Villeworth Security Services Ltd

Week 29

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Group Decries Alleged Arms Stockpile in Niger Delta Region

The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Bayelsa State chapter has expressed worry over the state Governor, Seriake Dickson’s position on arms stock pile by oil thieves in the Niger Delta, saying such grave allegation should be investigated immediately. In a statement by its Chairman, Chief Nengi James, the CLO noted that the statement allegedly credited to the governor over the alleged causes of rising cases of crude oil theft and illegal bunkering along the creeks and the waterways of the Niger Delta region was a thing of concern and called for concerted effort to be made to address the issue. The CLO advised that the governor should be more proactive to identify the so called militants and work with the security agencies including the JTF to identify those involved in the crude oil theft and ensure they face the legal processes.

Gunmen Kidnap Bayelsa Governor's Aide in Port Harcourt

Gunmen, Penultimate Sunday, kidnapped the Special Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on Power, Mr. Olice Kemenanabo, from his Port Harcourt home at about 1:30pm. He was whisked away in his own car by three men after threatening to shoot him if he made any noise. The Special Adviser was the General Manager of the state Electricity Company, which was involved in an industrial fire accident at the state's electricity turbine, while trying to combat the fire. Kemenanabo was burnt with about 70 per cent of his body and was rushed abroad for treatment.

JTF Impounds 28 Vessels, Badges in Rivers

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta on Sunday said that it had impounded 17 metal badges, 10 vessels and a tug boat laden with crude oil in Rivers State. The JTF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Bata Debiro, said this after an assessment tour of JTF’s operational bases in Bonny, Rivers. Debiro said that the arrests were made only in its “Sub-sector Five” areas, which covered Andoni, Bonny and Gokana LGAs, between April 2012 and July 2013. He claimed that some of the vessels and badges were laden with stolen crude oil and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) when they were apprehended. Debiro said that eight out of the 17 seized metal badges had been destroyed, while others were still undergoing investigations. The JTF commander, however, did not disclose the number of arrests made during the time under review.

Abducted Corps Members Regain Freedom

Members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), who were kidnapped from Ogonokom community, Abua/Odual LGA of Rivers State have regained their freedom. The corps members, Ogwuche Martins, Lijoka Richard and Nwachukwu Chinonye Esther, were abducted at their lodge two weeks ago. One of the victims said that he was surprised at the attack as everything happened in a jiffy and the next minute, they found themselves on an unknown island. Also speaking, another victim, who explained that they were robbed of their valuables which included laptops, phones and some cash, confirmed that they were not molested in any manner.

JTF Arrests Bayelsa Traditional Ruler for Oil Theft

A traditional ruler in Bayelsa State has been arrested by the Joint (Military) Task Force (JTF) on the Niger Delta for allegedly sponsoring crude oil theft. The high-ranking traditional ruler was arrested along with three other persons for their alleged involvement in crude oil theft in the waterways of the Niger Delta. The royal father and the three men were alleged to be the owners of an unlicensed vessel used in the stealing of 2,000 metric tonnes of crude oil along the waterways of Akassa Community in Brass LGA of the state. According to the source, JTF operatives had been on the trail of the vessel and its owners for a long time.

Reps Declare Legislative Emergency in Rivers State

The storm and violence in the Rivers State House of Assembly reverberated nationwide Wednesday as the National Assembly, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), opposition parties and Nigeria Police Force (NPF) all waded into the crisis, played the blame game. Alarmed at the turn of events in Rivers State, the House of Representatives took proactive action by declaring legislative emergency in the state. The National Assembly is constitutionally empowered to take over the functions of any state legislature that is unable to perform its constitutional functions due to a breakdown of law and order. In reaction, Senate President David Mark, who described the festering crisis in the state as an embarrassment to the entire country, added that the situation was totally unacceptable and condemnable. The IGP said the police would investigate the crisis by sending a team of investigators led by a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Operations to the state. Abubakar warned that any police officer found wanting in the crisis would be punished. Meanwhile soldiers were deployed in Assembly complex to prevent any bloody clash between opposing factions and their supporters.

NSCDC Smashes Illegal Baby Factory

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in Enugu State, Thursday, raided a clinic where babies from unwanted pregnancies are sold. Proprietor of the clinic, Dr Ben Agbo, and a nurse working with him, have both been arrested while a three-day old baby about to be delivered to a buyer was recovered from them. The 74-year old proprietor of the clinic said he had been operating the clinic since the past nine years admitting that he had been selling babies to those in need under a humanitarian service of the clinic. The State NSCDC Commander, Nathaniel Ubong, said the suspects were arrested following a tedious surveillance mounted by his men around the maternity home after a tip off by a patriotic citizen on the illicit activities going on at the maternity home.

Ex-Militant, 17 Others Declared Wanted over Killing of 11 Policemen in Bayelsa

Following the killing of 11 policemen by suspected militants in an unprovoked action in Bayelsa State last April, the police have finally declared the militant warlord, ‘Commander’ Virus, and 17 of his boys wanted. Police spokesman, Alex Akhigbe, said the persons wanted were found culpable in the killing of the policemen. Surprisingly, they were all identified as beneficiaries of the ongoing amnesty programme of the federal government. The killers were identified following the arrest and interrogation of another suspect, Jackson Feutubobai, in the creeks as Jasper, who confessed and revealed all that transpired. The suspect had told the police that Virus and the men declared wanted were directly involved in the killing of the policemen.

Police Arrest Man with Fake N1m Notes

Ebonyi State Police Command said it had arrested one Stephen Okolie Chukwu who hails from Umuegbe Amaifeke in Orlu LGA of Imo State with fake N1 million notes. The command’s spokesperson, Sylvester Igbo, said the suspect was arrested in Abakaliki on July 4, 2013 when he came to Alhaji Lawal Ibrahim Bureau de Change to convert N1 million denominations into US dollars. Igbo said that on close examination of the currency notes by Alhaji Ibrahim, who suspected the notes were fake notes, he lured the suspect to a bank where the money was confirmed to be fake notes. He said the suspect had been assisting the police to trace the import of fake naira notes into the state capital. The suspect who confessed to the crime, said that he bought the N1 million notes from one Ugoo who is based in Oguta, Imo State for N150,000.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Children Hack Mother to Death

A woman, Itowo Ojeifo, in Edo state, was last weekend, hacked to death by two of her children identified as Omolayo Ojeifo (25) and her younger brother, Taiye (20). The community is a boundary town with Kogi State in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State. It was learnt that Omolayo had been having some running disagreement with her mother, whom she allegedly accused of stalling her “progress in life” as well as bewitching her. The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moses Eguavoen, said the incident happened on July 3. He said the suspects incidentally were the ones who ran to Uzebba in Owan West local government area but that the covert intelligence of the police led to their arrest. The former husband of the victim, Mr. Sunday Itowo, made a formal report to the police on the incident

Army Smashes Police Robbery Gang in Delta

Soldiers of the 4 Brigade/Sector 1 Joint Task Force (JTF) Benin City, on Thursday, announced the smashing of an armed robbery gang, whose membership were policemen serving in the Nigeria Police. Army Public Relations Officer, Captain Roselyn Managbe, said troops under the command also arrested a suspected kidnap kingpin, Joel Ogbu, who facilitated the arrest of other members of his gang. The suspect revealed that members of his gang were all serving police personnel, who indulge in robbery activities after their normal duties. The arrested inspector, however, said he was arrested on his first outing as an armed robber. Also paraded among the suspected criminals was a Lance Corporal, who was dismissed from the Army. Some of the items recovered from the suspected criminals included an axe, locally-made double-barrelled guns and handsets.

Governor Orders Release of Arrested Physically-Challenged Persons

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Tuesday prevailed on the state police command to release the 179 physically-challenged persons arrested on Monday for unlawfully blocking the Benin-Asaba Expressway in Asaba. However, they are to sign an undertaking to henceforth be of good behaviour and never to engage in any riotous act that will cause a disruption of the traffic or breach of the peace in any part of the state. The governor spoke when the leaders of the physically-challenged persons arrested during the 12-hour protest were brought before him, said it was not acceptable for them or any person to embark on acts that would cause a breach of the peace or disrupt the free flow of traffic.

Nursing Mother Commits Suicide in Ekpoma

A 35-year-old woman, identified as Ejobosele Okoruwa has committed suicide in Ekpoma, Esan West LGA of Edo State, few hours after dedicating her three months old baby in a church. Ejobosele dedicated her baby on Sunday, while she killed herself in the early hours of Monday. Her lifeless body was found dangling from the ceiling with the wrapper she allegedly used to hang herself. Husband of the deceased, Okoruwa said that he slept in the sitting room with two of his children, while his wife slept in the bedroom with their eldest daughter and the baby. Okoruwa said it was shouts from his daughter around 2am that woke him up, adding that he rushed inside the room only to see his wife dangling from the ceiling. He said recent behaviour of his wife indicated that she was depressed, but it did not occur to him that she would take her own life.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Seven Killed as Gunmen Raid Lagos Hotel

Unidentified gunmen stormed a hotel in Ajah area of Lagos State, penultimate Sunday, killing the owner, identified as Olanrewaju Subair, and three others. The police authorities said one of the gunmen was killed in the operation which lasted for about an hour. However, two people died from a fire outbreak that was caused by intense shooting in the hotel. It was learnt that several people were injured. A source said the gunmen were probably robbers that were on a revenge mission. The spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the attack.

Vigilante Officials Kill Two Ogun Residents

Officials of the Vigilante Service of Ogun State have killed two persons they allegedly mistook for armed robbers in Abeokuta. The deceased, Akeem Usman, 32, and 29-year-old Raji Moruf, resided at Sorinola Avenue Abeokuta before the incident. It was gathered that the vigilante men were responding to a distress call by a resident who had raised the alarm against the presence of alleged hoodlums in the area. Awoyejo said both Usman and Moruf who had been shot by the VSO men were left to bleed to death since they could not get first aid treatment. The Commander of the vigilante service, Major Femi Bisiriyu (rtd) described the incident as a case of mistaken identity. He added that his men opened fired in self-defense when they noticed that one of the deceased persons was holding an object that “looked like a gun while trying to open the gate’’. Some the officials had been arrested by the police, while investigation into the incident had started

Stray bullet Kills Man in Ibadan

There was confusion at the Oje Market in Ibadan, penultimate Sunday when a ‘stray’ bullet hit a civilian, Ojo Obisesan, killing him on the spot. The killing took place when the Divisional Police Officer of Agugu Division, Timothy Adedeji (ASP), led a team of officers to quell a misunderstanding between some commercial transporters and hoodlums. The hoodlums were reportedly extorting money from motorists in the area. Police spokesperson, Bisi Ilobanefor, said, that the two policemen were rescued from the mob, but the mob later regrouped to attack the police station. However, the police were able to control the situation. “The stray bullet from the hoodlums that stole the police gun hit a passerby and unfortunately the person died.”

NDLEA Finds Abandoned Cocaine at Airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Wednesday announced that cocaine weighing 5.9 kilogram’s had been abandoned by a suspected drug trafficker. The agency said the drug was detected by personnel of the NDLEA at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, stating that the drug, which was hidden inside industrial equipment originated from Panama, Central America. The NDLEA said the discovery was made as a suspected drug trafficker excreted 54 wraps of cocaine he ingested in Brazil. NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the suspected cocaine consignment was left unclaimed. A 36-year-old man, Onyema Goodman Nnamdi, was also apprehended in connection with the ingestion of 54 wraps of cocaine weighing 875 grammes.

7 Killed in Lagos Building Collapse

Tragedy struck on Thursday when a three-storey building collapsed in Lagos killing a couple, a baby and four others. According to an eye witness, seven people had been rescued with three others critically injured, from the building located at 29b Oloto Street, off Cemetery Road, Ebute Metta. The Spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), South-West, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said that the building started cracking at about 1:30am and finally gave way at about 2:00am. He confirmed that the rescued victims had been taken to hospitals for treatment. The Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Red Cross, NEMA, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the state Fire Service, as well as youths in the area, helped in rescue efforts.

Man Kills Octogenarian in Ibadan

A young man  in the Adigun family of Abiola Central community, Moniya, Akinyele LGA of Oyo State, identified as Mutiu Tiamiyu, inflicted injury on the head of the family, Pa Nasiry Adigun, 85, which led to his death on Tuesday night. According to reports, Pa Adigun, who was visually impaired, was prevailed upon by his family members to observe Tarawhi prayer at home while other household members had gone to mosque. However, the attention of neighbours and worshipers at the village mosque and its environs was drawn to the noise of a young boy who kept on shouting the suspect’s name around the village. Before people got to the scene of the incident, Pa Adigun was already on the ground, bleeding profusely. The victim, who had lost his jaw in the process, died on the way to the hospital. The suspect, who escaped after the attack, was arrested the next morning.

Man Nabbed Trafficking N20m Worth of Cocaine

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kwara State have nabbed an Ilorin-based businessman for cocaine trafficking. The state commander of the agency, Mr Segun Oke, said the cocaine substance weighed 1.7 kilogrammes with market value estimated at about N20 million. Oke, who said the arrest was made last Tuesday, added that the hard drug was concealed in an ordinary envelope with affixed postage stamps on it. The NDLEA boss said the envelope containing the drug substance was delivered to one of the drivers in Ilorin motor parks, adding that the operatives of the agency, who intercepted the parcel, called the person whose names were on the envelope to come for collection and was nabbed in the process.

Man Beats Wife to Death in Ilesa

Residents of Iroye Street, in Ilesa, were on Tuesday, thrown into mourning, when an enraged young man, identified as Wale Agbaje, engaged his wife in a fight and beat her to death. Eye witness account indicated that the man had had a running battle with his wife over matrimonial matters, but the latest fight assumed a deadly dimension when the husband allegedly hit his wife on the forehead with a concrete block. Detectives from ‘B’ Division Headquarters, of the Osun State police command have apprehended the man and he is currently assisting them in their investigation into the matter. The security operatives were said to have saved the suspect from being mobbed.

Kidnappers Demand N25m Ransom for Abducted Hyundai Staff

A female staff of Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited, Chinyere Nwajei, was on Tuesday, kidnapped in the FESTAC Town area of Lagos State. The kidnappers have reportedly made contact with the victim’s family, demanding the sum of 150,000 dollars (N24,750,000). The concerned family and friends have reportedly begun negotiation while concerted efforts were being made to raise the necessary amount needed as ransom.

Court Jails Housemaid 28 Years over Theft of N35m Worth of Jewellery

A housemaid, Mary John, has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for stealing her mistress’ jewellery estimated at N35m. The convict had been arraigned since September 2012 on four counts of conspiracy, entry, breaking and stealing. The theft was said to have occurred in July 2012 at her residence in Victoria Garden City, Ajah. John was accused of taking advantage of her mistress’s travel outside the country to perpetrate the theft. John, however, in her oral testimony, told the court she was hypnotised by some men whom she met on the road. The magistrate, Mrs. Aje Afunwa, in her ruling however observed that the defendant’s written statement was inconsistent with her oral evidence. She said John had indeed confessed to the crime in her written evidence which the court would admit as true.

Customs Officers Arrested for Killing Car Dealer in Lagos

Lagos State Police Command has arrested five officers of the Nigerian Customs Service for the murder of a 30-year-old car dealer, Uririnke Onojorhoevwo. The suspects were being interrogated by detectives in the Homicide Department at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba. It was recently reported that the customs officers attached to Federal Operation Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, allegedly killed the deceased, who was driving an unregistered car in Iyana-Ipaja area of the state on June 16, 2013. Policemen on duty had also claimed that they saw the customs officers shoot Onojorhoevwo. The customs high authority has directed that land checkpoints should be dismantled, while anti-smuggling activities should be limited to the 40km radius of the international borders with immediate effect.

Man Axes Friend to Death

A middle aged man, Deji Yussuf, has been arrested by the Police in Ondo State for allegedly axing his friend, Tope Ezekiel, to death and thereafter poured acid on him over argument on proceeds from commercial motor bike popularly known as Okada. The family of the deceased said their son owned the bike and was keeping the proceeds with the suspect on daily basis with intention of using it later to buy another bike. Investigations showed that the suspect and the deceased who were close friends had been living together for four years before the ugly incident. According to the police, on inquiry the suspect admitted killing Tope with an axe and thereafter poured acid on him. The Police image maker, Wole Ogodo, said the suspect is currently in police custody and undergoing interrogation, adding that the he would soon be charged to court for murder.

GENERAL

No Licensing of New Firearms -IGP

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, has restated the ban on the issuance of licences for firearms. In a statement by the Force Spokesperson, Mr. Frank Mba, the Police said the ban on new licenses was an exercise of the powers vested in the President and the IG by the Firearms Act, which was aimed at restricting the proliferation of firearms   in the country. This statement follows by Plans by the Zamfara State Governor, Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari, to arm the vigilante group in the state. The plan to arm vigilante group had been a heated debate between the National Assembly and Zamfara State government. The police, however,  enjoined the public to be properly guided as the Force was poised to uphold the existing restriction over the use of firearms, adding that the Force had closed down the armouries of all licensed firearms dealers and kept due surveillance over their activities.

Gunmen Kill 42 in Yobe Boarding School Raid

A pre-dawn attack, penultimate Saturday, on a boarding school in Yobe State by suspected members of Boko Haram, left about 42 persons, mostly students, dead. The spokesman of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), Eli Lazarus confirmed the attack on the school in Mamudo, near Potiskum. An unspecified number of schools have been torched and an unknown number of students killed in the process. The latest spate of terrorists attacks have been apparently fuelled by the recent activities of the vigilante youths in the northeast aimed at flushing out the Boko Haram members in their midst. The military authorities have deployed a team to investigate the attack. A purported spokesman of the sect, Abu Ziinnira was quoted to have vowed reprisal attacks on the youths, who are also known as the “civilian JTF”.

300 Nigerians Held in Chinese Prisons for Drug Trafficking -Envoy

About 300 out of the more than 400 Nigerians incarcerated in Chinese prisons are being held for drug-related offences. Nigeria’s envoy to China, Ambassador Aminu Bashir Wali, has disclosed. According to him, in many cases, the identity of those jailed only become manifest after they must have been sentenced, as initially they may have entered the country with false identity showing that they are either ‘Ghanaians’ or ‘Malawians’. “They only get busted after the envoys of such countries are invited to check them out. Once they have been discovered as being Nigerians, the lot now fall on the Nigerian embassy to begin to seek ways of assisting them,” Wali explained. The envoy, who expressed concern about the situation, observed that the magnitude of the problem was beyond Nigerian embassies alone, but a national issue.

Taraba SSG, 5 Commissioners, Others Sacked over Missing N400m

The Secretary to the Taraba State Government, Ambassador Emmanuel Njiwah, was among the list of eight key government functionaries that were removed from office on Tuesday by the state Acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar. According to reports, they were all indicted by the assembly for failing to properly account for the N400 million, Federal Government intervention fund for the 2012 flood disaster in the state. It would be recalled that on Monday 8th July the assembly ad-hoc committee on flood disaster headed by the deputy speaker/chairman Honorable Tanko Adamu Maikarfi investigation report had indicted key government officials for allegedly misappropriated the sum of N400 Million grant meant for flood victims in the state.

Appeal Court Frees Al-Mustapha

The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has discharged and acquitted Major Hamza Al-Mustapha from the murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of late Chief M.K.O Abiola. The judgment overrules the January 2012 judgment of a Lagos High Court, which sentenced him to death by hanging. The presiding judge accused the lower court of being “stroked to secure a conviction by all means.” Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Head of State, late General Sanni Abacha, and Lateef Sofolahan, aide to Kudirat, were sentenced to death on January 30 for conspiracy and murder of Kudirat Abiola, who was shot in Lagos on June 4, 1996. Al-Mustapha and Sofolahan have been in detention since 1999, three years after Kudirat, 45, was shot dead in Lagos.

Mass Graves Found in Raid of Boko Haram Hide-Outs

Military officials say they have uncovered mass graves of decomposing bodies, networks of underground tunnels and caches of buried arms in raids that killed dozens of Islamic extremists, Boko Haram in Maiduguri, Borno State. Spokesman Lt. Col. Sagir Musa said security forces also rescued many women and girls kidnapped by the extremists in an attack in Maiduguri's Bulabulinganaram neighbourhood.

UK to Ban Boko Haram

The United Kingdom Government is finalising plans to designate Boko Haram, whose activities have been outlawed in Nigeria, a terrorist organisation. Also to be affected by the impending ban, is a British-based Islamist extremist group, Minbar Ansar Deen, also known as Ansar al-Sharia UK. The proposal to ban the two terrorist groups is coming one month after the designation of three Boko Haram leaders — Abubakar Shekau, Abubakar Adam Kambar and Khalid el Barnawi — as terrorists by the United States and will give further fillip to efforts by the international community to assist Nigeria in fighting the Islamic group. UK Home Secretary, Theresa May, Monday urged the British Parliament to support the government’s decision to designate Boko Haram as a full terrorist organisation.

Court Denies Bail to Arrested Lebanese Linked to Hezbollah

A Federal High court on Friday denied bail to three Lebanese nationals charged with terrorism over their alleged links to the powerful Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah. Mustapha Fawaz, 49, Abdallah Thahini, 48, and Talal Ahmad Roda, 51, were charged last month after a massive supply of weapons was found at a business in the capital Abuja and a private home in the northern city of Kano. A fourth suspect is said to be on the run. “There is the likelihood … that the first, second and third accused persons may not appear for trial,” said High Court Justice Adeniyi Ademola Adetokunbo. The security services have claimed that the weapons discovered at the two premises were intended to attack Israeli and Western targets in Nigeria. Prosecutors have said the group was actively preparing to commit “a terrorist act.” The Lebanese suspects, who are said to also hold Nigerian citizenship, have pleaded not guilty to all six counts of the terrorism-related offences.

Military Approves Restoration of Phone Service in Adamawa

The Nigerian Army, on Thursday, approved the restoration of phone services in Adamawa state where troops are pursuing Islamist insurgents, signaling an improving security situation there. The phone blackout remains in place however for two other states in the region, Borno and Yobe. All three were placed under a state of emergency in May ahead of a sweeping army offensive against Boko Haram Islamists, with the military shutting down mobile networks to block the militants from communicating. The army said the phones could be turned back on in Adamawa given the “positive indications” about the security situation there. Adamawa has suffered fewer attacks than Borno and Yobe during Boko Haram’s insurgency.

Amnesty Committee Signs Cease-Fire Pact with Sect

Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of the Security Challenges in the North, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, on Tuesday defended the ceasefire agreement signed with Boko Haram, saying the federal government interacted with authentic members of the Islamic militia. Turaki had announced that the federal government had signed a ceasefire agreement with the sect. However, amid doubts over the authenticity of the Boko Haram leaders he claimed the federal government had signed the ceasefire agreement with, Turaki said the pact was with the “mainstream” Boko Haram leaders. A source in the amnesty committee said that the Boko Haram leadership under Shekau agreed to the ceasefire offer when it became convinced of the sincerity of the Jonathan administration in seeking peace.

Suleja Bombers get Life Sentence

The Federal High Court, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced four members of the sect to life imprisonment for their role in the April 8, 2011 bombing of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Suleja, Niger State. The bomb attacks resulted in the death of 16 people, while many others were injured.

Ramadan: Jonathan Urges Muslims to Pray for Peace, Security, Progress

President Goodluck Jonathan has saluted all adherents of the Islamic faith in Nigeria as they begin this year’s Ramadan fast. A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, said as the Nigerian Muslims join the global Islamic community in undergoing the spiritual purification of Ramadan, President Jonathan urged all Nigerian Muslims to offer special prayers during the period for greater peace, security, unity and rapid socio-economic development in the country.

Senate Rejects Six-year Single Tenure Proposal

Senators on Tuesday opposed the six-year single term proposal by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution as debate on the reports submitted to the parliament by the committee last month took off. The senators’ overwhelming rejection of the single term proposal was surprising as none of the 21 members of the upper chamber who spoke on the committee’s recommendation supported it. Instead, they all rejected the recommendation, with most of them describing it as anti-people, anti-democratic and a move capable of creating anarchy in the system. However, the proposal for local government autonomy received the overwhelming support of the senators. Supporters of local government autonomy argued that granting autonomy to local governments would help to foster developments at the grassroots.

Police Probe Source of Arms for Zamfara Vigilante

Police have begun a probe into the source of arms purportedly imported by Zamfara State Governor Abdul’Aziz Abubakar for vigilance groups in the state. The force had directed its detectives to investigate the sourcing and importation of the arms and ammunition into the country without the knowledge of the approving authorities. A police source said that the police were surprised that the state government brought in the arms even when they no longer granted importation permit to local armouries and arms dealers in the country. The governor reportedly purchased the arms in 2012 and then applied to the IGP for permit, but his request was turned down and the weapons confiscated by the police. The police had been silent on the matter until Senator Shabba Lafiagi raised it during a plenary in the Senate last week.

Soldiers, SSS Kill Suspected Terrorist in Raid of Sokoto Hideout

The Nigerian Army said on Thursday that a suspected terrorist had been shot dead by soldiers and the State Security Services (SSS) in a joint operation in Sokoto. Brig.-Gen. Tasi’u Ibrahim, the Commander, 1 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Sokoto, said that the incident took place in Gidan-Dare, near Sokoto. According to Ibrahim, one suspect was also captured alive while 11 family members of the suspected terrorists were rescued and secured. He said that five of the secured members were women, including two pregnant women and children. The commander said the operation was carried out after a tip-off’. He said there were no fatalities on the side of the army or SSS. While commending the people of the state for their sustained cooperation to the security agencies, Ibrahim cautioned the residents against renting their houses to unknown persons.

Herdsmen Kill 3, Torch Houses in Nasarawa

Gunmen, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, Wednesday, killed three people and burnt down several houses in some Tiv settlements in Awe LGA of Nasarawa State. Personal Assistant to the state Commissioner for Community and Rural Development, Mr. Godwin Mbatsav, a Tiv, is among the dead. The bloody clash between Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen at Iyordye Akaahena and Akuroko villages in Guma LGA, last weekend, has left over 7,000 persons, most of them women and children, displaced. Nine fresh bodies have also been recovered from parts of the affected communities, while scores have been declared missing by their respective families. The commissioner’s late PA was said to have met his untimely death at Abuni village, while searching for his wife who was among those displaced when some of the gunmen invaded the area.

INTERNATIONAL

Blasts at Indian Buddhist Complex

A series of blasts has shaken India's holiest Buddhist shrine, where the Buddha himself is said to have gained enlightenment, police have said. Two people were injured in nine explosions in the Bodhgaya temple complex, in northern Bihar state. Police described the bombs as low-intensity timed devices. Witnesses said some of the bombs exploded close to the Bodhi tree, thought to be a descendant of the one that the Buddha sat under when he achieved enlightenment, according to tradition. Police said there was no damage to the tree. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh strongly condemned the blasts. The Bodhgaya complex is one of the oldest Buddhist sites in India. It was listed as a world heritage site by the UN cultural organisation, UNESCO, in 2002.

Bomb Explosion Kills Four in Lahore Restaurant

At least four people were killed and dozens injured when a bomb went off in a busy food street in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore. At least 30 people were believed to have been wounded, with some in a critical condition. Children were reportedly among the casualties. The bomb was placed in an outdoor eating area in the old part of Lahore and detonated at a particularly busy part of the evening. Police official Zulfiqar Hameed said the bomb was connected to a deep freezer in one of the restaurants. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The attack was the first of its kind for three years in Lahore, home city of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. However, there has been a series of attacks around the country since Sharif was sworn-in in June. The attacks, which are blamed on Islamist groups including the Pakistan Taliban, have left more than 150 people dead.

Abu Qatada Deported from Britain

Radical cleric Abu Qatada has been deported from the UK to Jordan to stand trial on terrorism charges. The legal battle to deport Abu Qatada began in 2001 and has cost the UK more than £1.7m ($2.5m), according to reports. His deportation was finally able to proceed after the UK and Jordan signed a treaty agreeing that evidence obtained through torture would not be used against him. The charges he faces will be outlined and he will then be taken to prison to await the start of the trial. He has not been to his to his home country in 20 years.

Smugglers to Face over Use of Dogs to Smuggle Drugs to Italy

An Italian judge has ordered 49 suspected Latin American gang members to stand trial for allegedly using dogs to smuggle cocaine into the country. A vet in Mexico forced large dogs to swallow drug packages before they were flown into Milan, police say. On arrival, they were killed and dismembered to retrieve the cocaine. The Ecuadorean, Peruvian and Salvadoran nationals will face trial in Italy. The suspected gang members, between 19 and 37 years old, are thought to be part of youth drug gangs known as "pandillas". The gangs go under the names Trebol, Neta, Latin King Luzbel and Latin King Chicago, according to the investigative judge Fabrizio D'Arcangelo.

Civilians Killed in Afghan Bombing

At least 17 people including women and children were killed by a roadside bomb in western Afghanistan. Ten of the dead were members of the same family, police said. Police said that the bomb in Herat province had been placed near a trailer being pulled by a motorcycle to transport civilians. They said the Taliban had apparently planted the bomb in an attempt to kill Afghan troops. Instead, the device went off next to the makeshift vehicle. Police say that those killed were travelling from their village. Twelve of the dead were women and four were children, officials said. The attack is being blamed on the Taliban, who are yet to comment on the bombing.

Pakistan President’s Security Chief Killed in Bomb Attack

The chief security officer of Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari, has been killed in a bomb attack in the port city of Karachi, police say. Bilal Shaikh and two other aides died in the blast near an office of Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Several others were reported to have been wounded in the explosion. An active member of the PPP, Sheikh was responsible for the safety of Zardari's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Sheikh had survived an assassination attempt near his home in Karachi about a year ago. The president's residence is also in the city, which has been plagued by violent turf wars between rival political groups and heavily armed gangs linked to them. Authorities said initial investigations showed it was a suicide attack. A police escort was accompanying Sheikh's white armoured car when the attack took place. Officials said the bomber was thought to have followed the vehicles and detonated the explosives when the security chief stopped to get out of his car.

Sixty Killed in Canada’s Train Blast

At least sixty people are feared dead after a freight train carrying crude oil derailed and blew up in Quebec, Canadian police say. Fifty people were previously known to be dead or missing after the blast in Lac-Megantic. There are 15 unidentified bodies. Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into what happened, but they have ruled out terrorism. At least 30 buildings were razed by the fireball from the explosion that rocked the town on Saturday morning. Quebec Police Inspector Michel Forget said that while investigators had ruled out terrorism as a motive for the attack, several other options - including criminal negligence - remained under consideration. The train, carrying 72 cars of crude oil, was parked shortly before midnight on Friday in the town of Nantes about seven miles (11km) away. Fire-fighters were called to put out a fire on the train. While tackling that blaze, they shut down a locomotive that an engineer had left running to keep the brakes engaged. Shortly afterwards the train began moving downhill, gathering speed until it derailed in Lac-Megantic and exploded.

Nearly 40 Buried China Landslides

A landslide has buried between 30 and 40 people in China's Sichuan province. The landslide occurred in Zhongxing town on Wednesday morning. The landslide followed days of torrential rain across parts of China that has caused floods in some areas Zhongxing is in Dujiangyan city, one of the places badly hit by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The landslide, which spanned around two square kilometres, damaged at least 11 homes, reports say. Chinese officials said that the heavy rain had affected more than 508,000 people in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, damaged around 300 homes, and forced the evacuation of 36,800 people.

Boston Bomb Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

Boston Marathon bomb suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty to all charges in his first court appearance. Tsarnaev, 19, faces 30 counts of using a weapon of mass destruction in the two 15 April blasts that killed three persons. Prosecutors could press for the death penalty for 17 counts. The suspect has also been charged over the death of a fourth person, a university police officer, who was allegedly shot dead by Tsarnaev and his brother Tamerlan in the days after the attack. He is also charged in a carjacking incident and with downloading internet material from Islamist radicals some time before the blasts. Tsarnaev's older brother Tamerlan, 26, was killed days after the attack during a massive police operation. He is also suspected of carrying out the attacks. Authorities say the accused ran over his older brother as he fled the shootout in a hijacked car.

China Accuses GSK Staff of Corruption

Senior managers of British drug firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in China have confessed to bribery, “serious” business offences and tax crimes, the ministry of public security said on Thursday. The firm did so in order to sell products or raise prices, it said, adding that benefits were provided “via travel agencies and other channels in the form of direct bribery or sponsorship”. It also committed tax-related crimes, the statement said, following police investigations in the financial hub Shanghai and the central cities of Changsha and Zhengzhou. Some senior managers have confessed their wrongdoings in preliminary interrogation, the statement said. It is common practice in China for pharmaceutical firms to offer doctors and hospitals bribes to have their products used, industry insiders say. A spokeswoman for the firm said it was willing to co-operate with the inquiry.

Five Die, Dozens Escape in Indonesian Prison Break

Five people are reported to have been killed in a riot at a prison in Indonesia's Sumatra Island that led to the escape of dozens of inmates. The riot broke out at Tanjung Gusta prison in Medan on Thursday, leaving parts of the jail engulfed in flames. Police said the violence was sparked by a power cut that left inmates without water. Hundreds of security personnel are searching for more than 100 inmates who escaped during the riot. Officials say the prisoners broke down the doors of the warden's office, fought with the wardens, pelted rocks and set the office on fire. Among the escapees were a number of people convicted of terrorism offences, police said. Some of the fugitives are reported to have been recaptured, but it is not clear how many. Police were manning checkpoints on roads around the prison, reports said. At least two prison workers were reported to be among the dead.