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Latest News: Training and recruitment is ongoing - Wednesday, 02 March 2011 22:54

week 26

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Shell Shuts in 150,000bpd of Crude Oil

Nigeria’s crude oil export has suffered a major setback as Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) on Wednesday shut the Trans-Niger Pipeline (TNP), following an explosion and fire at a crude theft point in Ogoniland of Rivers State. The TNP is one of Shell’s two major pipelines in the eastern Niger Delta that transport crude oil from Shell flow stations and other third party’s facilities to Bonny export terminal for shipments. Shell’s Corporate Media Relations Manager, Mr. Tony Okonedo, said that prior to the incident, the company had shut down the 28-inch TNP to remove crude theft connections, adding that it had now closed the 24-inch TNP as a precautionary response to the fire. Okonedo also confirmed that about 150,000 barrels of oil per day was deferred from the closure of TNP.

17 Injured as Onitsha, Obosi Youths Clash over Ownership of Land

At least 17 persons were injured and a bus burnt when youths of Onitsha and their neighbouring Obosi community in Idemili North LGA clashed, on Monday, over ownership of a large parcel of land along the Onitsha-Owerri expressway. The disputed land, known as Ogwodogwo, is currently being farmed by Obosi people. The prompt intervention of security operatives saved the situation from escalating. Both sides recorded casualties and the wounded are receiving treatment in hospitals. Onitsha and Obosi communities have been claiming ownership of the land for many decades such that those, who purchased land in the area, were forced to pay to both communities. The Onitsha Area Commander, Mr. Benjamin Wordu who led team of policemen to the scene said that the police was able to pull all the youths out of the land to ensure that peace reigned in the area. He said that there was no record of death.

Abducted French Sailor Regains Freedom after Pirate Attack

A French sailor was freed on Tuesday after being captured by pirates on June 13 from his ship off the coast of Togo and taken to Nigeria. Pirates attacked the oil products, around 30 nautical miles off the coast of Togo. The Nigerian navy and French marines stormed the vessel after the hijackers seized it, but they took Benjamin Elan hostage to enable them to escape. They released the other 14 crew, according to reports. The pirates took the Frenchman to a small village in Bayelsa State, but youths from the local community alerted the authorities, enabling them to mount a rescue operation. No arrest was made.

11,000 Youths Renounce Cultism in Yenagoa

About 11,000 youths of Bayelsa State openly renounced their membership of various secret cult groups. The oath taking ceremony for the repentant cultists was administered by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Chief Francis Egele, in Yenagoa. Speaking at the event, Governor Seriake Dickson said that government plans to train 10,000 youths drawn from the eight local government areas of the state in different vocations. According to him, N1 billion had been set aside as soft loans for young entrepreneurs, adding that a youth summit would soon be held in the state to enable government identify their problems. Commending the decision of youths in the state to renounce cultism and other acts of criminality, the governor, said that the empowerment programme was part of his administration’s Restoration Agenda.

Police Arrest Three Robbery Suspects in Enugu

The police in Enugu State have arrested three robbery suspects who have been terrorizing residents of the capital city and its environs. The three robbery suspects were arrested following a robbery operation at the Emene Industrial Area. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the arrest, said one James Onu from Afikpo in Ebonyi State was arrested on June 16, 2013 following a distress call by the victims during the operation. Following a confessional statement by the suspect, two of his gang members were arrested at different locations in Enugu. He said that items recovered from the suspects included one blue iron cutter, some amount of U.S dollars and Zambian currency as well as a GSM handset. Amaraizu said that investigation into the robbery incident was in progress, adding that the suspects were already cooperating with the police.

SSS Bursts Baby Factory in Aba

The State Security Service (SSS), on Wednesday, paraded 16 pregnant ladies rescued from a baby factory located in Aba, Abia state. State Director of SSS, Matthew Obodoechi, said that the ladies whose ages range between 17 and 37 years were rescued on Monday from a suspected fake charity home named Cross Foundation International. Obodoechi said that the proprietor of the baby factory, Dr. Hyginus Ndudim Orikara, was arrested Wednesday morning, vowing that the medical practitioner would be prosecuted. Orikara however denied running a baby factory, saying Cross Foundation was legitimately registered as a charity home, adding that babies were not sold after delivery but released to the mother to go home and nurse the baby. But the SSS director said the confessional statement made by the pregnant ladies revealed that Orikara was indeed operating a baby factory as the ladies “upon delivery are given a paltry sum of N50,000 and sent away while their babies are sold.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Two get Life Imprisonment in Delta for Gang Rape

A Delta State High Court at Ughelli has convicted two persons for gang-raping a 17-year old girl after robbing her parents of valuables, and thereby sentenced them to life imprisonment. The convicts -Ernest Steve, 30, and Jerry Godwin, 29 - broke into the apartment of the girl’s parents at Young Africa Close, Ovwian with a gun and knife. The court declined their plea for mercy on the grounds of law and consequently slammed a life imprisonment on the convicts, whom it said, admitted to a three-count charge brought against them at the court. The court, which was presided over by Justice O. Tobi, described the action of the convicts as barbaric, warning youths resort to crime no matter the condition they found themselves.

20 Killed, 10 Arrested in Edo Cult Clashes

At least 20 persons have been confirmed dead in the recent cult clash in Edo state. The police said they had arrested 10 persons in connection with the hostilities. Suspected members of Eiye Confraternity and Black Axe engaged themselves in a supremacy battle in Benin City. Trouble started, penultimate Thursday, when suspected members of the Eiye group went to the home of a member of the Black Axe to resolve issues bordering on money. It was learnt that while discussions were ongoing, the Black Axe member allegedly brought a Pump Action gun, and shot one of the visitors on the leg. Following this, friends of the victim later mobilised and went on a reprisal, visiting homes of suspected Black Axe members and attacking them. However, the fighting between members of the cult groups later escalated, with many people reported dead. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Foluso Adebanjo, who could not confirm the exact number of people killed, described the crisis as unacceptable, as he promised that the police would deal with the culprits.

Edo Police Parade 36 Suspected Criminals

The Edo State Police Command, Thursday, paraded 36 persons allegedly involved in kidnapping, robbery and cultism, including the cult leaders allegedly involved in recent killings in the state. The suspects were arrested with cache of arms, including AK47 riffle, two AK47 rifle magazines, 23 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, two Magnum pump action guns, one English-made cut to size double barrel gun and 107 live cartridges. The Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr Foluso Adebanjo, who paraded the suspects, reiterated his call to criminals and cultists to leave the state or be “crushed,” just as he solicited the cooperation of members of the public to give useful information to the police.

Edo Govt Pledges Justice over Slain Student

An assurance came Thursday from the Edo State government that it would ensure justice in the case of the killing of a 22-year-old student of the University of Benin, Ibrahim Momodu, by the police. The state government has given a maximum of 30 days to the Ministry of Justice and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and other relevant organs to advise it on matters referred to it for necessary action. The directive is on the heels of the continued agitation by civil society groups that the state government should not renege on its earlier position to set up a commission of enquiry into Momodu’s murder.

Family of 7 Found Dead at Home

A family of 7 was found dead in their apartment after police and neighbours broke into the apartment. The victims, a retiree of the Nigerian Army, Jacob Ikenchukwu Obuteh, five of his children and a young man were found lifeless in their Ime Obi village in Agbor, last Tuesday. Reports from the area said they might have died from fumes caused by a standby generator. Sources said in the evening of last Sunday, the family switched on their new generating set and that was the last time people in the areas saw them. On Tuesday, when stench started to ooze out from the bungalow, neighbours became suspicious and decided to force one of the windows open only to find decomposing bodies. Following the discovery, other members of the extended family contacted the police who eventually forced the door open. When police arrived, it was discovered that the entrance into the bungalow and exit door were locked from the inside.

Delta Community Accuses Police of Shielding Robbery Gang

Elders of Obodogwugwu community in Okpanam, Oshimili North LGA of Delta State, have accused police officers from the Inspector General’s Monitoring Unit of providing cover for an armed gang, which had taken over the community’s land. The elders, led by Acting Diokpa, Ogbueshi P.K. Obanya, named a Superintendent of Police as the head of the team protecting the group of militants and cultists from facing the law. The community in a petition to the Inspector General of Police, also alleged that the suspects were using the IG Monitoring Unit to take over case files concerning them from the Delta State Police Command, Asaba, thereby, frustrating proper investigations into murder, kidnap and others cases against them. According to them, the situation was getting dicey in the community, as the suspected gunmen have instilled fear and stopped natives from going to their farmlands.

Kidnappers’ Buildings Demolished in Delta

Three buildings belonging to kidnap suspects were demolished in Ovara-Orogun community of Ughelli North LGA of Delta State. This is as a result of the abduction of the wife of the traditional ruler of Ughelli kingdom, Queen Gladys Ohasiri, on June 6. Queen Oharisi fell into the hands of the kidnappers, who waylaid her on her way from Abraka. Two of the buildings, said to belong to a kidnap kingpin residing in Lagos, were demolished by the combined team of the men of the Nigeria Police, the army and the local vigilance team. The kingpin was said to have built the houses for his mother and devoted part of the buildings to his victims.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

SSS Probes Alleged Attempt on Admiral’s Wife

The Department of State Security Service (SSS) has taken over investigations into the failed attack on the wife of the moderator at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, Rear Admiral Ameen Ikioda. This came as the Nigerian Navy (NN) reportedly moved the principal suspect to the holding cell of the SSS to protect him from retribution by the contractor of the assassination attempt. An attempt on Ikioda’s wife was made on June 9, during a church service in Apapa, Lagos by the suspect, who it was gathered, had made useful confessions. It is not yet clear whether it was an assassination attempt or a case of abduction as confessed by the suspect. The plan was foiled when the suspect slumped before reaching the seat of the victim in church. It was further gathered that the contractor, who was currently at large was said to have recruited five persons with different responsibilities but all targeted at achieving their aim towards the victim.

NEMA Warns of Severe Weather Conditions in Lagos

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned residents of the southern parts of the country, especially in Lagos, against severe weather, which may result in unprecedented heavy rainfall. NEMA spokesperson, South-west Zone, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said the severe weather condition might cause unforeseen stress on the populace. NEMA issued the warning based on the alerts received from the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development based in Niamey, Niger Republic. The centre issued the warning to other related countries that may likely witness such severe weather in Central, East and West African sub-regions. Farinloye implored all segments of the country society in the southern part of Nigeria to put measures on ground to avoid exposing themselves to the dangers at hand.

Police Tightens Security in Lagos over MEND’s Threat

The police have beefed up security around strategic places in Lagos, especially fuel tanker terminals, tank farms and other establishments associated with the petroleum industry to forestall any terrorist attack. The Lagos State   Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, said that the police were prepared to ensure that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) did not have any chance to carry out its threat to attack petroleum trucks and tank farms in the state. He reiterated the command's commitment to foil any attempt by terrorists to infiltrate the state, saying adequate security had been put in place across the state to ward off any attack. MEND had recently declared that henceforth, it would attack every oil tanker distributing petroleum products, including propane gas to press home its demands, which include that the federal government should secure the release of its leader, Henry Okah, who is serving a jail term in South Africa for the 2010 Independence Day bomb blasts.

Navy Seizes Vessel with Suspected Toxic Waste

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft, Thursday, handed over a vessel, MV Eurocargo Salerno, suspected to be laden with toxic waste to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for further investigation. The vessel and its crew were apprehended on Wednesday, at Breakwater, where she was berthed to the Tincan Island Port, Lagos. The navy also apprehended the captain, second and third mate of the vessel - Claudia Mondino, Raffaele Dimartino and Eugenio Ruffo respectively - and they were brought to the base for questioning. The vessel was conveying containers from Belgium, among which were three trucks fully loaded with used fridges suspected to be toxic in nature. According to the Commanding Officer, NNS Beecroft, Commodore Chris Ezekobe, the vessel was arrested based on a tip-off to the National Environmental Standard Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) by a source who disclosed that the vessel was loaded with three trucks of toxic waste.

Three Killed in as Violence Breaks out in Kwara Community

Three people, including a councillor, have been confirmed dead in the renewed violence at Ganmo community in Ifelodun Local Council Area of Kwara State. The violence broke out on Tuesday three months after the Igbomina ethnic group and their Ilorin counterparts, who both form the largest population of the community, clashed over chieftaincy and land matters in which lives were lost and property destroyed. The renewed clash is said to be connected with matters relating to the previous violence. It was gathered that the clash started when some people allegedly tried to stop those working on the reconstruction of their buildings, which were damaged during the previous violence. Spokesman of the state’s Police Command, Olufemi Fabode, who confirmed the killing, said the councillor was killed on Tuesday while a man and a woman were killed on Wednesday, adding that the police had taken control of the situation.

Ogun Police Kill 24, Arrest 150 Crime Suspects

The Police in Ogun State on Wednesday said they killed no fewer than 24 armed robbery suspects during gun battles and arrested 150 others in the state in the last six months. The command also said it recovered 74 arms and 557 rounds of ammunition as well as property worth N55,392,400 from the crime suspects. It added that 27 cultists, three rape suspects were also arrested and 131 vehicles recovered, while 319 crime suspects were charged to court, and 23 of them were convicted. Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, added that 35-year-old James Ogbu was also arrested in connection with the alleged murder of 12-year-old female pap hawker, Akpakou Josephine, who was abducted in Wasimi, Ewekoro LGA. The victim, who was from the Republic of Benin, was reported missing while hawking pap but upon further inquiry, it was discovered that the girl was last seen riding on a motorcycle with Ogbu. Her corpse was found in a bush around Wasimi market.

Customs Officers Shoot Woman in Car

Some customs officers stationed at the Ilase Customs checkpoint, on the Owode-Idiroko Road, Thursday, shot a passenger, Alhaja Fausat Ayode, to death. Pandemonium erupted in the area as an irate mob made to attack the customs officers who fled to their unit at Owode-Idiroko. The mob, numbering over 300, went on the rampage, and set the checkpoint on fire. The Commanding Officer, Nigerian Army 192 Battalion, Owode, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Ahmed, confirmed the incident, adding that peace had been restored to the area through the efforts of his men. The incident happened when the Customs officers, acting on the suspicion that the occupants in the said vehicle conveying passengers were smugglers, and tried to intercept it. Eyewitness account said the officers probably tried to shoot at the tyres of the vehicle but miscalculated and incidentally hit one of the passengers who died on the spot.

Cultists, Security Guard Arrested over Rape of Undergraduate

Four suspected members of a cult group and a security man at a private polytechnic in Ekiti State have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a student of the institution. The victim alleged that the suspects stormed her room, tied her up and took turn to rape her. She also accused a security man in the polytechnic, Mr. Seyi Adanbioje, of raping her the same day at his residence. The victim said the Chief Security Officer of the school directed the security man to take her to police station to make an official report of the rape case, but after leaving the station, the security man took her to his residence and forcefully had sex with her. The security man, however, denied raping her. The state Police spokesman, Victor Babayemi, said police investigation had shown that rape cases had been rampant at the institution. The police also paraded two commercial motorcyclists, who were accused of raping a young lady. Similarly, a 17-year-old boy was arrested for defiling a three-year-old girl.

Suspected Cultists Remanded for Murder

An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, on Monday, remanded four suspected cult members at Ikoyi Prisons, over the alleged murder of two men. The men are standing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful killing and belonging to an unlawful society. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Olatunbosun Abolarinwa, ordered that the accused be remanded, pending legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions. The prosecutor, George Nwosu, said that the crime was committed on May 16 when the accused and members of the group, now at large, were engaged in a fight with a rival group. Nwosu said that the accused shot dead Adeolu Odukunle and Hassan Ibrahim, who allegedly belong to another group.

Police Arrest Immigration Officer for Burning Ward with Iron

An official of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kwara State Command, Yemi Afolayan, has been arrested for allegedly inflicting injuries on a 12-year-old girl, Favour Emmanuel. Afolayan was said to have allegedly tied and beaten up Favour before inflicting the injuries on her neck and foot with hot iron. Favour was under the guardianship of Afolayan and his wife. It was also learnt that Afolayan’s arrest was sequel to a report to the state Ministry of Women Affairs by some concerned neighbours. The Director of Child Development, Kwara State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Lucy Adeniyi, said Favour had been treated at the Hospital. Afolayan, a father of five, denied beating her, explaining that he only scolded her, adding that she ran out of the house and sustained the injuries. The state police spokesman, Olufemi Fabode, said the police would ensure that the suspect was brought to justice.

NURTW Members Killed in Ibadan, Lagos

The popular Agbeni Market in Ibadan was shut down on Monday following the murder of the chairman, Agbeni mini truck branch of the National Union of Road transport Workers (NURTW), Mr Rafiu Adebayo, by two masquerades. It was gathered that the incident took place on Sunday afternoon after a ram competition. He was killed while on his way back from the stadium when one two masquerades in Ibadan, Iponriku, allegedly masterminded by one Ekugbemi, and Irekosodo, allegedly stabbed and shot him. One of his close associates, Fatai, who tried to rescue him, was also attacked. Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State command, Mohammed Indabawa, said the police had commenced investigation into the killing. Similarly, suspected cult members, belonging to Black Axe have killed the Financial Secretary of the National Union of Road Transports Workers (NURTW) in Mushin, Lagos. The deceased, Taiye Monsuru, aka Sempe, was killed shortly after leaving his base at the old tollgate, Mushin, Penultimate Friday.

Husband Kills Wife over Infidelity

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 36-year-old man, Daniel Kanjo, for allegedly killing his 24-year-old wife, Meno Kanjo, in Ajah area of the state. Daniel allegedly stabbed his wife to death after catching her making love to another man in a bush near their home. After stabbing his wife many times, the suspect also stabbed himself in the stomach and in the neck. Daniel, discovered to be breathing, was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he was treated. The suspect said he loved his wife dearly and never hit her prior to the incident, adding that when he caught her red-handed committing adultery, he lost control. The Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, Damasus Ozoani, said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

GENERAL

Gunmen Invade Zamfara Village, Kill 32

More than 32 persons were reported killed on Tuesday when gunmen numbering about 150 attacked Kizara village in the Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State. The heavily armed gunmen, who came on 38 motorcycles, invaded the village at about 4am, shooting sporadically at anybody in sight. An eye-witness said that the attackers set several houses and shops in the village on fire. The witness said that the gunmen moved from house to house pretending to be residents of the village and shouting for help. He added that when people came out, the invaders either killed them with their guns or with machetes. The gunmen also invaded the residents of the Village Head, Alhaji Lawali Muhammad, the Chief Imam, Alhaji Usman Adamu, and his assistant, killing them. The Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, Mr Usman Gwary, confirmed that 32 persons were killed while the villagers put the figure at 58.

11 Killed in Yobe as JTF, Boko Haram Clash

The Military Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe State has confirmed that 11 people were killed in separate attacks as suspected members of the Boko Haram sect invaded a school and a military checkpoint in Damaturu. The JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Eli Lazarus, on Monday, explained that two teachers, seven students and two insurgents were killed during the attacks. Apart from the 11 killed, three soldiers, according to the statement, were critically injured in the clash that lasted for over five hours. The army spokesmen said three of the suspected Boko Haram members were caught alive and were currently in the custody of the JTF.

Presidency Hails North-East Youths Support for JTF

Presidency, on Monday, hailed youths in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, who were said to be fully cooperating with security agencies to hunt and hand over insurgents to the military. It said that having carried out an assessment of the state of emergency declared by President Goodluck Jonathan in the states, normalcy was gradually returning to the North-East of the country. The Senior Special Assistant to the President, Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Borno State government had confirmed that only 126 Nigerians had so far been displaced by the operations, noting that the bulk of the refugees were Nigeriens. According to the Presidency, this was contrary to a report that 8,000 Nigerians were fleeing to Niger Republic as a result of the emergency rule.

JTF Outlaws Satellite Phones in Borno over Boko Haram Use

The Joint Task Force (JTF), Wednesday, banned the use of Thuraya mobile phones in all states under emergency rule. This comes as investigations revealed that Boko Haram has resorted to using Thuraya phones to coordinate attacks since mobile communications were largely suspended by the military. The spokesman of the Joint Task Force, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said recent attacks on schools and killing of students by Boko Haram were carried out using Thuraya devices. Gunmen suspected to be members of the sect again stormed a private secondary school in the Customs area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Wednesday, killing four teachers and two students. This is as another set of suspected terrorists laid ambush on a farm situated along Maiduguri- Mafa- Dikwa Road in the city and killed two farmers.

Court Strikes out Illegal Arms Charges against Lebanese Businessmen

A chief magistrate’s court in Karu, Abuja, Wednesday, discharged the co-owner of the Amigo supermarket, Mustapha Fawaz, Abdallah Thaini, Talal Roda and Kossay Nourdin arraigned by the Department of State Security Service (SSS) for alleged unlawful importation and possession of large cache of prohibited firearms and other weapons of mass destruction discovered at a residence in Kano. The accused are alleged to have purported links to the terrorist group, Hezbollah. Chief Magistrate Yemi Oyeyipo also struck out the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the SSS against the Lebanese businessmen. Oyeyipo, however, did not acquit the accused persons because he had not gone into the merit of the case. After the court's ruling, operatives of the SSS drove the suspects back to the SSS headquarters. The accused persons said to have purported links to the terrorist group, Hezbollah, were arrested in connection with a large cache of arms discovered at a residence in Kano, recently.

Nigeria Drops Arms Charges against Nine Russians, 6 Face Charges

The federal government, Tuesday, withdrew the case of illegal arms importation against nine out of the 15 Russians, who were initially charged before a Federal High Court in Lagos. The remaining 6 are to face the criminal charge of illegal arms importation into Nigeria. The Russians were brought before Justice James Tsoho. The prosecutor, Mrs JI Igurumbe, informed the court of the new development, without giving any reason for the withdrawal of the charges preferred against the nine Russians. The prosecutor also applied for the vessel, 'MV Myre Seadiver', used by Russians to import the arms be withdrawn from the charge and be replaced with its owner 'Moral Security Group Limited', as the vessel would be used as an exhibit in the matter. Counsel to the accused persons, Chukwuwinke Okafor, opposed the prosecution's application on replacing the vessel with the owner in the charge.

Army Trains 3,000 on Counter-Terrorism

The Nigerian Army said that 3,000 recruits will be undergoing training on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency in four institutions in the country to further enhance their capability in the fight against terrorism. Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru, who disclosed this, noted that the number was part of the 69 regular recruits intake that passed out of Nigerian Army Depot. He said they were expected to be trained on house breaking and clearing, urban patrol, unarmed combat, skill at arms and humanitarian laws, among others. Attahiru noted that in line with international best practice and transparency, the Army had reviewed its recruitment procedure to include pre-screening examination for soldiers’ recruitment. He disclosed that the pre-screening exercise was aimed at selecting the best personnel for the Nigerian Army to enhance its man power and combat efficiency.

AGF, Others Tasked on Prompt Delivery of Justice on Cases of Domestic Violence

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), state Attorneys General, Inspector General of Police (IGP), heads of the various courts and relevant authorities in the criminal justice sector to take urgent steps at ensuring that victims of domestic and sexual violence get prompt justice. This call was contained in a communiqué released and signed its Chairman, Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, after the third 2013 statutory meeting of the Governing Council of the commission, held at Ikeja, Lagos Tuesday. According to the body, victims of violence against women and children do not have access to remedies, and that such access is always constrained by breakdown in communication between the agencies in the criminal justice system. The council while underscoring the negative psychological and sociological consequences of sexual and domestic violence on women, children and society at large, noted that, victims must get prompt remedies including fast-tracking of trials of offenders and appropriate sentencing.

Kano Hisbah Arrests 9 for Homosexuality

The Kano State Hisbah Command has arrested nine beggars for engaging in homosexuality. The deputy commander in charge of operations and special duties, Nabahani Usman, said that the operation was conducted by the Tarauni Local Government command of the agency at Unguwa Uku Motor Park. He said the operatives of the agency succeeded in the arrest of nine teenagers and three adults who engaged in homosexuality at the park. Usman said that the command conducted an operation and succeeded in the apprehension of nine beggars who came from neighbouring states of Jigawa, Sokoto, Borno and other states, and three adults. The state Hisbah command had recently forwarded a proposal on banning the street begging.

Traders Nab 6 Suspected Boko Haram Members in Maiduguri

Traders at Gamboru market in Maiduguri, Borno State, Wednesday, rounded up six suspected Boko Haram gunmen and handed them over to soldiers of the Joint Task Force (JTF). The gunmen, according to eyewitnesses, entered the market and were spotted by a trader that saw weapons hidden under their garments, and promptly alerted others, The traders immediately trailed and rounded them up before they could bring out their guns. Meanwhile, suspected sect members, Thursday evening, detonated an explosive device in Maiduguri, targeting a JTF patrol vehicle.

Rainstorm Wreak Havoc in Katsina

A three-hour rainstorm, on Monday night, destroyed no fewer than 180 structures including residential homes, schools and hospitals in Musawa, headquarters of Musawa LGA of Katsina State. The disaster was the second in about two weeks following a similar occurrence on May 29 that destroyed 50 structures in the town. Alhaji Tanimu Kira, Chairman of the council’s Transition Committee, on Wednesday, said that a committee had been constituted to verify the extent of the damage, adding that relief package would be distributed to the victims. He said that the council had provided the victims with temporary accommodation pending intervention by the state and federal governments.

Panic in Lokoja as Water Level Rises

Residents of some low lying communities in Lokoja have been urged to move to higher grounds following a noticeable increase in the water levels of River Niger and River Benue. The Nigerian Metrological Agency (NIMET) had in its 2013 weather forecasts, listed Kogi as one of the states, which is likely to experience flooding this year. The Kogi Deputy Governor, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, who also confirmed the increase in water level, advised those living in flood-prone areas to relocate immediately. Awoniyi, who also doubles as the Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency said that the state was not ready to go through another harrowing experience of flood disaster. Nine LGAs in the state, including the Lokoja, were affected by the disaster last year. He appealed to the affected residents to relocate to higher plains in the state.

North Records Highest Arrest of Drug Suspects -NDLEA

Kano, Katsina and Plateau have the highest number of drug suspects arrested in Nigeria in recent months. Edo, Ondo and Delta States also emerged as the states that had witnessed the highest recorded cases of drug seizures in the south. This was disclosed on Thursday by the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr. Ahmadu Giade, while unveiling a week-long activity in commemoration of this year’s International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking. He said illicit drugs with a monetary street value of N33.1 billion were seized in 2012. Giade appealed to the masses to help expose drug traffickers selling drugs on their streets, at motor parks and residential neighbourhoods.

200 Nigerian Girls Trafficked to Russia Monthly

At least 200 Nigerian girls are, monthly, trafficked to Russia for prostitution, according to Nigeria’s ambassador to Russia, Asam Asam. An investigation revealed that the crime has declined in Western Europe following strict laws on illegal migration, and joint efforts by Nigeria and the governments of those countries to curb the menace. However, attention has shifted to Eastern Europe as the new destination for the trade. In the last decade, Italy had seemed the capital of human trafficking, especially for young girls who were lured to the country by a mafia gang under the pretext that some house-keeping or floor sales jobs had been arranged for them. But they ended up serving as prostitutes. Asam said the mission tries to curb the menace by arranging deportation exercises for those caught, adding that such interventions would be more effective at the point of entry. He said that it was better to stop them from Nigeria, and fish out those involved in the trade.

INTERNATIONAL

Gunmen Storm Pakistan Hospital after Bus Attack

Gunmen attacked a hospital in the Pakistani city of Quetta, some hours after an explosion on a bus killed 14 female university students. Officials say four gunmen were killed during a siege of part of the hospital where the wounded were being treated. The students were about to go home when a bomb, apparently planted on their university bus, exploded. Hospital sources say some of the wounded are in critical condition. Nurses, hospital security personnel and a senior city official were among the 10 others killed in the stand-off. An extremist Sunni militant group, Laskar-e-Jhangvi, claimed both attacks. A man calling himself spokesman for the group said they were a revenge for an earlier raid by security forces against the group in which a woman and children were killed. The latest violence began when a bomb exploded on a bus carrying female students at a university. Later explosions rocked the medical centre where the students were being treated. Militants armed with grenades were positioned there and exchanged fire with members of the security forces who rushed to the scene.

N'Korea Proposes High-level Talks with US

North Korea has proposed high-level talks with the US aimed at discussing nuclear weapons programmes and easing of tension on the peninsula. The North's National Defense Commission said that the proposal was to secure peace and stability in the region and ease tension on the Korean peninsula. The North is willing to have "serious discussions on a wide range of issues, including the US goal to achieve the world free of nuclear arsenal", it said, urging the US to set the time and venue for the talks. North Korea said it was committed to denuclearisation of the peninsula but defended its atomic arsenal as "self-protective measures". Tension has been high on the peninsula since the North's third nuclear test in February that triggered new UN sanctions and subsequently drew angry threats from Pyongyang including nuclear attacks on Seoul and Washington.

Iranian President-Elect, Rouhani, Vows Nuclear Transparency

Iran is ready to show more transparency on its nuclear programme, says President-elect Hassan Rouhani. In his first news conference after his election, Rouhani described as "unfair" international sanctions imposed on his country over the issue. He, however, said that the country would not suspend its uranium enrichment activities. Rouhani also said that His government would work towards "constructive interaction with the world", thanking Iranians for "choosing moderation" The conference ended abruptly when a man in the audience shouted that reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, who is currently under house arrest, should be president. Rouhani, a long-standing political figure in Iran, won just more than 50% of the vote in the election, avoiding a run-off vote. Iran's president has limited powers, with key policy decisions being taken by the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

NATO Hands over Security to Afghans

NATO has handed over security for the whole of Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban were ousted in 2001. At a ceremony in Kabul, President Hamid Karzai said that from Wednesday "our own security and military forces will lead all the security activities". International troops will remain in Afghanistan until the end of 2014, providing military back-up when needed. The ceremony came shortly after a suicide bomb attack in western Kabul killed three employees of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. The attacker was believed to be targeting the convoy of prominent politician and Hazara leader Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, who escaped with light injuries.

Taliban Signals Readiness for Peace Talks

The Taliban is willing to consider peace talks with the Afghan state following secret discussions, an Afghan official disclosed on Tuesday. This is considered the first significant step towards an end to the long-running war. The Taliban has until now said it would not countenance peace talks with the Karzai government, it calls a "stooge" of the United States and other Western nations. The announcement came as the Taliban opened their long-delayed office in the Qatari capital of Doha. Taliban official, Mohammed Naeem, announced the opening of the office. Meanwhile, Afghanistan government has suspended talks on a bilateral security agreement with the US. A spokesman for President Hamid Karzai said the decision was taken in protest over inconsistencies in proposed US direct talks with the Taliban.

Haze Chokes Singapore

Pollution levels reached a new record high for a third day in a row in Singapore, as smoky haze from fires in Indonesia shrouded the city state. The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) hit 401 on Friday- the highest in the country's history. The haze is also affecting Malaysia, with another 100 schools closed in the south of the country, according to reports. Singaporean Prime Minister, Lee Hsieng Loong, warned on Thursday that the haze could remain in place for weeks. A PSI reading above 300 is defined as "hazardous", while Singapore government guidelines say a PSI reading of above 400 over 24 hours "may be life threatening to ill and elderly persons", while healthy people may experience adverse symptoms.

1,000 Feared Dead in Indian Monsoon

India's military battled on Thursday to reach villages and towns cut off by flash floods and landslides in the country's north. Officials warned at least 1,000 people may have been killed. Helicopters and close to 10,000 soldiers have been deployed to rescue tourists and pilgrims stranded after floods caused by torrential monsoon rains hit the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, last weekend. Some 1,400 people have been evacuated, but another 18,000 are still stranded, the air force said. Houses, buildings and vehicles have collapsed or been swept away by overflowing rivers and landslides, while bridges and narrow roads leading to pilgrimage towns have also been destroyed, officials said. Torrential rains four and a half times as heavy as usual have hit Uttarakhand, known as the "Land of the Gods", where Hindu shrines and temples built high in the mountains attract many pilgrims. At least 138 people have been confirmed killed across Uttarakhand and two neighbouring states.

Nine Killed as Al Shabaab Attacks on UN Base in Somalia

Al-Qaeda linked Al Shabaab’s insurgents in Somalia, on Wednesday, shot and blasted their way into the United Nations (UN) compound in Mogadishu, leaving nine people dead in the most serious attack on the global organisation’s base in the troubled country in recent years. Three foreigners in the UN compound died in the attack, along with a Somali UN employee, two Somali security guards and three civilians in the surrounding streets. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was “shocked” by the brazen daylight raid while Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon condemned it as a “senseless and despicable attack on innocent UN civilians”. Al Shabaab fighters, who boasted about the killings of “infidels”, used a pickup truck laden with explosives and suicide attackers to blast their way into the fortified base.

Man gets Life Sentence in Sweden for Rwandan Genocide

A Swedish court has sentenced a man of Rwandan origin to life in jail for his part in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda in which some 800,000 people were killed. Stanislas Mbanenande, now a Swedish citizen, was found guilty of taking part in several massacres of mainly ethnic Tutsis in the 100-day genocide. The court agreed he had played a leading role among Hutu extremists. He is the first person in Sweden to be found guilty of genocide. Mbanenande, who was granted Swedish citizenship in 2008, had denied the charges. Mbanenande not only recruited young men to take part in the killings but was also involved in those that occurred in a school, a Catholic church, a hotel and a stadium in Kibuye, a city in western Rwanda, the court said.

Twenty Killed in Iraqi Car Bombings

Twenty people have been killed in a wave of car bombings across central and southern Iraq, police and medics say. The attacks took place in areas with a high concentration of Shia Muslims - Kut, Mahmoudiya, Nasiriya and Basra. Iraq has been hit by almost daily attacks, raising fears of a return to the worst levels of sectarian violence. Reports say the deadliest blasts took place in and near the central city of Kut, where two parked car bombs targeted an industrial area and a gathering of construction workers. In Basra, twin car bombs in a busy street killed five people, police said. The second bomb is said to have been detonated as rescuers rushed to the scene of the initial blast. No group has admitted carrying out the bombings.

Turkish Protesters Remain Adamant

Turkish protesters defied government calls to leave an Istanbul park last weekend after more than two weeks of occupation, despite a promise by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to hold a vote on plans to redevelop the site. Hundreds of people camped out in tents in the mud-soaked Gezi Park adjoining Taksim Square said they would keep their campaign going after the government failed to meet their demands, including for the release of detained demonstrators. A police crackdown on peaceful campaigners in the park two weeks ago provoked an unprecedented wave of protest against Erdogan and his AK Party. Protesters have clashed with Turkish police in Istanbul, after riot squads used tear gas and water cannon to eject demonstrators from Gezi Park. The group said it had seen no serious signs of progress in holding those responsible for the police crackdown to account, nor in investigating the deaths of four protesters.

Police Arrest Suspected Killer of New York Cab Driver

The Police in New York, on Tuesday, arrested a suspect in connection with the killing of a Nigerian cab driver in the Brownsville area of Brooklyn in downtown New York. Uro Ama Orji, 54, from Ebonyi, was stabbed in the eye with an umbrella on June 13 by one of the two passengers he was carrying. The suspect was seen running from the scene of the incident through security camera. The late Orji was taken to the Brookdale Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. The suspect, named as Shamel Allen, 28, of Brooklyn, was charged for manslaughter and possession of weapon. The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers had offered a $3,000 reward, while a group of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement offered another $2,000.

Deadly Bomb Attack Hits Baghdad Mosque

At least 15 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack at a Shia mosque in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. The bomber blew himself up inside the mosque in the eastern al-Qahira district. Some 30 people were also wounded in the attack. The suicide bomber detonated himself among the worshippers, who were gathering after the call to prayer, the police said. Tuesday's attack comes a day after bombings near Baghdad killed at least 10 people in the cities of Taji and Fallujah, and included a blast in a roadside restaurant. There has been a surge in sectarian attacks in recent months on targets like mosques, restaurants and local markets, reports show. The violence has rekindled fears the country is being dragged towards a wider conflict between the Shia majority and the Sunni minority.