Weekly Security Report Weekly Report week 13 week 13
PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS
Task Force Hands Over 39,880 Recovered Firearms, Ammunition to Army
The 39,880 assorted firearms and ammunition recovered from former militants in the Niger Delta by the inter-agency taskforce set up by the Federal Government have been handed over to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army. A breakdown of the arms handed over on Saturday at the 82 Division’s parade ground included the following: 482 automatic arms, 20,132 ammunition, 295 magazines and 18,971 locally made guns. The General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army, General Adebayor Olaniyi, who received the large arms from the taskforce, said it was part of the Federal Government’s amnesty programme which started in 2009.
160 Die in Boat Mishap, 2 Survivors Found - NEMA
At least 160 persons are feared dead in a boat mishap that occurred penultimate Friday, about 40 nautical miles off the coast of Cross River State. It was learnt that the giant-sized wooden boat, the MV SONNY, was carrying 168 passengers from Oron in Akwa Ibom State, to Gabon, when it capsized at Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) waterways. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in a statement, said about nine corpses from the accident have been deposited at the mortuary of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital on Tuesday, while two survivors were on admission at the hospital. Sources in Calabar said the passengers were mostly Igbo traders heading for Gabon and preferred to use the cheap transport means. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said to be coordinating the rescue efforts, declined comment over the matter.
ENI Suspends Drilling in Bayelsa
Italian energy major ENI, at the weekend, it had suspended its activities in Bayelsa state due to frequent thefts from pipelines. “The decision was taken due to an intensification of bunkering activities, or sabotage of the pipelines,” the company said in a statement issued in Rome. ENI said it had completely suspended all onshore activity at the Swamp Area site in Bayelsa in the night between Thursday and Friday. The company said the theft of oil from the pipelines “had reached levels that were no longer sustainable both from the point of view of safety for people and for the damage caused to the environment by these activities”.
JTF Arrests 30 Nigerians, Three Foreigners over Oil Theft
The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, on Wednesday said it had arrested three foreigners and 30 Nigerians over allegations bordering on oil theft. The Media Coordinator, JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, named the foreigners as two Ghanaians and a Togolese. Nwachukwu, said the suspects were arrested on board two vessels, MV GIFT and MV TiGER FISH. He said the operatives of the outfit also seized the vessels during multiple raids they conducted along the Federal Ocean Terminal Onne, Rivers State. He said the raids lasted 19 days, adding that the arrested vessels had been secured. Also, Nwachukwu said JTF intercepted 10 barges laden with illegal petroleum products along Delta and Bayelsa states waterways. He said over 143 illegal refineries discovered by the operatives along Obi Ayagbo, Otu Jeremi, Gbekebor, Esere, Ajugbo, Tigbubeni and Igbamatoru were destroyed in situ.
2 Killed in Renewed Communal Clash in Ogoni
A resumed communal clash between the people of K-Dere and B-Dere, both in Gokana LGA of Rivers state, is feared to have claimed two lives. Although the Rivers State police command said it had deployed troops in the area to restore peace and order, community sources claimed B-Dere gunmen were heard firing shots towards K-Dere on Wednesday morning. According to sources, trouble started on Monday when two natives of K-Dere were abducted in their farmlands by men suspected to be from B-Dere. Suspected B-Dere fighters, armed with new AK-47s, then mobilised to K-Dere. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ben Ugwuegbulam, said the command had sent in anti-riot policemen to restore order in the area. Ugwuegbulam, who confirmed that there was unrest in the area, said that investigation has begun.
Drug Baron, Rapist in Imo Police Net
A 37-year-old man, Fabian Enudi, who specialises in drug trafficking has been arrested by the Imo state police command. Also arrested was 41-year-old John Iwuala from Mbaise who kidnapped and raped a 13-year-old girl. Parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Katsina, said that the suspect was arrested by men of the Ambush Squad of the command. The command said Iwuala “who disguised as a philanthropist representing a very popular NGO in Nigeria and claimed to have a mandate to scout for children from poor parental background in order to sponsor their education.” The CP further stated that it was in that guise that he met the family of the girl and convinced them to release their daughter to his office to conclude the necessary formalities, but it was in the process that he diverted to a hotel where he unlawfully imprisoned or confined the little girl, intimidated and subdued her to submission before he had forceful intercourse with her, the police said.
Kidnappers Demand N30m Naira as Ransom for Abducted ACN Chieftain
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has raised the alarm over the kidnapping of its Vice Chairman (South-east), Dr. Chudi Nwike, in Anambra State on Tuesday. In a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Nwike's younger brother, disclosed that the kidnappers are demanding 30 million naira (in foreign currency) as ransom. While lamenting the ugly incident, the party urged security agents to try and secure the Nwike's freedom from the captors.
Northerners Flee Onitsha City
The leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, on Tuesday said there would be no reprisal attacks on northerners inhabiting the South East following Monday’s bus bombing in Kano where more than 60 people were killed. The MASSOB leader’s assurance came as Hausa residents in Onitsha closed shop and fled the city in fear of reprisal attacks. Non-indigenes mainly northerners closed all their businesses at the Head Bridge market and other parts of the city to seek protection in various security stations including the Army barracks in the city and police stations. In their reaction, the Chairmen of Ndigbo Unity Forum and Anambra Traders’ Forum, Augustine Chukwudum and Dede Uzor A Uzor condemned the attack in Kano, describing it as barbaric and threat to the country’s unity.
Ohanaeze Decries Killing of Igbos in Northern Nigeria
The pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that it cannot guarantee peace in the East in the face of the continued killing of the Igbo in some states in the North. The group said that stopping its youths from carrying out reprisal over the years, even in the face of extreme anger, had been an onerous job. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not sure if it would continue to restrain them from doing so, especially in the South-East, according to the group’s Secretary General, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu. Ohanaeze Ndigbo, however, still appealed to its youth wing to maintain the peace while awaiting President Goodluck Jonathan’s reaction to the latest “dastardly” act. Meanwhile, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, a group led by Sultan of Sokoto, called on the Federal Government to urgently bring those behind the series of bombings and killings in the country to book.
Hoodlums Rape, Kill Market Woman
Tragedy struck at Afaha Market in Ibesikpo/Asuntan LGA of Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday when a trader was strangled after being raped by suspected hoodlums. It was learnt that the woman from Ogoja, Cross River State, had gone to the weekly Afaha market when the incident occurred at night. The woman, popularly called ‘Mama Oliver’, was said to have gone outside the house to urinate when the hoodlums swooped on her and took turns to rape her. The hoodlums thereafter strangled her for fear that she might recognise one or two them. Another trader, Mr. Ekong Okon, said what happened in Afaha Market on Tuesday could be attributed to darkness.
UNIUYO Lecturers Demand Release of Abducted Lecturer
The growing uncertainty over the whereabouts of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) female lecture, Dr. (Mrs.) Ime Udotong, five days after she was kidnapped, has taken a different dimension as her colleagues have downed tools and protested around the Uyo Campus of the institution. Marching round the school compound under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and led by UNIUYO Chapter Chairman, Mr. Ayim Nwachukwu, the lecturers carried different placards condemning the incessant kidnap of their colleagues. According to Nwachukwu, the union has given a 24-hour ultimatum to the abductors to release the female lecturer or it would take actions that would have negative consequences on the running of the school. Family sources said the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N100 million and that some payment has been made but the woman had not yet been released. Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Etim Dickson, the Command has put all necessary measures in place to track the kidnappers.
BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS
Centenarian Kidnapped in Delta
A 110-year-old woman was, last Sunday, kidnapped by unknown gunmen from her home at Oyobru-Jesse, Idjerhe kingdom, in Ethiope West LGA of Delta State. Mrs Otarighobe Umudjane, whose sleep was cut short by the marauders, is the mother of an American-based chartered accountant, Mr Henry Umudjane. One of the victim’s daughters, Mrs Elizabeth Oritsegbone, who disclosed the incident on Tuesday, said that the kidnappers came to the house in the midnight of March 17 and dragged the aged woman through the window before whisking her away on a waiting bike. She said that a day after the kidnap, the gunmen put a call through, demanding a ransom from one of the victim’s grandsons.
Gunmen Kidnap Delta Businesswoman
Four suspected kidnappers, last weekend, abducted a 45-year-old businesswoman, Mrs. Baby Obiokor in Ogbe-Udu, Udu LGA of Delta State. Obiokor, who hails from Okwagbe in Ughelli South LGA, was reportedly travelling to her country home with her sister, Patience Mode, when the incident occurred at about 10am. The gangsters, who operated in a red-coloured Toyota car, intercepted her at Ovwodokpokpor Junction, along Udu-Ekakpamre Road, yanked her sister off the vehicle and sped off with her towards Owhorde. Her husband, Mr. Obiokor, reported the incident at the Ovwian Police station, while the kidnappers were yet to make contact for ransom with the family.
LAGOS AND ENVIRONS
Police Raid Criminal Hide-out, Recover Explosives
Security agents in Lagos launched a pre-emptive raid on hideouts of suspected criminals in the at Ijora 7-UP area of the state and arrested some suspected Boko Haram members. This is coming barely weeks after the state government stormed the area with a contingent of riot policemen and bulldozers to demolish many homes and shanties suspected to be harbouring criminals. The suspects were said to have concealed some devices suspected to be explosives in boxes, which were stacked in the ceiling of a house they were occupying. Also recovered alongside the suspected explosives were two AK47 rifles. The spokesperson, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Colonel Kingsley Umoh, confirmed the raid although he could not confirm if the suspects were Boko Haram members as speculated.
Woman Alleges Police Killing of Husband
Policemen attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad have been accused of killing a 46-year-old petty trader in Ijaye-Ojokoro, Lagos State. It was learnt that the deceased, Eze Okoro, was killed last Friday while the policemen were on an anti-robbery operation close to his house. The deceased’s wife, Ugonna, said her husband of over 15 years was killed when he went to relax with a neighbour, as he usually did when there was power outage at night. Eze’s widow said the following day, some employees of a hotel in the area told her that the policemen who had come to operate the previous night were from the Federal SARS. Eze’s widow called on the police authorities to make sure that her husband’s killers were brought to justice.
Police Kill 3, Arrest 15 Robbers in Ekiti
The Ekiti State Police Command has killed three suspected armed robbers and arrested 15 others. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Victor Babayemi, who disclosed this on Wednesday, added that the arrest was made in the past two weeks. He said the command stepped up security to combat the rising wave of criminal activities in the state. While assuring the people of their safety, the PPRO warned that the police would not relent in his effort to ensure that the peaceful atmosphere in the state was not destroyed. Reacting to terror unleashed on the people of the state by some gangs of criminals, the PPRO said the police had beefed up security across the 16 local government areas in the state.
Man, 55, Remanded in Prison over Rape of 13-Year-Old
A 55-year-old man, Ibrahim Lamidi, has been arraigned before an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, Oyo State over the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl. The 13-year-old was reported to have been raped by Ibrahim Lamidi on Thursday, March 14. The plea of the accused was, however, not taken because the case is a capital offence. The presiding magistrate, Mrs Fatima Badurudeen, thereafter, remanded the defendant in prison custody pending the next hearing on the matter on April.
Hoodlums Attack Ondo Monarch’s Palace
Hoodlums numbering about 10, last weekend, invaded the palace of the Olu of Igbokoda in the oil rich Ilaje council area of Ondo State, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, sacked his family members and destroyed his abode. They also allegedly raped some girls in the houses of some of the Chiefs. Report had it that the invasion and attack on the palace was a reprisal attack by the hoodlums, who had come to avenge the death of one of them. Vanguard gathered that some of the thugs had earlier invaded and disrupted an event. But two of them were unlucky as they were arrested and taken to the palace of the monarch and subsequently handed over to the police. The Oba called on the IGP to order investigation into the incident. Oba Odidiomo traced the genesis of the attack to his kicking against the installation of two people within Igbokoda as Baale and Oloja by his fellow Oba without recourse to him.
25-Year-old Nurse Hacked to Death in Ekiti
A 25-year-old nurse, Mrs Moyinoluwa Osire, was found butchered at her residence by unknown persons in Ayedun quarters of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. Mrs Osire said to have been found in the pool of her blood in one of the rooms in the house belonging to her step-father, Mr Olawale Ogundare. Ogundare said that he and other members of his family left for church at about 9.15am on Sunday, but Osire could not join them as she was tired after her midwifery examination. Ogundare said her mobile phone and N250,000 the deceased was said to have withdrawn from the bank on Friday, including other valuables, were taken away, adding that her husband had been arrested and detained over the incident. He alleged that the deceased and her husband were not in good terms, alleging further that he had threatened her several times through the telephone. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Babayemi, confirmed the murder.
Man in Court over Rape of Two Daughters, 15-Month-Old Granddaughter
A seven-year-old girl, on Wednesday, recounted how her father had repeatedly had carnal knowledge of her. The suspect, Mr. Sylvester Ehijere, 49, is alleged to have continually had carnal knowledge of his two daughters, including 23-year-old Favour, who he had been raping since she was 17, as well as the granddaughter of 15 months. The traumatised girl said her father slept with her for the first time last year, and had continued to do so, even when the act regularly became a source of discord and friction in the family. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the man would soon be charged to court, adding that medical reports showed that the girls had been defiled. The suspect's wife, Mrs. Margaret Ehijere, lamented the act, saying that anytime she confronted him over the issue, he would beat her up, but the last straw that broke the camel's back was when the suspect raped her granddaughter.
Five Men Get 150 Days Jail Term over Assault on LASTMA Officials
The Lagos State Special offences court has sentenced five of the 12 persons arraigned for attacking and assaulting officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority at Empire Junction to 150 days without an option of fine. LASTMA said in a statement that 12 people committed the offence but seven were arrested while five were still at large. Two of the suspects, Philip and Obigwe, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail by Magistrate Jade Adeyemi in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties each in the like sum, who must be gainfully employed. General Manager, LASTMA, Babatunde Edu, recalled that the patrol team of the agency impounded a commercial bus that contravened traffic law at Ojuelegba and in the process of taking the bus to the LASTMA office, no fewer than 12 men appeared and unleashed terror on the officers, freely using sharp objects such as broken bottles, machetes and screw drivers to stab the officers
LP, ACN Supporters Clash in Akure
Commercial activities at Akure High Court premises were on Monday paralysed when supporters of the Labour Party and the Action Congress of Nigeria clashed, leaving four persons injured and cars destroyed. The supporters, mainly youths, it was gathered, used stones, clubs and other dangerous items during the fracas. Eyewitnesses said the two rival party supporters started the fight shortly after the governorship candidate of the ACN, Rotimi Akeredolu, came out of the courtroom and was hailed by his supporters. Akeredolu was in court for the on-going October 20, 2012 governorship election petitions in the state. Security operatives from the state police command quickly stormed the area to prevent the fight from getting out of hand.
GENERAL
Kano Bomb Attack: Death Toll Rises above 70
Police authorities in Kano State and some security sources on Tuesday gave different figures as casualties of the Monday suicide bomb blasts at an inter-state commercial bus park in Sabon-Gari, Kano. While the security sources, said the death toll had risen to about 75, the Kano State Police Command gave a much lower number of 22. A Marco polo bus belonging to Gobison Motors had over 70 passengers on board when it was attacked by the suicide bombers as it was about departing the park for Lagos. The Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Musa Daura, said that the attack was executed by two suicide bombers, who rammed their vehicle against one of the luxury buses. He said this caused the bus to burst into flames which affected passengers, hawkers, traders and workers at the park. Daura confirmed that five buses were burnt during the incident.
55 Killed in Fresh Plateau Communal Clashes
About 35 people were killed and 15 houses burnt in a clash between the Fulani and Taroh in Wase LGA of Plateau State. The incident followed the killing of two men said to be of Taroh extraction by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. The two men were said to have been killed while riding along the Wase–Kadarko Road. According to a source, the crisis broke out at about 1.45am on Wednesday when some youths invaded Fili Mavou, the hometown of the state’s Commissioner for Water Resources, Idi Waziri. Police Commissioner, Mr. Chris Olakpe, who confirmed the incident, however, said only eight people were killed. Similarly, 20 people were confirmed dead in an overnight attack on Attakar and Dajak villages both in Riyom LGA. The member representing Riyom constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Daniel Dem, who confirmed the casualty figure, added that the villages were overrun in a midnight attack by people suspected to be hired Fulani militia.
Jonathan Vows to Ensure Release of Kidnapped Expatriates
President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed his administration's readiness to secure the freedom of the remaining foreign hostages allegedly held by a splinter group of Boko Haram, Ansaru. He said his administration is working at also retrieving the corpse of those established to have been killed by the group as circulated on the social media still believing that not all of them are dead. Jonathan, who spoke at a joint press conference with Lebanese President Suleiman Michel to round up his visit to Nigeria in Abuja Tuesday, said from analysis of the information released through the social media there is no conclusive position on the state of the captives.
Suspected Islamists Kill 25
Suspected Islamist gunmen, on Friday, launched a series of gun and bomb attacks in a remote town along Nigeria's border with Cameroon, killing at least 25 people, police said. The gunmen carried out four simultaneous assaults on Ganye in Adamawa state on Friday, opening fire on a bar, a bank, a prisoner warder and separately attacking a prison, Mohammed Ibrahim, Adamawa police spokesman said. Similarly, three bombs exploded in Kano on Saturday, Kano state police spokesman, Magaji Majiya, confirmed. One of the bombings was a suicide attack, but did not claim any lives apart from those of the bombers. However, a remote control bomb targeting a joint military and police checkpoint wounded several police, he said. A separate gun attack in the city's Dakata area killed one person on Saturday, he said. Majiya said four people had been arrested in connection with the attacks.
Drug Trafficking: 1,585 Nigerians Arrested in Norway
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Norwegian Intelligence Service have started working on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on effective drug control. Chairman of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade said that the decision was reached after a meeting with a delegation of Norwegian Police and Custom officials at the agency’s office in Lagos, on Monday. According to Giade, drug trafficking is a common problem and we need to embrace the principle of shared responsibility in addressing it. The NDLEA boss, who condemned the involvement of Nigerians in criminal activities abroad promised to take necessary steps in boosting the image of the country. The steps include effective collaboration in counter narcotics, financial and assets investigation and anti-drug education.
Policewoman Shot Dead in Kano
A policewoman attached to the Zone 1 office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) was shot dead by gunmen on Tuesday in Kano. The policewoman, who was dressed in her uniform, was said to have parked her car by the road side to fix her tyres when the gunmen riding on a motorcycle shot her dead. The gunmen fled the scene of the attack immediately after the shooting. State Police Commissioner, Mr. Musa Daura confirmed the killing, stating that already detectives have swung into action with a view to apprehending the assailants. Two persons, who were said to be injured by stray bullets from the gunmen, were taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.
9 Policemen Escape Ambush in Kano
Nine mobile policemen escaped death by a whisker when gunmen ambushed their truck on Dorayi Road in Kano on Tuesday. The Kano State Police Command said that the policemen, who sustained varying degrees of injuries, were taken to the Armed Forces Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment. He said three other persons within the vicinity also sustained injuries. Meanwhile, Britain has expressed concern over the attack on the motor park in Kano and another bombing in Maiduguri, Borno State. However, the Muslim umbrella body in the North, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), was of the view that the Kano bombings might be a ploy to cause chaos in the region and Nigeria.
Criminal Justice Committee Frees 21 Inmates in Gombe
About 21 inmates in Gombe State Central Prisons were, on Wednesday, granted unconditional pardon by the criminal justice committee after reviewing a total of 445 cases during their visit to the prisons. Chief Justice of the State, Justice Hakila Heman, explained that the 21 inmates were released on the ground of long stay in detention beyond what may have probably been their sentences duration. He added that the committee was charged with the responsibility of reviewing cases of inmates to ensure that they are given adequate hearing and justified detention. Justice Heman said congestion of prisons was a national malady and that the Chief Justice of the Nigeria's (CJN) commitment to reversing the trend gave birth to the committee.
Gunmen Attack Borno Schools, Kill Teachers
Gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect laid siege on some schools in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, killing three teachers, injuring scores of others and students. It was gathered that at about 9am, six suspected Boko Haram members laid ambush to Shehu Sanda Kyarimi Secondary School, and shot dead three teachers, whose identity were yet to be ascertained. Three female students were also said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries arising from stray bullets, while two other teachers were also killed in Mafoni Primary and Secondary Schools. Spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Lt. Colonel Sagir Musa, confirmed the attacks.
Police arrest 2 for Murder of Niger Herdsman
Two suspected cattle thieves, Abubakar Isah and Mohammed Isah, killed a herdsman identified as Mallam Gombo, on Tuesday, after which they made away with 45 cows belonging to the deceased. The suspect have, however, been arrested by the authorities of the Niger state police command. The deceased was said to have been grazing with his cows around the grassland of Bosso community when he was allegedly attacked by the two suspected rustlers, who killed him and made away with his cows. It was gathered that the suspects later dumped his body at the entrance of a graveyard in the community. It was further learnt that the lifeless body of Gombo was later found at Angwan Daji Muslims burial ground in Minna, where they had dumped him. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Pius Edorbo, confirmed the incident and the arrest.
PDP Councillorship Primary Turns Bloody in Kogi State
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) councillorship primary held last weekend across the 21 council areas in Kogi State turned bloody, as several people, including the party chairman in Yagba West LGA, Ayo Alabi and the secretary, sustained various degrees of injury as machetes and other weapons were freely used. Investigation revealed that factions within the rank and file of the PDP and the method adopted in choosing the delegates for the election might have caused the mayhem. It was, however, reported that no fewer than 22 persons have been arrested in the aftermath of the incident.
DPO Gunned Down in Kano
…Northern Youths Condemn Kano Blast
A Divisional Police Officer was, on Tuesday, gunned down in Kano State. Esther Tarimo, a DPO in the Daurawa District was shot and killed by unknown gunmen early Tuesday afternoon. Reports claimed she was trailed from her child’s day-care where she had gone to pick the infant from school. Meanwhile, Youths in the northern part of the country have condemned Monday’s attack on a motor park in Kano in which no fewer than 60 people lost their lives. The youths under the aegis Northern Advancement for Peace, Harmony and Development, described the incident as not only barbaric, but inhuman and out of tune with what obtains in civilized society. The president of the group, Mr. Melvin Ejeh, said that the attacks on innocent people was an act of cowardice “perpetrated by agents of evil forces, which should be rejected and condemned by all peace loving citizens of the country.
Bomb Blasts Kill Six Soldiers in Borno
…As Gunmen Kill Tea Vendor in Maiduguri
An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, suspected to have been planted by the dreaded sect, Boko Haram has torn a JTF vehicle apart killing six and injuring two JTF personnel in Maiduguri, the Borno state. The explosion, which occurred at about 11:47am at the UBA bank roundabout, in the Post Office area came a day after gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members attacked three schools within the metropolis killing some teachers and pupils. Ten suspects were arrested. A statement by JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, confirmed the incident, saying only one soldier was killed. In another incident, gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect shot dead a tea vendor at his shop in Maiduguri. The gunmen, according to an anonymous eyewitness, came in a tricycle from the Maduganari neighbourhood and fired four shots into the vendor’s head and chest, he died immediately.
INTERNATIONAL
Bomb Blast Kills Nine in Iraq
A car bomb exploded at a bus terminal in Iraq's predominantly Shi'ite Muslim south on Sunday, killing at least nine people, police said, as the country's delicate sectarian balance comes under growing strain. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but Sunni Muslim insurgents have stepped up their efforts to undermine Iraq's Shi'ite-led government and foment inter-communal conflict this year, reports Reuters. The bomb exploded in the town of Garmat Ali, around 20 km (12 miles) north of the usually stable oil hub of Basra. Three police sources said nine people had died. The head of the provincial security committee, Ali Ghanim al-Maliki, put the death toll at 10. Another car bomb went off in a car park for government offices in the city of Basra itself, wounding two people, police said.
Suicide Attack Kills Malian Soldier
…Al-Qaeda Kills French Mali Hostage
A suicide car-bomber killed a Malian soldier and wounded six others in a raid on the airport in Timbuktu overnight, a spokesman for Mali's army said on Thursday, triggering a counterattack by French forces. It was the first suicide bombing in Timbuktu since French and Malian forces chased al Qaeda-linked Islamist militants from the ancient trading town nearly two months ago, and comes weeks ahead of the planned start to France's withdrawal from Mali. A French military officer in Mali said French air support and troops took part in fighting overnight to repel the attack and there were no French casualties. French army spokesman Colonel Thierry Burkhard confirmed French and Malian forces had repelled an attempt to infiltrate the airport. Al-Qaeda's North African offshoot says it has killed a French businessman captured in Mali in 2011. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) told ANI that it killed Philippe Verdon on March 10, in retaliation for France's intervention in Mali. Verdon and another Frenchman were seized in the town of Hombori.
Zimbabwe Approves Constitution Curbing Presidential Powers
Zimbabweans have approved a new constitution that curbs presidential powers after 33 years of Robert Mugabe's rule, the election commission said on Tuesday. Nearly 95% of voters in a referendum approved the new charter, which was backed by Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, political rivals who were forced into a power-sharing deal after disputed elections in 2008. The turnout, at slightly more than half the 6 million eligible voters, was higher than many had expected. Analysts said the presidential and parliamentary election expected in the second half of the year could draw out even more voters in what will be seen as a showdown between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. The new charter sets a maximum of two five-year terms for the president. However, the limit will not apply retroactively, so Mugabe, 89, and in power since independence from Britain in 1980, could still theoretically rule for the next decade.
Turkey Detains Suspected Killer of NYC Woman
A Turkish suspect in the killing of a New York City woman in Istanbul has been arrested near the Syrian border, officials said. The suspect, identified by authorities only as Ziya T., had been on the run since the body of Sarai Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two boys, was discovered hidden near Istanbul's ancient city walls on February 2, 12 day after she was reported missing. Authorities said Sierra died of a fatal blow to the head. She had travelled to Turkey to explore her photography hobby. She did so alone after a friend who was supposed to join her cancelled for financial reasons. Interior Minister Muammer Guler said the suspect was detained in the province of Hatay, near the border with Syria, as he entered Turkey.
Six Arrested in Gang Rape of Tourist
Six men have been arrested following the gang-rape and robbery of a Swiss tourist in central India, police officials said. The Swiss woman and her husband were on a cycling tour across India and had set up camp near a forest in Datia district when a group of men allegedly assaulted them, beating the husband and raping the wife, according to police. The men accused of attacking the Swiss couple last week are members of a local tribe who live near where the couple were camping, said D.K. Arya, deputy inspector general of police. Investigators have recovered valuables stolen from couple during the attack, police said. The woman, who was briefly hospitalised after the attack, alleges that four of the men raped her, according to Inspector-General S.M. Afzal. The other two men arrested by police are suspected of involvement in robbing the couple, he said.
Six-Month-Old Chicago Baby Dies of Gunshot Wounds
A 6-month-old girl shot five times on Chicago’s South Side on Monday died in the hospital on Tuesday morning. Jonylah Watkins was rushed to Comer Children’s Hospital after being shot. Her father, Jonathan Watkins, had been changing her diaper in the front passenger seat of a Chevy Venture minivan when a gunman approached them and opened fire and fled in a waiting van. Jonylah had sustained wounds in her lung, liver, leg, shoulder and bowel or intestine. Jonylah’s father was also wounded in the shooting — being struck in the side and buttocks, plus a graze wound to his cheek — and was taken to North-western Memorial Hospital in serious-to-critical condition. Police say the father has known gang affiliations. Jonylah’s mother, Judy Watkins, was previously shot while carrying the child.
Suicide Bombers Attack Pakistani Court
Two suicide bombers attacked a judicial compound in the Pakistani city of Peshawar on Monday, killing four people and taking hostages, officials said. Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar said one bomber blew himself up outside the complex, causing the deaths, while the other entered the complex in an apparent bid to storm into a jail and release militants held there. He took hostages and was later shot dead by security forces, Iftikhar said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the operation. Police forces sealed off roads around the complex. Taliban militants, who are close to al Qaeda, are fighting to topple Pakistan’s U.S.-backed government and impose their radical version of Islam. They have targeted the military, security forces and civilians.
Polish Miners Rescued from Collapsed Mine
Polish rescue workers tunnelled through collapsed rock to reach 19 workers trapped in a mine shaft and are now bringing them to the surface, a spokesman for the company operating the mine said. The miners had become trapped about 600 meters (yards) underground at the Rudna copper mine, in southern Poland, after a localized earth tremor late on Tuesday night caused a cave-in. Dariusz Wyborski, a spokesman for mine operator KGHM said that all 19 miners were alive. Poland has large numbers of mines, mostly in the heavily industrialized Silesia region.
US Marines Killed in Training by Explosion
Seven US Marines have died in an explosion at a military ammunition storage facility in western Nevada. The US Marine Corp confirmed the deaths early on Tuesday. A further eight people were injured when a 60mm mortar exploded in a tube as the Marines were preparing to fire it, reports say. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment and further evaluation. The identities of those killed were not being released until their families had been informed.
Bombs Kill 50 as Iraq Marks Anniversary of Invasion
A dozen car bombs and suicide blasts tore into Shi'ite districts in Baghdad and south of the Iraqi capital on Tuesday, killing more than 50 people on the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. Sunni Islamist insurgents linked to al Qaeda have vowed to step up attacks on Shi'ite targets since the start of the year in an attempt to provoke sectarian confrontation and undermine Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government. Tuesday's bombs exploded in a busy Baghdad market, near the heavily fortified Green Zone and in other districts across the capital. A suicide bomber also attacked a police base in a Shi'ite town south of the capital, officials said. A decade after U.S. and Western troops swept Saddam from power, Iraq still struggles with insurgents, sectarian friction and political feuds among Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish factions. No group has claimed responsibility for the Baghdad blasts.
ICC Welcomes Ntaganda’s Surrender
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has welcomed Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda’s surrender to stand trial on war crimes charges. Known as “The Terminator”, Gen Ntaganda surrendered on Monday to the US embassy in Rwanda after seven years on the run. The ICC said it was in contact with the relevant authorities to arrange for his immediate transfer to The Hague. He denies committing atrocities during the long-running conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Bomb Kills 10 Near Somali Presidential Palace
A car bomb exploded near the presidential palace in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Monday, killing at least 10 people in a blast that appeared to target senior government officials, police said. The suicide attacker detonated explosives while driving along a boulevard that runs between the palace and the national theatre, a route lined by tearooms that were engulfed in fire moments after the blast, senior police officer Abdiqadir Mohamud said. The suicide car bomber targeted a senior national security officer whose car was passing near the theatre, Mohamud. Littered in the scene are human hands and flesh." Security in Mogadishu has improved greatly since a military offensive drove Islamist rebels allied to al Qaeda out of the city in August 2011. But bombings and assassinations in Mogadishu, blamed on militants, still occur often. It was not clear who was behind Monday's bombing.
Prisons Chief Shot Dead in Colorado
The head of the department of corrections in the US state of Colorado has been shot dead at his home, authorities say. Tom Clements was shot on Tuesday evening when he was called to the front door of his home in Monument, north of Colorado Springs, officials said. Police have launched a manhunt for his killer. Police spokesman Lt Jeff Kramer said search dogs had been called in to scour a wooded area around Clements' home. Lt Kramer said a family member reported the shooting and officers found Clements dead in his home. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Clements to the post in 2011. The prisons chief had previously worked for more than three decades in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Al-Qaeda Suspect in US Court over Failed Bombing in Nigeria
The United States has instituted terrorism charges against Ibrahim Suleiman Adnan Adam Harun for allegedly planning to bomb its diplomatic buildings in Nigeria in 2003. Among the six charges instituted against him by the US government was also conspiracy to bomb its military personnel in Afghanistan in between 2002 and 2003. The Saudi Arabia-born citizen of Nigeria allegedly received al-Qaeda training in Pakistan and travelled to Africa in 2003 with the intent to conduct attacks on United States diplomatic facilities in Nigeria. While in Nigeria, Harun allegedly conspired with others to bomb such facilities. He was said to have been extradited from Italy to the US on October 4, 2012, and arraigned in “a sealed proceeding” in federal court in Brooklyn on October 5, 2012.