Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 43

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Cult Clash Claims 7 in Akwa Ibom

No fewer than seven persons were killed following a clash between three cult groups in Akwa Ibom state. It was learnt that trouble started somewhere around Akpan Essien Street, where some young men who were drinking engaged in an argument which degenerated into exchange of punches and a free-for-all. One of the victims, a 27-year old man, Anieyie Okon Essien, and a driver in Government House, were killed. According to an eyewitness Anieyie was shot twice by some unidentified cultists.

Deputy Governor’s Father Kidnapped in Cross River

Etubom Ekpo Cobham, 87, the father of the Cross River State deputy governor, Efiok Cobham, was penultimate Thursday night, snatched away by gunmen from his home in Creek Town, Cross River State. The gunmen reportedly took him away in a waiting boat to an unknown destination by three gun men. Elder Bassey Etim, a member of the community said that the gunmen, who came in through the Cross River, left their speed boat in the water and came ashore and ferreted the man into their waiting boat and sped away. Nobody was killed but they attempted to kidnap another person in the other house near Etubom's place but they were not successful as we all escaped into the forest. The kidnappers are yet to make any demands.

6 Kidnappers Killed in Gun Battle

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) ended the reign of terror of a six-man gang of suspected kidnappers in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State. The alleged kidnappers were gunned down in the early hours of Sunday after they attempted to kidnap one Sunday Okoye. Their victim, who was in the trunk of a car, was rescued by operatives of SARS with minor bullet injuries. The SARS operatives, led by its commander in the state, James Nwafor, engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun duel when they made attempt to whisk their victim to Asaba, Delta State. The kidnap suspects, led by a notorious gang leader, popularly known as Nonso Mgbe, were alleged to be the killers of the Officer Commanding SARS at the Central Police Station, Onitsha, Emma Ochuobi, in May 2013. Items recovered from the suspects were three AK47 rifles, 36 magazines, 413 rounds of ammunition and a box of charms with various sizes.

Ex-Council Boss Arraigned for Bribery

Chief Appolos Alozie, a former transition committee chairman of Aba North Council, was, on Monday, arraigned before an Umuahia Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly offering bribe to influence his re-appointment as the council boss. Alozie was remanded in prison custody by the court for the alleged offence alongside other persons said to be members of the syndicate that defrauded him. They were being tried for alleged fraud. Alozie was last year sacked by Governor Theodore Orji after about one month in office as the transition committee chairman of Aba North. The former council boss was arraigned for allegedly offering N4.45 million to one Uche Stanley and his group, who were said to have claimed that they would influence Governor Orji to re-appoint him. They have been remanded at the Federal Prison Afara Umuahia till October 28 and November 4, for Alozie and the ‘419’ accused, respectively.

ALUU 4: Paramount Ruler, Three Others Admitted to Bail

Four accused persons, including the Paramount ruler of Omokiri-Aluu, Alhaji Hassan Walewa, were, on Monday, admitted to bail by a Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt. The accused persons are standing trial over their alleged involvement in the murder and negligence to prevent murder in the community, of four undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt students, described as Aluu 4. Justice Latam Nyordee granted the four persons bail in the sum of N2 million and two sureties in like sum. The court also ordered that the sureties must be verified by the Registrar of the court and must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and also have evidence of landed property and updated tax record in the past five years. However, the 1st to the 8th accused persons, were denied bail, as the court held that it did not find sufficient basis to grant their applications, as the charge of murder, carrying capital punishment, ordinarily was not bailable.

Enugu Police Arrest Armed Robbery Suspect in Hospital

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested an armed robbery suspect at Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka, where he had gone to treat bullet wounds he allegedly sustained in a gun battle between his gang and security agents. The suspect, identified as Chigozie Owoh, was picked up from the hospital by the police following a tip-off. The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amaraizu, said that the suspect, who was interrogated on the spot, had told the operatives that he was robbed and shot. But, not satisfied, the operatives searched the bus, which the suspect allegedly drove to the hospital, and two locally made pistols and a cartridge were recovered from the bus. He said victims and the owner of the bus had identified the suspect, who is now helping in police investigation.

Police Probe Shooting Death at Wedding

Police in Enugu State are investigating the circumstance surrounding the death that marred a traditional wedding at Ibagwa, Ezimo-Agu in Udenu LGA of the state. A guest, identified as Ozor Obodo Ezenwa, who tried to stop one of the bride’s brothers, Chukwudi Adonu, from shooting another, Obinna Adonu, during a scuffle, was allegedly killed during the wedding of October 10. An argument began between the two brothers, which led to a fight. Chukwudi Adonu was said to have rushed inside, picked up a single-barrelled gun with the intention to shoot his brother. The deceased intervened and held Chukwudi Adonu, but the gun went off, killing Ezenwa. The police assured that it would live up to its constitutional mandate of protecting lives and property.

Police Arrest Robbers Operating with Wooden Guns

Some of the robbers that had been terrorising Nsukka and adjourning communities, operating with wooden guns, met their waterloo when a combined unit of Counter Terrorism Unit of the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force and the Military responded to a distress call. They killed one and injured another. Others allegedly escaped with gun-shot injuries at Ohodo, in Igbo-Etiti LGA of the state, along Enugu-Nsukka Expressway. It was alleged that the robbers were robbing the occupants of two buses before the security operatives intervened. Items recovered from the hoodlums were four wooden guns, carved in form of AK-47 rifles, flashlights and a mobile phone.

Kidnappers Demand N500m for Abducted Woman

Kidnappers of Augusta Douglas-Ayam, elder sister to the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Mr. Oronto Douglas, on Thursday opened communication with the family. A family source disclosed that Douglas-Ayam’s captors had contacted her husband and demanded N500m to free the 48-year-old woman. A nine-man gang, dressed in military uniform, abducted Douglas-Ayam on Monday night at her shop in Ogbia town in Bayelsa State. The kidnappers are reportedly demanding a ransom of N500m for her release. Head of the Douglas family, appealed to the kidnappers to release her unconditionally on humanitarian grounds in view of her poor state of health.

Landslide Blocks Obudu Resort

A landslide has blocked road access to the popular Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State. It was gathered that the movement of the earth by the side of the mountain on Wednesday had sent an avalanche of boulders and earth from the mountainous areas, which blocked the road leading to the top of the mountain where the resort is located. The incident occurred close to the bottom of the mountain, where three villages namely Anamkpe, Kejiko and Okumo are situated. The situation, which has left several people stranded at the top of the mountain, however, recorded no fatalities. The source said no fewer than five noticeable slides occurred at different spots in the three villages surrounding the mountain.

Woman Fakes Own Kidnap in Enugu to Defraud Husband

Police in Enugu, Monday, arrested a woman that allegedly faked her own kidnap to demand a ransom from her husband. Nancy Chukwu is accused of conspiring with a man to stage her abduction in Enugu and asking for 200,000 naira (£780; $1,250) ransom. Mrs Chukwu, a housewife and trader, reportedly gave her husband’s phone number to her alleged accomplice— a commercial motorcyclist. The man then called her husband and, pretending to be a kidnapper, demanded the money to be paid into an account if he wanted to see his wife again. The woman is believed to have hidden herself with the man, waiting to get a positive response from the husband, Marcus Chukwu. Rather than pay, he went to the police, who eventually traced the bank account to a friend of the motorcyclist. Mrs Chukwu and the alleged accomplice were arrested, and a police spokesman later said they both confessed to the crime.

Police Hunt for Killers of Anambra Monarch

The Police in Anambra state are probing the circumstances surrounding the death of a septuagenarian monarch, Chief Sunday Osune Nwaka, in his village, Mputu.  Family members are calling for justice, insisting that all the suspects, including his son, so far arrested should be charged to court. Nwaka was murdered in the pool of his blood on Sunday, September 22, 2013. Before he was allegedly stabbed to death, the septuagenarian was the Odua of Mputu, a traditional High Chief and Patriarch of Okwuwa. He was said to be the second-in-command to the traditional royalty. Some suspects, including one of his sons are still in police custody. His son John Nwaka and his kinsmen in Lagos have urged the police to unearth the mystery behind their father’s death.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Abducted Judge Regains Freedom

Justice Daniel Okungbowa of the Edo State High Court has regained his freedom, sixteen days in captivity. The state high court judge was abducted while on his way to the Ekpoma division of the high court, from Benin City. The Benin branch of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) had boycotted courts in protest over Okungbowa’s abduction. The protest grounded activities at the state judiciary for over two weeks. It was not confirmed whether ransom was paid or not. The Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, who confirmed his release, said the state high court judge had re-joined his family. Adebanjo did not give details of how the judge was released.

Two Killed as Police, Armed Gang Engage in Gun Battle

A gun battle between the police and a gang of robbers believed to be members of arrested kidnap kingpin, Kelvin Oniarah’s gang, on Wednesday, left two people dead, in Warri, Delta State. Two of the gangsters were gunned down by the police during the battle, while others fled with bullet wounds. State Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Aduba, who confirmed the death of two suspects, said that four supposed members of the gang were apprehended. Among them were those that cut off the finger of a high court judge, kidnapped in Edo State. He said they were rounded up during a mop up operation by the police. One AK-47 rifle, number 58-25006074 with 19 rounds of live ammunition, one pump action gun with seven live cartridges and a Toyota car were recovered from the suspects.

Edo Police Parade 55 Kidnap, Robbery Suspects

The Edo State Police Command has paraded 55 suspected kidnappers and armed robbers, including two alleged kidnap kingpins, Emmanuel Otono and David Osamu, who have been on the wanted list of security operatives in the state. Edo State Police Commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo, who paraded the suspects, including one Oyigbe whose house was used by kidnappers to keep victims, disclosed that other suspects include child defilers, cultists and car snatchers. Adebanjo said that the police are very ready to fight crime in the state.

Kokori Women in Nude Protest against Security Operatives

Hundreds of women from Kokori in Ethiope-East LGA of Delta State, alongside youths of the community, last week, protested nude against government and soldiers on “internal security operation” in the area, their monarch and notable elite. Kokori is the country home of Delta suspected kidnap kingpin, Kelvin Oniarah, arrested in September by a combined team of security operatives. Kelvin is admired by his people. The women, angry that they were prevented from selling in the market by soldiers who, penultimate Saturday, upturned their wares for allegedly selling food items to the hoodlums, were further infuriated by the report they received when they got home that soldiers broke into the community shrine for the second time and destroyed every object at sight even after the chief priest, Michael Omonigho, had been arrested. The women also protested against their monarch, who they accused of looking the other way while the community was under siege by security agents of government and soldiers. Spokesperson of the protesters, Madam Irerevwo Oyokoko, called for the release of Kelvin and the arrested chief priest, insisting that government should attend to his (Kelvin) demand, instead of arresting him and terrorizing the community with soldiers.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Dare Devil Robbers Kill Night Guard in Ilorin

Over thirty dare armed robbers, Wednesday night, held residents of Okeodo in Ilorin South LGA of Kwara state hostage killing a guard and injuring several others. The late night guard, Alhaji Abubakar Amao, had posed a serious challenge to the armed robbers, as several gunshots fired at him did not have any effect. The obviously enraged gang quickly moved towards the night guard said to be in his 60s, held him by the throat and also violently hit his head on a big stone severally until he was certified dead and they continued their operation. The gang afterwards dispossessed residents in the area of their valuable possessions running into several millions of naira unhindered in an operation that lasted for over three hours. Several others were critically injured and are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals.

2 Children Killed in House Fire

A three-year-old girl and her elder sister, identified as Abla, lost their lives in a fire that gutted their Ikotun apartment. It was gathered that the fire started, last Friday, when their father, Pele Prazo, a Togolese, was turning petrol into their power generating set and Abla, who held a lighted candlestick, walked towards him. The apartment was razed. Prazo’s three-year-old daughter, who was inside their apartment when the fire started, was burnt to death, while Abla died at Igando General Hospital. Deputy Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos, Damasus Ozuani, who confirmed the incident, said policemen attached to Ikotun police division and men of the state fire service were at the scene, following distress calls. Ozuani added that the police and fire servicemen took the victims to the hospital.”

Police Nab Fake Doctor at LUTH

Lagos State Police Command, on Thursday, paraded a 40-year-old man, Adeyemi Stephen Akintolure, for parading himself as a medical doctor and staff of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). The fake medical doctor was also said to have fraudulently obtained N500,000 from one Joy Umosekhaimhe. When asked how he got the identity card, he said he got it from a business centre and that the computer operator signed it for him. Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said she received a petition at the area H Police Command Headquarters, Ogudu, on July 19th that one Adeyemi Stephen Akintolure obtained N500,000 from one Joy Umosekhaimhe. Braide said that a letter was written to LUTH to authenticate Akintolure claims of being a staff, and LUTH could not identify him. The suspect confessed that he was a graduate of marketing. She said his house and vehicle were searched and drugs, injections, syringes and laboratory coat were recovered.

Ilorin Sallah Tragedy: Death Toll Rises to 20

The number of deaths from the Sallah stampede, during the distribution of gifts to People’s Democratic Party (PDP), faithful in Ilorin on Wednesday night, has risen to 20. Former governor and party leader in the state, Senator Abubakar Saraki, said he was deeply worried and sad about the development and expressed condolences to the affected families. It was gathered that the Eid-el-Kabir carnival at Ile Arugbo, Ilofa Road, Ilorin, which started at 10am on Wednesday morning, turned sombre when the crowd became impatient. The event reportedly got to its peak at 7:30pm, when they were to be given yards of Ankara donated by the wife of the former governor, Toyin, and a stampede began, which eventually claimed lives.

Killing of Policemen - Lagos CP Declares War against Criminals

Angered by the recent killing of five policemen in Lagos State by some armed robbers, the State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, has declared an all-out war against criminals.  The policemen were shot from behind while in a moving patrol vehicle. Police sources said the suspects who were three in number, were operating on motorbike and dressed in caftan. Three of the policemen died on the spot while the fourth sustained injuries with the driver escaping unhurt, a source stated. It was gathered that immediately after these killings took place, the visibly angry police boss swung into action and ordered all the relevant departments of the force involved in fishing out criminals to get the perpetrators. Police sources also disclosed that operatives have adopted several measures in ensuring that the hoodlums behind these attacks are brought to book.

Oil Tanker Sinks in Lagos Waters

Four months after an oil tanker; MT Vanin ran aground at the Lagos anchorage, another oil tanker, MT Victory 1 has sunk at the same area as a result of reported turbulent weather, killing two crew members. This came as downstream operators in the oil and gas sector alleged that there had been an upsurge in attacks on oil vessels at the anchorage by pirates. It was gathered that the ill-fated vessel, MT Victory 1 had been drifting for several hours and was sending SOS messages to the relevant authorities including the Nigerian Navy to no avail. The vessel was reported to have hit a rock around Lagos Bar Beach and had subsequently taken in water that eventually caused her to sink.

Two Charged for Bathing Trader with Acid

Two persons -Taiwo Akinola and Maria Taiwo- have been charged to court by the Ogun State Police Command for their role in an acid attack on a trader, Sherifat Agbaje in April this year. Agbaje was reportedly attacked with acid at her temporary abode in Ifo LGA of Ogun State while she was asleep on the night of April 23. The assailant had crept up to Agbaje’s window, bathed her with acid and fled when she raised the alarm. Her face, chest and arms were severely burned in the attack; she however miraculously escaped being blinded as her eyes were closed at the time. In a recent development however, Akinola and Taiwo were said to have been arraigned at a Magistrate Court two-count charges. Agbaje is still undergoing treatment at the Sango General Hospital.

Police, Hoodlums Clash in Lagos

One person died, while two policemen were injured at Oko-Oba area of Lagos State, following a bloody clash between policemen and hoodlums in the area on Wednesday. The crisis started when policemen stormed a street in the Abattoir area in search of a suspect, who allegedly stole a motorcycle. Eyewitnesses disclosed that the face-off was triggered by the alleged killing of an unnamed resident of the area by policemen. But the police claimed that trouble started between them and the hoodlums when an armed robber, who was being chased, for stealing a motor-bike, ran to his friends for protection. It was said that the policemen chased the alleged robber to Abattoir area where he ran to for refuge. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ngozi Braide, said the policemen were beaten up but refused to retaliate.

Man Arraigned over Theft of Shoes

A 25-year-old labourer, Musa Haruna, on Thursday appeared before an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, charged with stealing of 20 pairs of shoes. Haruna is facing a two-count charge of burglary and stealing. The prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, said that the accused had burgled a shop at Arena shopping plaza, Bolade, Oshodi and stole 20 pairs of shoes. He allegedly went with sophisticated tools to break the burglary gate, padlocks and doors before gaining entry into the shop. The security guard attached to the plaza saw the accused going out of the plaza with a bag on his head, and promptly stopped him to check the content of the bag, where he discovered the packed shoes. The prosecutor said that when the accused was questioned, he claimed to be an orphan and needed money to feed.

GENERAL

Military Averts Attacks in Borno, Kills 40 Suspected Terrorists

Men of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army in Maiduguri averted what could have been coordinated attacks by Boko Haram terrorists in Konduga and Bama LGAs of Borno state. The twin attacks were aborted based on report that over 100 Boko Haram sect members had mobilized in a nearby bush close to Bama town with sophisticated weapons to attack Bama and Konduga on Monday morning. It was learnt that when the terrorists had all gathered and were about to move to Bama and Konduga which shared the same common boarder, men of the 7 Division ambushed them with Armoured Patrol Tankers and RPG guns killing  about 40 of them, after recovering the terrorists’ arms and ammunitions.

21 Die in Benue Communal Clash

Separate attacks on Benue communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen claimed 21 lives. It was gathered from sources that the affected Benue communities that were attacked include Apera, Gberija, Tse Pilla, Uchagh, Ukaha, Atenger, Agema and Agule in Guma where six persons were killed while another 15 were killed at Oguchi-Ankpa in Agatu LGA by the invaders. The herdsmen allegedly stormed the affected villages when most men had gone to their farms. Meantime, following the weekend invasion of Benue communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen, Governor Gabriel Suswam has charged the people of the state to be vigilant and report suspicious movements in the communities to security agencies.

16 Benue Auto Accidents

About 16 persons were reportedly killed in a ghastly motor accident when a fully loaded 14-seater bus ran into a heavy duty truck and a taxi on the Makurdi-Gboko road. According to a witness, the 14-seater bus was said to be heading to Jato-Aka in Kwande LGA when it collided with a tanker at top speed that was coming from an opposite direction after the truck had overtaken another car. The driver of another car following the tanker apparently lost control of his vehicle and also hit the already collided vehicles leading to the death of about 16 at the spot.

Fake Police Commissioner Nabbed by EFCC

A middle-aged man, Kunle Adeshola, impersonating an Assistant Commissioner of Police has been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Adeshola also goes by the names of Dr. Kunle Shoal, Dr K. Adeshola and Sunday Mealayeshe Adekunle. A statement from the EFCC described the suspect as a serial impostor and self-acclaimed Assistant Commissioner of Police, who has been parading himself as an operative of the EFCC and defrauding officials of government agencies under the guise of conducting phantom investigations. The statement, which was signed by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said Adeshola was nabbed on Thursday October 10, 2013 while trying to hoodwink the head of a federal government agency to write a letter supposedly to the Inspector General of Police to transfer him to the EFCC. At the time of his arrest two fake identity cards were found on him, one of the cards bearing the name Dr. K Adeshola (ACP) identifies him as a staff of a nonexistent EFCC Monitoring Unit while the other is a police ID card.

Mother Strangles Two-Day Old Baby

The Benue State Police Command has apprehended a 23-year-old woman, Joy Iember Iorzua, for allegedly killing and dumping her two-day-old son at the River Ujiiragbo, in Gwer LGA of the state. The suspect was arrested by members of the vigilante group, who later handed her over to the Police. The suspect, who was delivered of the baby, last week, allegedly strangled him to death after two days; put him in a carton, which she dumped at the Ujiiragbo River. The dastardly killing was however exposed when members of the vigilante group on patrol in the area, got wind of her action and her intention to escape from the community for fear of being apprehended. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Aliade, Bitrus Madani, said that the suspect had been transferred to the state command headquarters for further interrogation.

Man Nabbed with N82m Worth of Cocaine

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says it has arrested a 39-year-old man, who imported 7.45kg of cocaine valued at N82 million. Mitchell Ofoyeju, the agency’s spokesman, said that the suspect was intercepted at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja. Ofoyeju said the discovery was made on October 12 “during inward screening of passengers on-board an Ethiopian Airline flight from Brazil. Ofoyeju said investigations into the case had commenced.

Suspect Killed as Police Engage Robbers in Shootout

Bauchi State Police Command and the Anti-Robbery Squad team have killed an armed robbery suspect and recovered arms in Bauchi. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Haruna Mohammed, who disclosed this on Wednesday, said that the Police received an intelligence report that a gang of armed robbers, numbering about five, attacked one Mrs Adah Gboyi of Tudun Wada Ring Road in Jos, Plateau State. Haruna said that men of the state Police Command laid an ambush for the robbers at Zaranda area, but the robbers engaged the Police in a shootout. He added that the Police recovered the stolen vehicle, an AK-47 rifle, one locally made pistol, 55 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, five cartridges and one magazine. Haruna appealed to the public to report any person seen with bullet wounds at the nearest Police Station.

INTERNATIONAL

Car Bomb Kills 20, as Red Cross Workers are Kidnapped in Syria

A powerful car bomb killed at least 20 people in Syria’s Idlib on Monday, a day after gunmen abducted seven Red Cross aid workers in the North/Western province. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the blast in the town of Darkush killed at least one child and that the death toll could rise because many of the wounded were in a serious condition. Activists said the blast targeted the market area of the town. The attack came a day after six members of the International Committee of the Red Cross and a member of the Syrian Red Crescent were kidnapped in Idlib province by “unidentified armed men. Magne Barth, head of the ICRC’s Syria delegation, called for the immediate and unconditional release of the seven colleagues. There has been no claim of responsibility. Sunday’s incident appears to be the first time the organisation’s members have been kidnapped in the country. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Washington to bring the Syrian opposition to peace talks in Geneva that are proposed for mid-November.

US Rescues 128 African Migrants in Rough Seas

A US warship has rescued 128 African migrants from an inflatable raft that was threatening to capsize in rough seas in the Mediterranean after a request from Malta, officials said Thursday. The USS San Antonio, which is equipped with an amphibious transport dock that can help in rescue operations, was scrambled on Wednesday after a Maltese military aircraft spotted the dinghy. A US navy official confirmed that they successfully transferred 128 men between the ages of 20 and 30 from an inflatable raft on the San Antonio on October 16, 2013. The Maltese military said the migrants were mostly Gambian even though they had earlier said they were from Somalia. They were later transferred onto two patrol boats and taken to Malta. The others were from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Over 400 asylum seekers have drowned this October in two tragedies in the Mediterranean.

Suicide Bomber Kills 15 in Iraq

A suicide bomber detonated a vehicle rigged with explosives in a village in northern Iraq on Thursday, killing 15 people, while two died in other attacks, officials said. The bombing tore through a residential area of Al-Muwaffaqiyah, a village mainly populated by members of the Shabak minority. Another bomb exploded near the house of a Shabak family in Mosul itself, killing a child and wounding three people, while a policeman was gunned down in his home south of the city. The 30,000-strong Shabak community mostly live near Iraq’s border with Turkey. UN envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, issued a statement condemning the attack in Al-Muwaffaqiyah, saying “the United Nations pays particular attention to the protection of minority communities who continue suffering from heinous attacks, economic and social barriers.”

Notorious Pirate Leader Arrested

Somalia pirate ring leader, Mohamed Abdi Hassan, have been arrested.  Abdi Hassan is alleged to be the man behind most the vessel hijacks and kidnapping of crew members. His involvement in pirate activities in the Somalia axis has also netted in millions of dollars for him and his gang. In a sting operation, Mohamed Abdi Hassan, was lured from Somalia to Belgium with promises of work on a documentary about high-seas crime that would “mirror his life as a pirate,” federal prosecutor Johan Delmulle said Monday. But rather than being behind the camera as an expert adviser, Abdi Hassan ended up behind bars, nabbed as he landed Saturday at Brussels airport. Delmulle said Abdi Hassan is one of the most important and infamous kingpin pirate leaders, responsible for the hijacking of dozens of commercial vessels from 2008 to 2013.

2,500 Children Die of Malnutrition in Niger – UNICEF

Over 2,500 children, under five years of age, have died of malnutrition in Niger Republic this year. According to UNICEF, the child mortality rate has declined over recent years but still stands at one per cent. UNICEF said Niger remains one of the world most aid-reliant countries. Niger, which has been hit by several famines in recent years and ranked last on the UN’s Human Development Index in 2012, has received close to $900 million since 2010 to combat food crises. The food problem in Niger is compounded by its location between the desert and several strife-torn countries, and the world’s highest fertility rate which means its population doubles every 18 years.

44 Killed in Laos Plane Crash

All 44 passengers and crew were killed in a Lao Airlines plane on Wednesday. The plane carrying about 44 passengers crashed in Champasak province in southern Laos due to bad weather, according to an airline official. The report said there were no immediate details of casualties. The plane carrying 44 people from the capital Vientiane to the southern town of Pakse when it crashed killing the passengers and crew a Thai foreign ministry spokesman said.

Chinese Couple Face Criminal Charges over Sale of Daughter

A young Chinese couple are facing criminal punishment for “selling” their infant daughter and using the proceeds to buy an iPhone and shoes. Shanghai prosecutors have brought a case against them for human trafficking after they illegally put their third child up for adoption online and accepted money for the baby. Investigators found that the mother used the money to buy an iPhone, high-end sports shoes and other goods. But the couple told police that they wanted the girl to have a better upbringing than they could afford, since they already had two children. Some Chinese, especially in rural areas, have a traditional preference for sons though reports did not say if the child’s gender was also a factor in the case.

South African Police Arrest Five Men over Rape, Murder of Toddlers

South African police have arrested five men for the rape and murder of two toddlers. The case has sparked rioting in a restive shantytown northwest of Johannesburg. The fifth suspect was arrested on Friday morning, police spokesman, Lungelo Dlamini, said. The men aged between 29 and 47, all lived in Diepsloot township northwest of Johannesburg. A resident discovered the bodies of the girls, aged two and three, on Tuesday morning in a communal toilet. They had been missing since Saturday. Their rape and strangulation caused uproar and angry members of the community in the densely-populated working class shantytown rioted and blocked the streets with rocks and rubble. South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Around 16,000 people are killed a year, according to official statistics. Over half the 54,000 crimes against children reported in the period from 2010 to 2011 were sexual offences, according to the UN children’s organisation UNICEF.

Seven Mozambique Soldiers Ambushed, Killed by Rebels

Suspected Renamo guerrillas killed seven Mozambican soldiers in an ambush on Thursday near the former rebel group’s remote mountain hideout. According to reports, this was the latest flare-up in a simmering insurgency. Ministry of Defense spokesman, Cristovao Chume, confirmed the attack on a military patrol near Gorongosa, in the middle of the war-scarred southern African nation, but denied that any soldiers had been killed. Mozambique has been one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies in the last three years, largely because of a flood of investment into its coal and off-shore natural gas sectors. However, sporadic clashes between Renamo and government forces this year have cast a shadow over the boom. Renamo raids in April and June in the central province of Sofala killed at least 11 soldiers and police and six civilians, and forced a temporary suspension of some coal exports to the coast by rail.

Iraq Suicide Blast Kills 61

A barrage of car bomb and suicide bomb blasts rocked Baghdad and two northern Iraqi communities Thursday, killing at least 61 people during a major holiday period. The bulk of the blasts struck in mainly Shiite Muslim parts of the Iraqi capital shortly after nightfall. Authorities reported nine car bomb explosions across Baghdad, including one near a playground that killed two children. Iraq is weathering its deadliest outburst of violence since 2008, raising fears the country is returning to the widespread sectarian killing that pushed it to the brink of civil war in the years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Iraq’s resurgent branch of al-Qaida is believed to be behind much of the killing as part of its campaign to undermine the Shiite-led government. Thursday’s bloodshed began early in the morning when a suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden car among houses in an ethnic minority village in northern Iraq.

Turkey Fires on Islamist Positions in Syria

Turkey’s army said on Wednesday it had fired on al Qaeda-linked militants in northern Syria after a stray mortar bomb hit Turkish territory. Fighters from the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have seized territory in parts of Syria near the Turkish border in recent weeks, leaving the already fragile frontier even more vulnerable. Turkey’s general staff said the army had fired four artillery shells on Tuesday at ISIL positions around Azaz from the frontier seized by the al Qaeda-linked fighters last month. Turkey has repeatedly carried out such retaliatory action when fire from Syria has hit its soil in the past but this appeared to be the first time it had targeted ISIL militants. The move comes as Turkey, a key backer of the Syrian opposition, faces accusations from Western allies that it has allowed arms and foreign fighters to cross into northern Syria, facilitating the rise of radical groups, a charge it denies. Turkey has maintained an open-door policy throughout Syria’s two-and-a-half-year conflict, sheltering half a million refugees and allowing the Syrian opposition to organize on its territory. But it denies arming the rebels.

Iran to Re-Hang Drug Dealer That Survived Hanging

The Iranian authorities have ordered that a prisoner who survived execution by hanging to be hanged again. The 37-year-old, identified as “Alireza M”, was hanged in Bojnourd prison in north-east Iran last week after being convicted of drug offences. A doctor declared the man dead after the 12 minute-hanging, but when the prisoner’s family went to collect his body the following day he was found to still be breathing. He is currently in hospital, but a judge reportedly said he would be executed again “once medical staff confirms his health condition is good enough”. Alireza M is now reported to be in a “satisfactory” condition in hospital. Amnesty International has called for his second execution to be stopped, maintaining that hanging him twice betrays a basic lack of humanity that sadly underpins much of Iran’s justice system.

Bombs Attacks Kill Afghan Governor, Iraqi Worshippers, Pakistani Minister

A bomb hidden in a microphone killed an Afghan provincial governor on Tuesday as he made a speech at a mosque after Eid prayers in Logar. Governor Arsala Jamal was delivering a speech after Eid prayers when he was killed by a bomb planted in the microphone, Logar provincial governor spokesman, Din Mohammad Darwish, said. In Iraq a bomb ripped through a crowd of worshippers Tuesday as they left a mosque after prayers marking the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, killing 11 people. No group claimed immediate responsibility for the blast, though Taliban militants often target government officials as well as Afghan soldiers and police. Eid ul Adha is a major public holiday across the Muslim world. In a similar incident, a provincial law minister Israrullah Gandapur and at least seven other people have been killed in a bombing in north-west Pakistan during the same Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. Gandapur was greeting locals at his residence in Kulachi village when a suicide bomber struck, witnesses said. More than 30 others were wounded.

21 Killed as Minibus Drives over Landmine in Syria

Twenty-one people were killed when a minibus hit a mine in the southern Syrian town of Noa on Wednesday. Opposition activists said that the minibus drove over a mine planted by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. There was no immediate comment from the government. The explosion occurred in rebel-held territory in Deraa province but army troops are also stationed in the nearby base of Tel al-Jumaa, which is besieged. Violence has continued in recent days despite pleas from Arab and Muslim organisations for a ceasefire to mark the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.

Explosion at Gas Storage Tank Kills Five in Mexico

At least five people have been killed and three injured in a gas explosion in the central Mexican state of Puebla, officials say. It is not yet clear what caused the blast at the natural gas storage plant at the Chachapa industrial park. The explosion set off a fire which engulfed much of the area. The main highway linking Mexico City and Veracruz was closed for more than four hours as fire-fighters brought the blaze under control. Businesses and homes were evacuated in a radius of 3km of the blast site Local officials said most of the workers had already finished their shift, keeping the number of casualties relatively low. Four of the bodies were found soon after the blast. A fifth body was found at dawn in the plant’s rubble. The victims were employees at the gas plant.

Death Toll Hits 115 in India Stampede

The death toll from a stampede at a Hindu temple in India has risen to 115. The search for more victims of the second deadly stampede at the site in seven years has ended. Nearly 150,000 pilgrims had gathered at the Ratangarh temple in the central state of Madhya Pradesh to celebrate the end of the Hindu holy festival of Navratri. A police spokesman said people moving towards the temple across a long, concrete bridge panicked when some railings broke, triggering the stampede. Many victims were crushed by the crowd while others drowned when they fell or jumped into the fast-flowing Sindh river, swollen by heavy rain. Most of the dead were women and children. Many other pilgrims were injured. Police are investigating the cause of the accident, with accounts from some survivors that police had sparked the panic by using sticks to try to control the crowd dismissed by investigators. There was a stampede on the same bridge in 2006 and 50 pilgrims drowned after they jumped into the river to escape the crush.

Over 1,000 Migrants Arrested in Russia

Russian police have arrested more than 1,000 migrants in a neighbourhood in Moscow following riots. Rioting erupted in the area on Thursday over a fatal stabbing of a Russian that many residents blame on a man from the Caucasus region. An advocacy group warned migrants from the mainly Muslim Caucasus and Central Asia of an increased risk of attacks after the worst ethnic disturbance in the Russian capital in three years. About 1,200 people were detained at a wholesale vegetable market that had been stormed last night by rioters after a protest over the stabbing to death of an ethnic Russian man, police spokesman Alexei Shapkin said. The detainees were taken to police stations and police will seek to determine whether they were involved in any crimes, he said. Residents had previously rallied in the Biryulyovo district to demand police find the killer of 25-year-old Yegor Shcherbakov and take more action to prevent crimes by migrants.