Joomla Templates and Joomla Extensions by ZooTemplate.Com
Joomla Templates and Joomla Extensions by ZooTemplate.Com
Latest News: Training and recruitment is ongoing - Wednesday, 02 March 2011 22:54

week 6

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Governor wants Death Penalty for Kidnappers

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, has prescribed death penalty for kidnappers in the state. A bill to this effect would soon be forwarded to the state House of Assembly for passage into law. The Assembly had in 2012 passed into law an executive bill prohibiting secret cult, kidnapping and other related vices. Making this known during the swearing-in ceremony of the chairman and members of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the Agbere communal crisis in Yenagoa, the governor said he would not hesitate to sign the death warrant of kidnappers or those attempting to commit the crime as government would no longer condone acts of lawlessness.  He threatened that any traditional ruler caught aiding and abetting kidnapping and other related vices would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Mother of Bayelsa Lawmaker Kidnapped

The mother of the Leader of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Peter Akpe, was on Monday abducted in Bayelsa state. The abduction brings to four the parents of public office holders who were kidnapped in the latest wave of kidnapping in the state. Mrs. Akpe, aged 59, was reportedly kidnapped Monday night by five armed gunmen at her residence at Ebedebiri in Sagbama LGA of the state. The gunmen were said to have come through the river and disappeared through same route. Eyewitnesses said that the woman was sitting outside her home ostensibly savouring fresh air when she was grabbed by her captors. There were no gunshots as the action was done with military precision. Akpe, who confirmed the incident, said no contact had been established with the kidnappers.

113,837 Persons Displaced in Communal Clashes in South-South

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said that about 113,837 persons were displaced in communal clashes in the South-south geo-political zone in 2013. It also said Rivers and Cross River States were the most affected in the region. South-south Zonal Co-ordinator of NEMA, Mr. Emenike Umesi, said that 2,076 persons were also affected by fire disaster while 3,353,210 were impacted by flood and 1,541 by windstorm in the region.  He disclosed that the worst hit community in the disaster was Buanchor, a village in Boki LGA of Cross Rivers where almost the entire village was washed off by landslide. He also said the agency had recorded a major breakthrough in drafting legal frameworks in emergency response as Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Delta States have set up their respective state emergency response agencies.

Nine Paraded over Abduction of Actress, Nkiru Sylvanus

Operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) and the police have arrested a dismissed riot policeman, Ndidi Cletus, 30, and eight others for kidnapping Nkiruka Sylvanus, an actress and aide to the Imo State Governor in December 2012. Cletus and others arrested were paraded at the SSS headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, while three others remained in police custody. Deputy Director, Public Relations and Media of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar, explained that Cletus confessed that he was dismissed from the police in 2007 because he was absent from duty for more than 21 days without permission due to ill-health, and that he is the leader of a notorious nine-man armed gang that kidnapped Sylvanus and several others. The sum of N3.4 million was found on Cletus at the time of his arrest, Ogar stated.

Dutch Court Rules for Shell Nigeria to Pay Damages for Oil Spills

A Dutch court, on Wednesday, rejected a bid by a group of Nigerian farmers to have Shell’s parent company held responsible for oil damage, saying only subsidiary Shell Nigeria was responsible for one oil leak. Environmental groups had hoped that a ruling against Anglo-Dutch Shell, which is headquartered in the Netherlands, could set a precedent for global responsibility and open the door for hundreds of similar claims. Judge Henk Wien said however that Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary must pay damages to the farmers and fishermen in one of their claims, relating to oil spills near the Niger Delta village of Ikot Ada Udo.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

2 Killed as Gunmen Kidnap Expatriate in Warri

Two people were killed and an expatriate abducted by unknown gunmen in Warri on Wednesday. According to a witness, the incident happened at about 8am around Uti Junction, close to Delta Steel Company (DSC) Expressway, Effurun. The expatriate, said to be of Lebanese extraction, whose name was given as Azar Suleiman, was abducted in the process. The two that lost their lives include a policeman and the driver of the security vehicle conveying the expatriate. Another policeman was critically injured. Meanwhile, the Area Police Commander, Warri area command, ACP Rabiu Husseini, confirmed the incident but insisted that the police was still on top of security in the state.

Government Advises MEND against Violence over Okah Conviction

The Federal Government has asked the faction of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which is threatening to resort to violence over Henry Okah’s conviction by a South African court, to reconsider the threat and give peace a chance. Okah, the alleged leader of MEND, was found guilty by a South African court recently for masterminding the October 1, 2010 Independence Day bombing in Abuja, which left 12 dead and several injured. The faction had issued a statement, threatening to sabotage oil installations and South African companies, stating that Okah’s conviction was political. But the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, told the group to reconsider their threat because there were enough challenges facing the country without returning to that era it had left behind with the amnesty programme.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Ghanaian, Nigerian Suspects Nabbed for Gunrunning

A police patrol team have arrested a Nigerian and a Ghanaian for alleged gunrunning. To an ordinary onlooker, they were a couple travelling to Nigeria, but the vigilance of a police patrol team uncovered their evil intention.  The duo of Mr. Daniel Ofori, a Ghanaian and his Nigerian counterpart, Ms. Olufumolayo Adeyemo, specialise in trans-border arms supply to criminals in the West African sub region. Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba, said a cache of 5,564 live cartridges was recovered from the duo at the Idi Iroko border in Ogun state. Both suspects reside in Accra, Ghana and are suspected to be behind the supply of arms and ammunition to criminal groups operating in parts of the country. According to the police, the recovered cartridges were neatly concealed in the engine compartment and the inner crevices of the chassis of a Mercedes Benz 420 SE saloon car.

Two Toddlers Kidnapped in Ketu

The kidnapping of two 3-year-old boys -Toheeb Adedokun and Falilu Tajudeen - has thrown Taike Street, Ketu Lagos into confusion. Toheeb and Falilu, who are the youngest in the house, were kidnapped on Friday. It was learnt that the toddlers were playing in front of the compound when suddenly, no one saw them again. The parents of the children said that no headway had been made since they reported the mysterious disappearance of their children to the police. Falilu’s father, Moshood, said he had been living in the compound for over eight years, adding that no child had ever gone missing even though many families live in the house. The spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the kidnapping of the minors and that efforts are being made to ensure that the children are returned to their parents safe and sound.

NSCDC, Pipeline Vandals in Gun Duel

Operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Wednesday, engaged a gang of pipeline vandals in a gun duel, recovering about 10,000 litres of petroleum products at FESTAC Town in Lagos. The operatives also recovered about 286 jerry-cans of 50-litre fuel from the vandals. It was gathered that the operatives had earlier mounted surveillance in the area following a tip off from residents who feared that the activities of the vandals could cause another explosion if allowed to continue unabated. Acting on the information at their disposal, the operatives were said to have laid ambush at the wee hours of Wednesday. Their surveillance paid off when they caught red-handed suspects siphoning fuel from an already ruptured pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

3 Friends Rape 13-Year-Old Girl

Policemen at Makinde Division in Lagos have arrested three men who allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl, last August in Mafoluku area of Oshodi. The victim was reportedly invited into one of the suspects apartment, but when she got inside, the owner of the apartment Emenuwa Achonam, a married man, whose family was away, had carnal knowledge of her, alongside his two friends. She was warned not to tell anyone, as they threatened to kill her if she did. But the bubble burst after the teenager was discovered to be pregnant. The prime suspect, Achonam, admitted to having committed the crime, blaming it on the handiwork of the devil. On the part of his alleged partners in crime, they claimed they acted on Achonam’s instruction.

10 Killed in Renewed Clash between Offa and Erin-Ile Communities

About 10 people have been feared dead following the renewed hostilities which ensued between the people of Offa and Erin-Ile communities in Kwara State.
Already, the state Police Command Tuesday said it had drafted about 40 riot policemen to the affected communities in order to maintain law and order. The development became imperative in view of the renewed clashes that had ensued between the two communities in recent times. However, it was gathered that the recent one was the clashes that happened on Monday, when a trader from Erin-Ile allegedly came to Offa to buy tiles for his house and the vehicle he used in transporting the materials back to Erin-Ile hit another vehicle belonging to an indigene of Offa, which resulted in a serious argument and fight. The state Police Spokesman, Olufemi Fabode, said the command was on top of the situation.  As a result of the renewed feud, the state government has, however, imposed a 24-hour curfew in the two affected towns with immediate effect.

Cleric Shot Dead in Ogun Masquerade Festival

An Islamic cleric, Mallam Lateef Sabiu, was on Monday, shot dead by some followers of a masquerade during the masquerade festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Sabiu was riding on a motorcycle when he was shot by the followers of the masquerade, who were armed with guns and other weapons. Although traditional masquerades usually parade communities, merely frightening people, the practice of bearing arms and ammunition is strange. Enraged youths from different Islamic organisations in the city razed a building believed to belong to traditional worshippers of the deity whose masquerades allegedly killed the cleric. The youths also torched the house of the owner of the masquerade.  The Ogun State Police Command has suspended further activities on the 2013 edition of the festival in the entire state, to forestall the escalation of violence. Police spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said that the police had arrested three persons along with the bearer of the masquerade over the murder.

CP Condemns Attack on Policemen in Lagos

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, on Monday, condemned the alleged attack of policemen on duty by naval personnel at the Apapa area of the state recently. Both naval and police personnel had engaged themselves in a gun duel in Apapa, which would have escalated to a full blown war but for the intervention of top hierarchy of both forces. Trouble started when some policemen on duty at Trebor roundabout in Apapa had arrested a motorcycle belonging to a naval rating for violating the ban on commercial motorcycles in the state. Following this, an argument ensued, which later escalated to a fight. The naval personnel was said to have called for backup from his base and they stormed the Area B Command, where they engaged the police in a gun duel.

Gunmen Kill 60-Year-Old Woman, Grandson

Pandemonium erupted in Ago-Oba area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Sunday night, when some unidentified persons allegedly gained access into the home of Mrs. Amoke Musuru, where she was allegedly murdered alongside her two-year-old grandson, Baliqs. The suspects reportedly smashed the head of the duo with iron rod, which led to their death. Sons of the late grandma, Saburi Moshood and Hakeeb Moshood, expressed shock over the development, which they described as a shock to their family.

Epidemic Ravages Lagos Community after Pipeline Vandalism

Residents of four communities in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos State have sent distress calls to the appropriate authorities over the attendant health implications of ruptured pipeline in their areas. The residents have complained of serious stomach upset, nausea and coughing as a result of the pollution. The health complications arose following another round of pipeline vandalism on a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline which was ruptured by the vandals and its contents left to spill into the Ogun River. Sources said the contents of the ruptured pipeline which was left unattended to for a while had polluted the water in which the victims drank from.

Vigilance Group Raids Kidnappers' Den, Rescues Hostage

The Ogun State Vigilance Service last weekend stormed a kidnappers’ den Ajobo village, in Odeda LGA, rescuing a victim and arresting six suspects. The vigilance group was also said to have arrested the ring leader of the gang, Bode Kolawole, who had demanded N25million as ransom from the victim's family. It was gathered that the suspects had on Thursday trailed their victim, Aremu Oluwasogo Peters from his office at about 7pm, pointed gun at him, collected his car key and immediately put him inside the car booth before they drove out. All the suspects have reportedly confessed to the crime. The Public Relations Officer of the Vigilance Service, Soji Ganzallo, said that the victim was successfully rescued.

Fraud: Court Sentences Provost, Bursar to 4 Years Imprisonment

An Oyo State High Court has sentenced the Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, Adekanye Komolafe, and Bursar of the college, Ruth Aweto, to four years imprisonment without option of fine. Justice Mashood Abass held that the two principal officers of the college were guilty over involvement in abuse of office and misappropriation of funds put in their care, as he found them guilty of four out of the eight–count charge preferred against them in a suit by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC). Both convicts will spend one year in prison as the sentence on the four-count charge will run concurrently. The ICPC had arraigned them over their role in a proposal raised to collect money for the payment of salaries of 41 casual workers, presented as permanent staff of the college. Rather than N3.7 million, they raised a budget of N7 million and collected same from the Federal Government.

GENERAL

Boko Haram Faction Declares Ceasefire

A faction of the Boko Haram Islamist sect, on Monday, said it had agreed to a ceasefire with the FG to pave the way for dialogue. Two persons, who claimed to be representing the major faction of the group led by Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, on Monday, met with the press in Maiduguri, Borno State, however, warned that should the government fail to meet the terms of the ceasefire, the sect would be forced to resume hostilities. But another member of the group dismissed any future dialogue with the Government. Mujhahedeen Marwana, who claims to be another second-in-command to the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, predicated his position on the fact that federal troops had of recent allegedly killed at least 47 Boko Haram emissaries in failed dialogue efforts. The Federal Government had while reacting to the ceasefire announced by Abdulaziz, said it would only take Boko Haram seriously, if it stopped violence in the North for one month. The FG further restated its condition for dialogue, adding that it was in the process of appraising the terms given by the sect.

Gunmen Kill Eight in Borno

Eight persons, including a deputy treasurer of a Local Government Area in Borno State, were killed penultimate Sunday by gunmen in Gajigana community in Magumeri LGA. According to residents of the town, the assailants stormed the village around 3am and killed the treasurer, a woman and six other persons. The gunmen were said to have selected some household in the community and carefully carried out the assassination of the eight persons. Spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Lt Col Sagir Musa, confirmed the attack on the community. A rescue worker also confirmed the killing of the eight people.

Helicopter Strike Kills 17 Islamist Fighters in Borno

Nigerian authorities said on Friday security forces backed by helicopter gunships killed 17 militants and destroyed two training camps belonging to Islamist sect Boko Haram, one in a forest and one in a game reserve. Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, spokesman for Joint military Task Force (JTF) in Borno state, said one soldier was also killed in the fire-fights. The camp was properly fortified and had training facilities, an armoury, accommodation, a drug store, kitchen, vehicle holding area, latrine and water points, Musa said. Borno state is the sect's headquarters and the worst affected by the insurgency. There was no immediate reaction from Boko Haram, whose militants have destabilized Africa's top energy producer and raised fears it could become a base for the operations of al Qaeda-linked Islamist groups in the Sahara.

Plateau: Two Killed, Scores Injured as Wase Violence Escalates

The crisis that erupted at Wadata district of Wase LGA of Plateau State has left two more persons dead as it spread to Lamba Wakat district. Over 20 persons were reportedly killed where violence erupted two weeks ago. Scores of others were also reportedly injured, and over 200 cows rustled. A source from the village said some Fulani herdsmen struck at the early hours of Sunday, killing two persons and injuring several others. The village head, Alhaji Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident, said the residents of Lamba and the surrounding villages have been living under serious tension since the crisis broke out in the area last Thursday. The village head appealed to the authorities concerned to deploy security personnel to the area.

Pastor Arrested after Pulling Gun on Church Accountant

The Benue State Police Command has arrested the pastor of a church in Katsina-Ala for illegal possession of fire arms and assault on the church’s accountant. The pastor was apprehended with the firearm by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) after he allegedly tried to kill the accountant of the church, Mr. Philip Toryila, during a disagreement over money on Tuesday. According to our source, the incident occurred on Tuesday evening when the pastor ordered the church accountant to handover church monies to him for execution of a project and he refused. The refusal of the accountant angered the pastor who engaged him in a fracas and in the process pulled out a gun on the accountant. Police spokesman, Daniel Ezeala, said the arrested pastor was brought to the state command and he will soon be charged to court for illegal possession of firearms.

PSC Promotes 2,447 Officers, Army Redeploys 317 Officers

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of 2447 officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force. The Commissioners said that the promotion was in line with the commission’s policy to promote deserving officers and meting out appropriate punitive measures to the errant ones. Commissioner in charge of media, Comfort Obi and her counterpart in charge of strategy, Otivie Igbuzor, disclosed that the commission, it had institutionalised its acts so that incoming members would be guided on their various actions. Similarly, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Onyemoabi Azubike Ihejirika has approved the redeployed 317 senior officers most of whom were recently promoted to fill the vacuum created by the retired officers in the service. Ihejirika disclosed the recent postings in statement signed Monday in Abuja by the out-going Director of Army Public Relations, Maj-Gen Mobolaji Koleosho.

Drunk Lecturer Kills 3 in Kogi

A lecturer at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, who was said to have been driving under the influence of alcohol, on Monday, knocked down three people, including a student, killing them. The lecturer, one Mr Kehinde Taiwo, who teaches statistics at the institution, according to an eyewitness, after hitting the student, ran into two other persons. State Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed that the lecturer had been arrested.

Police Pension Finds: EFCC Re-arrests Fraudster

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have re-arrested convicted former Director of Pension in the Police Affairs Ministry, Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu, on fraud-related matters. He was arraigned at a Federal High Court on a fresh charge for committing fraud to the tune of N300 million. The embattled Yusufu, who was jailed for two years on Monday by an Abuja High Court judge, Justice Abubakar Talba, for his role in the N38 billion police pension fund fraud, was picked up by the anti-graft agency the same day upon his arrival at his residence. Expectedly, the light sentence given him, which many considered extremely lenient, drew outrage from many Nigerians, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and human rights group. The EFCC legal team confirmed that the convict was re-arrested and that the court has ordered that Yusufu be remanded at the Kuje Prison.

South Africa to Investigate Killing of Nigerian by Security Agents

The out-going South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Kingsley Mamabolo, Monday assured the FG that the South African government would look into the recent killing of a Nigerian, Obinna Ugboaja, by security agents in South Africa. Mamabolo made the promise when the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, led a delegation on a visit to the South African High Commission in Abuja. Mamabolo assured Nigerians that South Africa would not condone injustice in its relationship with other countries particularly Nigeria. The South African government, Mamabolo said, would look into the case to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the death of the Nigerian. He blamed the protest by some Nigerians in South Africa on the matter to lack of adequate information and wrong perception. Dabiri-Erewa had in the course of the visit expressed concern over the increasing cases of Nigerians being killed in South Africa.

450 Displaced, Several Flee as Violence Rage in Fulani, Idoma Crisis

At least 450 persons w have been displaced following the violence that erupted between Fulani herdsmen and the people of Amla community in Otukpo-Icho, Otukpo LGA of Benue State, last week. Chairman of Otukpo Local Council Area, Dr. Innocent Onuh, who disclosed this on day while leading members of his council and journalists to donate relief materials to the affected victims’ camp in Otukpo Town, described the crisis as unfortunate and vowed that the council would do everything in its power to bring the perpetrators to book. Onuh, however, appealed for calm between the Fulani and the host communities, stressing that government would do everything possible to ensure normalcy in the area and their welfare.

Immigration Steps up Border Patrol

As part of its effort to curb the influx of illegal immigrants into the country, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has reinforced the country’s border by recalling more officers from the hinterland where they are not currently needed to fortify the border patrol considering the on-going war efforts in Mali. The Acting Comptroller General of the NIS, Deputy Comptroller Bala Rilwan Musa, disclosed this Wednesday in Abuja while addressing journalists. Musa explained that the proactive measures were being taken to forestall any backlash from the Malian crisis, especially at the northern borders through which some of the terrorists might attempt to enter the country.

INTERNATIONAL

231 Killed in Brazil Nightclub Fire

Brazil has declared three days of national mourning for 231 people killed in a nightclub fire in the southern city of Santa Maria. The fire reportedly started after a member of a band playing at the Kiss nightclub lit a flare on stage. Authorities say most of the victims were students who died of smoke inhalation. It is the deadliest fire in Brazil in five decades. In Santa Maria, 30 days of mourning were declared. President Dilma Rousseff, who cut short a visit to Chile, has been visiting survivors along with government ministers. More than 100 people were being treated in hospital, mostly for smoke inhalation. Brazilian police have arrested three people -an owner of the nightclub, a member of the band Gurizada Fandangueira, and its security chief - in connection with the inferno.

China Carries 0ut Anti-missile Test

China tested emerging military technology aimed at destroying missiles in mid-air, in a move that will unnerve its neighbours. Defence Ministry official said the military carried out a "land-based mid-course missile interception test within its territory", and that "the test has reached the pre-set goal". The official said that test is defensive in nature and targets no other country. People's Liberation Army officials and documents in recent years have said developing anti-missile technology is one focus of defence spending, which has grown by double-digits over many years. Beijing says its military spending is for defensive purposes and the modernization of out-dated forces

Syrian Militias Target Civilians in Homs, Opposition Says

More than 20 people were killed in the Syrian city of Homs penultimate Saturday, as fighting raged on a supply line to government forces. The opposition accuses shabbiha militia loyal to President Bashar al-Assad of killing some 200 Sunni Muslim civilians in Homs in massacres over the last two weeks. From a makeshift hospital in the city, Mohammad Mohammad, a doctor who has been treating the wounded underground for months, displayed the bodies of five people whose remains had been charred to unrecognizable bits. At least 60,000 people have been killed in Syria's civil war. Sunni Homs, north of Damascus, has been at the heart of the 22-month uprising against Assad. Syrian authorities have not commented on the latest fighting in the city. In the past, official media have described army operations as designed to ‘cleanse' Homs from what they described as terrorists.

Israeli Strike Hits Truck Convoy in Syria

Israeli jets have attacked a convoy on the Syria-Lebanon border, reports say. The attack came as Israel voiced fears that Syrian missiles and chemical weapons could fall into the hands of militants such as Lebanon's Hezbollah. It is not clear what the convoy was carrying, but the latest reports suggest it was attacked on the Syrian side. There has been no comment from Israel. The Lebanese military and internal security forces have not officially confirmed the reports, but say there has been increased activity by Israeli warplanes over the country in the past week, and particularly in recent hours. One report suggested there were fears in Israel that Syria and Hezbollah would take advantage of the overcast weather conditions to send weaponry across the border. Israel has also joined the US in expressing concern that Syria's presumed chemical weapons stockpile could be taken over by militant groups.

French Forces Takeover Last Islamist Stronghold in Mali

Kidal, the last Islamist bastion in northern Mali was, on Wednesday, liberated by French forces after a rapid offensive. But France has urged peace talks to douse ethnic tensions targeting Arabs and Tuaregs. The arrival of the French troops in Kidal came days after the capture of Gao and Timbuktu in a whirlwind three-week campaign. French elements were deployed overnight in Kidal, French army spokesman, Thierry Burkhard, said. Several sources reported that French troops had landed at Kidal’s airport.

Deadly Prison Riot in Venezuela Leaves 50 Dead

At least 50 people have been killed and nearly 90 injured in a prison riot in western Venezuela, hospital staffers say. The riot was triggered when local media broadcast news that soldiers had been sent to Uribana prison in Barquisimeto to search for weapons, Prisons Minister Iris Varela said. The dead are thought to include inmates, guards and prison workers. Carlos Nieto Palma, co-ordinator of the non-governmental organisation ‘A Window to Freedom’ that defends Venezuelan prisoners' rights, said that the death toll could rise. He added that his organisation classed Uribana prison as the most dangerous in the country, on the basis of the number of violent incidents recorded there. Venezuela's prisons are blighted by overcrowding and the proliferation of weapons and drugs.

US Establishes Drone Base in Niger Republic

The United States of America is planning to establish a drone base in Niger, a country sandwiched between Nigeria and Mali, two nations that have been under attack from Islamic militants. The drone base will give the US military command increased unmanned surveillance missions on the activities of Boko Haram and other extremist groups in West Africa that are affiliated to Al Qaeda and other sectarian groups. With the establishment of the drone base, the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which has proved successful in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the goal is to limit risks involved with the use of humans and as well improve intelligence gathering around the desert belt connecting North and West African.

US Announces New Aid for Syrian Rebels
…As Bodies of Executed Men are found in Aleppo

US President, Barack Obama, on Tuesday, announced that he is sending another $155 million in humanitarian aid to Syrian rebels. Obama, who said the aid sends a message to the world, added that “our aid reflects the commitment of the American people”. He said the aid would help Syrians under fire and those who have fled to neighbouring countries. While the US has not been arming the rebels, there have been reports that the CIA and other agencies have been steering arms from third parties to certain opposition forces and working to exclude Islamist extremists from assistance. Meanwhile, the bodies of 56 young men, apparently executed, have been found in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, rebels and activists say. Most had their hands tied behind their backs and gunshot wounds.

31 Killed in Clash between Pakistani Taliban, Militia

At least 31 people were killed when Pakistan Taliban attacked a pro-government militia. According to reports about 300 Taliban armed with mortars and rocket-propelled grenades launched the overnight assault in the Maiden area of Tirah, a maze of valleys on a route from Afghanistan to the city of Peshawar, a fighter of the pro-government Ansar ul-Islam militia said. The militia beat the Taliban back, killing 15 and capturing 8, while three villagers, including an elderly woman, were killed in crossfire, he said. A Taliban fighter said they killed 13 members of the pro-government militia Pakistani government officials say the NATO withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2014 might strengthen the Taliban in Pakistan. The Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are separate groups but strong allies.

Attackers Blow-Up Yemeni Main Oil Pipeline

Unidentified attackers blew up Yemen's main oil pipeline, forcing the country to shut down one of its most lucrative sources of income, last week. Yemen's oil and gas pipelines have been repeatedly sabotaged by insurgents and tribesmen since anti-government protests created a power vacuum in 2011, causing fuel shortages and slashing export earnings for the country. Witnesses said the pipeline linking production fields in the central Maarib province to the Red Sea was attacked on Friday night. A government source said production was halted after a device placed under the pipeline exploded.

Passenger Plane Crash Kills 21 in Kazakhstan

A passenger plane crashed in thick fog near Kazakhstan's commercial capital Almaty on Tuesday and broke into pieces when it hit the ground, killing all 21 people on board. After several hours, rescue teams recovered the plane's flight recorder. A list published by the prosecutor-general's office showed there had been 16 passengers and five crew members on board. The Canadian-built Bombardier Challenger CRJ-200 belonged to Kazakh airline, SCAT. It came down near the village of Kyzyl Tu about 5 km (3 miles) from Almaty's airport.

South Korea Launches Civilian Rocket

South Korea launched its first space rocket carrying a science satellite on Wednesday amid heightened regional tensions, caused in part, by North Korea’s successful launch of its own rocket last month. It was South Korea’s third attempt to launch a civilian rocket to send a satellite into orbit in the past four years and came after two previous launches were aborted at the eleventh hour last year due to technical hitches. The launch vehicle “Naro” lifted off from South Korea’s space centre on the south coast and successfully went through stage separation before entering orbit, officials said. South Korea’s rocket programme has angered neighbour North Korea, which says it is unjust for it to be singled out for UN sanctions for launching long-range rockets as part of its space programme to put a satellite into orbit.

2000 Flee Battle in South Sudan Town

Two thousand people were forced to flee to a U.N. base after a battle between South Sudanese soldiers and the guards of a former rebel commander, James Kuberin, laid waste to a small town, witnesses said on Monday. South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 but the government has been struggling to assert control over an impoverished country the size of France that is full of weapons after decades of civil war with the North. The latest fighting took place on Sunday in the small town of Pibor in the eastern state of Jonglei, between soldiers and Kuberin’s bodyguards, witnesses said. Kuberin used to be a commander of a group led by David Yau Yau, one of several militias fighting the government of the new African republic, but he defected to the army in December. Witnesses said Kuberin went to Pibor’s market to get a haircut and was told by an army patrol not to walk around with armed guards.

French, Malian Troops Seal off Timbuktu
…As Rebels Torch Historical Library

French and Malian troops, on Monday, sealed off Timbuktu, a UNESCO World Heritage site, after fleeing Islamist rebel fighters torched several buildings in the town, including a priceless manuscript library. Without a shot being fired to stop them, 1,000 French soldiers including paratroopers and 200 Malian troops seized the airport and surrounded the centuries-old Niger River city, looking to block the escape of al Qaeda-allied fighters. The retaking of Timbuktu followed the swift capture by French and Malian forces at the weekend of Gao, another major northern Malian town, which had also been occupied by the alliance of Islamist militant groups since last year. A two-week intervention by France in its former Sahel colony, at the request of Mali’s government but also with wide international backing, has driven the Islamist rebel fighters northwards out of towns into the desert and mountains.

Violence Flares in Egypt as Mursi Imposes Emergency Law

A 46-year-old man was shot dead, on Monday, in Cairo on a fifth day of violence in Egypt that has killed 50 people and prompted the Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, to declare a state of emergency. Emergency rule announced by Mursi on Sunday covers the cities of Port Said, Ismailia and Suez. The army has already been deployed in two of those cities and cabinet approved a measure to let soldiers arrest civilians. A cabinet source, however, said any trials would be before civilian courts. But the step is likely to anger protesters, who accuse Mursi of using high-handed security tactics of the kind they fought against to oust President Hosni Mubarak. Although Islamists have won parliamentary and presidential elections, the disparate opposition has since united against Mursi. Mursi’s call for a national dialogue meeting Monday to help end the crisis was spurned by his main opponents.

Australia Battles Floods, 1000 Displaced

Australia is battling flooding in two states, as rescue teams worked to evacuate people from inundated areas. In Queensland, more than 1,000 people were plucked to safety in the city of Bundaberg as the Burnett River burst its banks, flooding 2,000 homes. In New South Wales there are concerns that the Clarence River, at a record high, could flood the city of Grafton. Tropical Cyclone Oswald that triggered the floods is now heading out to sea south of Sydney. Four people are now known to have died in the severe weather, after a toddler who was hit by a falling tree in Brisbane died on Monday. It comes two years after severe flooding in southern Queensland, including in the state capital Brisbane that left 35 people dead and tens of thousands of homes flooded.

Donors Raise $455m for Mali, as UK Deploys 350 Troops

International donors meeting in Ethiopia have pledged $455.53m (£289m) for an international campaign tackling Islamist militants in Mali. This is as United Kingdom is set to deploy about 350 military personnel to Mali and West Africa to support French forces. The pledges for aid projects and the African-led AFISMA force that is expected to take over from French troops in the country is about half the figure African leaders had requested. At the opening of the meeting of the international donor conference, President Alassane Ouattara of Cote D’Ivoire said the budget for the multinational force’s operation would be $950m, more than double the African Union’s initial estimate.

Swedish Teenager Jailed Eight Years for Honour Killing of Sister

A Swedish court, Tuesday, sentenced a 17-year-old man to eight years in prison for stabbing his sister 107 times in what judges called an honour killing. The teen, who was 16 at the time, was convicted of killing his 19-year-old sister at her home in April 2012. He had called emergency services and said a masked attacker had killed her, but investigators said his story did not hold up against evidence found at the scene. “The court found the man guilty of the murder and that the motive was to restore the family’s honour,” the Lund district court said. The names and nationalities of the brother and sister were not disclosed, but the family is said to be of Iraqi origin. The sister had told friends and family that she was worried her life was in danger, after she fled from Iraq, where she had been reportedly married against her will to an older man whom she claimed beat and raped her.