010 but later seized by intelligence agents. Analysts say the case of the men - known as the Adiala Seven - is a challenge to the assumption that Pakistan's feared ISI intelligence agency can operate independently of the law. The men appeared in court last year, in very poor health, when the ISI was forced to produce them. Four other suspects detained with them died in custody. The court ordered officials to produce a detailed report about the evidence against each suspect.

Russia Warns Israel, Others against Attacking Iran

Russia, on Wednesday, warned Israel and the West against any military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, while it suggested Iran should be quicker to cooperate over inspections of its nuclear sites. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, mixed words of caution over isolating Iran or attacking it with a gentle nudge to Tehran over the inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had hinted at possible military action to stop Iran from developing an atomic bomb. In an election victory speech on Wednesday, he said preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons would be the main challenge for a new government. Iran denies it is trying to develop a nuclear arsenal and says its nuclear program has only peaceful purposes

Bomber Kills 39 inside Iraqi Mosque

A suicide bomber killed at least 39 people inside a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in northern Iraq on Wednesday after detonating his explosives in the middle of a crowded funeral ceremony. The attack on a sensitive religious target came as Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki faces pressure from mass Sunni protests that are heightening fears that the country risks sliding back into widespread sectarian confrontation. Police, who were still rescuing victims from the bomb site, said at least 20 were killed and 35 more wounded in the attack on Tuz Khurmato, a religiously and ethnically mixed city.

Al-Qaeda Suspects Killed in Drone Strike

An unmanned warplane killed at least eight al-Qaeda suspects in three successive airstrikes penultimate Saturday in Yemen’s central province of Marib. Multiple airstrikes on Wadi Abida in Marib destroyed two vehicles carrying members of the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and killed about eight operatives, an official at the provincial Criminal Investigation Unit in Marib said.

Mali Islamists Split, as Faction Wants Dialogue

A split emerged on Thursday in the alliance of Islamist militant groups occupying northern Mali as French and African troops prepared major ground offensive aimed at driving al Qaeda and its allies from their safe haven. A senior negotiator from the Ansar Dine rebels, who helped seize the north from Mali’s government, said he was now part of a faction that wanted talks and rejected the group’s alliance with al Qaeda’s North African franchise AQIM. It was unclear how many fighters had joined the new Islamic Movement of Azawad (MIA) faction. But the announcement will encourage international negotiators who have long sought to break the Islamist alliance, seen as a major threat by Washington and other Western and regional powers.

France Orders Special Forces in Niger

France has ordered Special Forces to protect uranium sites run by state-owned Areva in Niger as the threat of attacks on its interests rises after its intervention against rebels in Mali, a military source said Thursday. Areva has been mining uranium in Niger for more than five decades and provides much of the raw materials that power France’s nuclear power industry, the source of 75 percent of the country’s electricity. Areva, Niger’s biggest single investor has about 2,700 workers in Niger and is planning to start up a third mine in Imouraren. The planned startup of production in Imouraren was delayed to 2013 or 2014 from 2012, following the kidnappings and a labour dispute. An Areva spokeswoman said this month the French government had not asked the company to reduce staffing in Niger. She added Areva has an extensive security plan for its employees and that the plan has been reviewed by the French authorities.

Kenya Will not Negotiate with Militants over Hostages -Official

Kenyan officials said Thursday they would not negotiate with al Qaeda-allied Somali militants who have threatened to kill their Kenyan hostages unless Nairobi frees Muslims held on terrorism charges. On Wednesday al Shabaab released a video of two Kenyan hostages seized a year ago and told Kenya to meet its demands. Colonel Cyrus Oguna, spokesman for the Kenyan military which has been battling al Shabaab in Somalia since October 2011, said the hostages shown in the video were not prisoners of war because they were non-combatants. Al Shabaab said Kenya should release all Muslims held on terror charges and secure the release of those Muslims held in Uganda on similar charges. Kenya has detained several suspects for alleged links with al Shabaab and extradited several to Uganda after a 2010 suicide bombing in Kampala, claimed by al Shabaab that killed 76 people.