Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 44

• 
• 

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Pirates Kidnap Two American Sailors off Nigeria’s Coast

Pirates have attacked an oil supply vessel off the coast of Brass, Bayelsa state and kidnapped the captain and chief engineer, both US citizens. According to Reports, the US-flagged, C-Retriever, owned by a US marine transport group, Edison Chouest Offshore, was attacked early Wednesday. A US defence official said the State Department and Federal Bureau for Investigation (FBI) were leading the American response to the incident. Director of Naval Information, Commodore Kabiru Aliyu, confirmed the incident. He said the authorities of the Central Naval Command in Bayelsa State had been directed to rescue the kidnapped sailors.

Pirates Ambush, Kill Two Soldiers in Rivers State

Two soldiers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) were killed, while another was declared missing on Tuesday when pirates ambushed a vessel carrying construction workers in the creeks of Ikuru community in Adonis LGA of Rivers state. The patrol team was said to be on guard duty aboard a vessel belonging to Z-Cube Construction Company when the pirates struck. The boat pilot and three staff members of the company sustained varying degrees of gunshot injuries. Confirming the incident, the media coordinator of the JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the soldiers fought gallantly to repel the attack and successfully saved the lives of the people they were deployed to protect with their own lives.

Mass Protest in Eket Force ExxonMobil to Shut Down

The people of Eket federal constituency in Akwa Ibom State, Thursday, embarked on a mass protest shutting down the operations of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, in Ibeno and Eket, in the state. Checks revealed that the protest was in respect of the sum of N26.5 billion oil spill fund reportedly released by ExxonMobil through the state government to the four oil producing LGAs. The protesters barricaded the oil company’s access gates. The communities lamented that Mobil was insensitive to their plight, as evident by its refusal to pay the compensation for the 2012 oil spill incident that resulted in the discharge of more than 300 barrels of crude oil into the aquatic environment of the oil producing areas. Prominent youth leaders under the aegis of Eket Federal Constituency Vanguard, Mr Isaiah Abia and Mr. William Mkpa, strongly scolded ExxonMobil for being insensitive to their plight of its host communities.

Robbers Kill Policeman in Owerri

Armed robbers, last Sunday, in Owerri, Imo State, killed a Policeman wearing mufti. The suspected robbers invaded Icefish Market along Uratta by Erekwerenwa Street, raided one of the cold-rooms to rob fish dealers. According to an eyewitness, the robbers did not know of the presence of some armed policemen in the market, who took on the invaders. A shootout ensued between the police and the suspects, while traders ran for safety. During the gunfight, a policeman was killed, his body riddled with bullets. The body, it was gathered, has since been removed by the police authorities.

Bayelsa Gang-Rape Victim Commits Suicide

An 18-year-old rape victim has committed suicide in the Amarata area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The deceased was allegedly raped by three unidentified boys in the area last week at gunpoint, while on errand for her elder sister. She was said to have been forced into an uncompleted building by her assailants, who were three in number before the act. Her sister’s husband, who is a pastor, was able to trace one of the boys to his house. But when they got there, they discovered that he had absconded. Her brother-in-law then assured her that he would pursue the matter to a logical conclusion. The distraught girl reportedly gulped a poisonous substance known as sniper after she dropped a suicide note. Spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident. He said the police had begun an investigation into the alleged rape.

Kidnappers Release Oronto Douglas’ Sister

After nine days in captivity, Mrs. Augusta Douglas-Ayam, the sister to the Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Oronto Douglas has been released. A statement issued by her family, on Thursday, said she was set free unconditionally in the early hours of the day. Douglas-Ayam, who was seized by armed men from her shop at Ogbia in Bayelsa state, according to the statement, is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

Kerosene Explosion Kills 13-Year-Old

A 13-year-old girl, Ifeoma Nwofe, died on Wednesday following a kerosene explosion at her parent’s house in Ebonyi state. It was gathered that the victim, who suffered severe burns all over her body, could not receive treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, where she was rushed to because of the on-going doctors’ strike. She later died at a private hospital due to lack of prompt medical attention. According to report, the explosion occurred as Ifeoma was trying to light the lantern after electricity went off. The Special Adviser to Ebonyi State Governor on Petroleum Products, Pricing and Distribution, Mr. Chief Ejem, promised to get to the root of the matter.

Policeman Brutalises 8-Year-Old Daughter over Allegations of Witchcraft

A police sergeant from Ibiaku community, Mkpat Enin LGA of Akwa Ibom State, Ita Ayamba, has allegedly brutalised and abandoned his eight-year-old daughter, Goodness Ayamba over her refusal to confess to witchcraft. Ita was said to have paraded the little girl along the village streets naked, declaring that she was responsible for his retrogression in the Police Force. The police sergeant allegedly tortured his daughter for several hours, hitting her chest with the butt of his AK 47 Rifle and when he discovered that Goodness had passed out, he abandoned her. It was gathered that Ita had divorced Goodness’ mother some years back, and that the children’s stepmother made life miserable for them. Nurses at the hospital said Goodness’ condition was stable but that her bones and chest cavity had been badly damaged. The Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) has said that it would do everything possible within its power to ensure that Ita was brought to justice. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Etim Dickson, said the Rivers State Police Command would be contacted about the matter.

Fake Boko Haram Member Arrested in Enugu

The Department of State Services, DSS, Enugu State Command, Thursday, paraded a 35-year-old man, Daniel Danboyi, who claimed to be a repentant member of fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, for allegedly extorting money from some churches under false pretence. The suspect, who is also known as Shuaibu Shehu Rabiu, was said to have visited several churches in the country, telling fictitious story of how he was actively involved in the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents before he became a Christian. The State Director of DSS, Mr. Victor Duru, said that Danboyi, from Plateau State, had been going about duping innocent Nigerians, using religion as his tool.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Man Commits Suicide in Girlfriend’s Home

A tricycle operator, weekend, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in the residence of his lover at Okpokiti Street, Warri South LGA of Delta State, after she left him in her house to sleep somewhere else. Homicide detectives took the remains to the morgue. A co-tenant disclosed that the lady and her lover had argued the night before and the deceased had threatened to kill himself if she left. The lady, thinking that the boy was making an empty threat, told him to go ahead and kill himself, while she left the room to go and sleep in another place. It was gathered that when she returned in the morning, she discovered that her door was locked from the inside. She alerted her neighbours, who helped her to force the door open, only to see the lifeless body of her boyfriend dangling from a rope.

Gunmen Invade Delta Community, Destroy Houses

Gunmen, last weekend, stormed Uwheru community in Ughelli North LGA of Delta State, vandalising about 12 houses and a car belonging to supporters of a former aide to the governor and President-General of the community, Mr. Clement Osieta. The gunmen, suspected to be political thugs, were said to have attacked and killed a brother of a councillor in the area. Over 500 indigenes of the community fled into the bush for fear of being attacked by the armed thugs, who reportedly invaded the town at about 1am. A source alleged that the mayhem was because the ring-leader of the gunmen was arrested by the police, and some persons want his prosecution stopped. A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in Uwheru also had his properties destroyed.

Gunmen Kill Vigilante, Friend in Warri

Four gunmen, Monday, killed the chairman of a vigilance group in Agbassa, Warri, Delta State and his friend. Criminals in Agbassa area reportedly resolved to eliminate him as he was an obstacle to their operations in the area.  It was gathered that the deceased was walking along Ginuwa Road with a friend when the gunmen attacked. While his friend died on the spot, the vigilance group head died in hospital. Residents ran for safety, while shop owners closed business for the day. A source said that the vigilance group member had foiled many robbery operations in the area and also gave information that led to the arrest of a number of bad boys in the area.

Suspected Kidnap Kingpins Drag SSS, AGF to Court
…Seek Enforcement of Fundamental Rights

Two suspected kidnappers from Delta State, Kelvin Ibruvwe Oniarah and Frank Azuekor, who were arrested on September 25 for their involvement in nefarious activities, have asked the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja to order their release. The suspects, in a suit filed by their lawyer, Mr. Samuel Omohwo Esharefasa, also asked the court to order their arrest and subsequent detention as illegal. The respondents in the suit are the State Security Service (SSS), SSS director general and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). The applicants also asked the court for an order directing the respondents, their agents, officers or representatives to immediately release them unconditionally as well as to pay them aggravated damages for their illegal arrest and continued detention. The deponent said the applicants were not criminals, adding that they are liberators and freedom fighters struggling for the improvement of the standard of living of their people.

Ex-Militants Denounce MEND’s Claim on Warri Refinery Explosion

Former leaders of militant groups in the Niger Delta region have denounced the claim by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) that it was responsible for Tuesday’s explosion at the Warri Refinery in Delta State. The repentant militant leaders, under the aegis of Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI), said MEND had ceased to exist and could not have been responsible for the explosion. President of the LPCDI, Reuben Wilson, said that MEND ceased to exist the day they accepted the amnesty offer of the federal government in 2009. The group urged security operatives to investigate the incident. If sabotage is detected, the culprits should be prosecuted. Nobody should hide under the guise of a so-called MEND to sabotage the nation’s economy. He insisted that there were no more militants in the creeks and that anybody in the creek was a criminal.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Mother of 2 Stabs Husband to Death

A 16-year-old mother of two, Ebere Ogu, has allegedly stabbed her 35-year-old husband, Patrick, to death, and fled with her kids. The incident occurred, penultimate Thursday, at their residence in Akure, Ondo State, during a fight. Detectives from the criminal Investigation Division of the state Police Command are presently looking for her. A co-tenant disclosed that Ebere and Patrick frequently engage in fights, and he would always go there to settle it. But on their fight took a different dimension on that fateful morning, when he got into their room and saw Ebere holding a knife against her husband. He said he initially succeeded in separating them. But as soon as Patrick saw that his wife had dropped the knife, he seized the opportunity to give her another beating. By the time his neighbour went to separate them again, Patrick was already fatally injured. Police image-maker, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the ugly incident.

4 Dead, Others Injured in Ondo Road Crash

Four persons died in an auto crash that occurred at Igbara-Oke in Ifedore LGA of Ondo State, last weekend. Fourteen other persons sustained injuries following a head-on collision of an 18-passenger Mazda bus and a Honda Accord. The officer in charge of Field Operation of the Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), in the state, Mr. Joseph Ojerinde, attributed the crash to the reckless driving. He said the Honda car made a dangerous overtake and collided with the bus, which was coming from the opposite direction. He said 22 persons were in both cars, adding that the dead were adult males. Their corpses have been deposited at the mortuary of the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, while those injured were taken to the General Hospitals in Igbara-Oke and Ilara-Mokin for treatment.

Robbers Attack Bullion Van in Lagos

Commercial activities at Ijora Badia, in the Apapa area of Lagos State, came to a halt on Wednesday when policemen and robbers engaged in a gun duel. It was learnt that the robbers, who had arrived Marine Bridge on several power bikes, dislodged a bullion van conveying a huge amount of money from its escort vehicle by opening fire at them. It was said that the robbers started shooting sporadically into the air to scare motorists and residents, and attempted to escape with the bullion van. The police from the Area B Command arrived at the scene after being alerted by the sound of gunfire. The robbers reportedly disembarked from the bullion van and engaged the police in a shootout. Other police divisions were said to have also blocked all the escape routes. In the gun duel, a member of the Nigerian Navy and two other civilians were said to have sustained injuries. However, one of the robbers was reportedly shot dead while another was arrested. The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos Police Command, Ngozi Braide, said that the remaining suspects escaped with bullet wounds.

Robbers Lay Siege on Mile 2, Attack Motorists

Armed robbers have reportedly laid siege on Mile 2 Bridge, dispossessing commuters of valuables and damaging vehicles in the process. Several incidents of robbery attacks have been reported in recent days, especially during traffic gridlock when people are going home after the close of work. Narrating an ugly encounter with the hoodlums, who were brandishing dangerous weapons, one of the victims that the hoodlums shattered the side-glass of the front passenger seat of their car with a heavy metal and then swooped on the occupants of the car and dispossessed them of their phones, wallets containing some amount of money, bank ATM cards, National Identity cards and other valuables. The hoodlums, who also operate in day time, do so while some armed policemen patrol the Mile 2 Bridge. The robbers capitalise on the traffic gridlock created by the on-going re-construction work on the highway.

Spiritualist Accused of N8.7m Fraud

A 34-year-old spiritualist, Isiaka Adeleke, was on Wednesday, arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, for allegedly defrauding one Abdul Oladunjoye of N8.7 million. The accused is facing charges of conspiracy, fraud and stealing. It was alleged that Adeleke committed the offences sometime in March. The prosecutor, Sergeant Austine Onwemere, informed the court that the accused collected N7 million from Oladunjoye under the pretext that he would pray for Allah’s blessing on the money to facilitate the transport business of the two trucks he wanted to buy. “The accused also collected N1.7 million from the complaint to purchase one Lexus car from the United States of America for him, a representation he knew to be false,” he stated. However, when the plea of the accused was taken before Magistrate J. A. Adegun, he pleaded not guilty. Magistrate Adegun granted the accused bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till November 24.

Landlady Dupes 109 Prospective Tenants of N14m

A 34-year-old landlady, Taibat Aruna, has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting for allegedly obtaining N14 million by false pretence from 109 prospective tenants. The defendant is facing a thirty-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining, false pretence, and stealing. The defendant, standing trial before Magistrate Margaret Dan-Oni, committed the alleged offences between June 5 and August 28 this year. The police prosecutor, Inspector Edet Okoi, said that the defendant stole the money from her victims with a promise to give them a self-contain accommodation, which she knew was false. She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Magistrate Dan-Oni granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2 million with two responsible sureties in like sum, one of the sureties must be a community leader, or a pastor. She adjourned the matter to November 11 for mention. The defendant was remanded in Kirikiri female prison, pending when she is able to perfect her bails conditions.

Kidnappers of Speaker’s Wife Jailed 27 Years

An Osun State High Court, Monday, sentenced five persons that had been standing trial over the kidnap of the wife of Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Alhaja Muibat Salaam, to 27 years imprisonment each. The convicts, Chukwudi Okereke (40), Ogbole Ochijile Elijah (25), Okonkwo Lucky (33), Kaikine Mahah (35) and Nwadinnor Philip (30) were, last year, arrested in Ilaro, Ogun State, by the Police. They were said to have conspired, while armed with AK-47, and kidnapped Alhaja Salaam on October 9, 2012. According to the prosecution, led by the State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adewale Afolabi, the convicts had confessed to the kidnapping of the Speaker’s wife in their individual statements to the police during investigations. Delivering his judgment, Justice Moshood Adeigbe said that the prosecution had been able to establish their case against the defendants. Reacting to the judgment, the defence counsel said that they will appeal the judgment, saying that his clients were found guilty based on confessional statements.

Oro Festival Ends in Communal Clash

The Oloba of Oba-Oke in Olorunda LGA of Osun State, Oba Dahunsi Iyiola, escaped death last Sunday when an irate mob from the neighbouring community of Oba-Ile invaded his palace and razed it alongside other buildings in the town. Crisis reportedly started when the people of Oba-Ile invaded Oba-Oke after the celebration of their annual Oro festival. A source said that the crisis occurred when the Oloba of Oba-Ile, Oba Adebisi Adeeyo, was celebrating Oro festival and the youths prevented neighbouring villagers to cross their boundary. During the melee that ensued between the two communities, cutlasses, guns and machetes were freely used by both sides, causing injuries of various degrees. The state Police Commissioner, Mrs Dorothy Gimba, who confirmed the development, said the police quickly moved to the area of conflict to douse tension, but were shot at by the youths, who prevented the Police from entering the town.

Man Arraigned for Brandishing Gun Publicly

A 28-year-old man, Monday Igbasan, who allegedly brandished a gun publicly, was, on Thursday, charged before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court, Lagos. Igbasan was arraigned on a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and breach of public peace. He, however, denied the charges. Prosecutor, Inspector Peter Nwangwu, told the court that the accused committed the offences on August 28 at his apartment. He said the accused with others still at large caused a breach of the peace by displaying live cartridges and a gun publicly. The Magistrate, Mrs. Motolani Ladipo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N250, 000 with two sureties in like sum. She adjourned the case to November 11.

Man, 48, in Court over Theft of N130m

A 48-year-old man, Eneyi Ogosi, was on Friday arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court, sitting at Ikeja, for allegedly stealing N130 million. The defendant, who was docked before Magistrate Eniola Fabamwo, is facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing. The police prosecutor, Barth Nwaokoye, said that the defendant and others at large conspired amongst themselves and committed the alleged offence at Surulere area of Lagos State in 2012. He said that the defendant converted N130 million, which is proceed of 43 plots of land located at Majidun area of Ikorodu, belonging to one late Stafford Obrutse, to his own use. Magistrate Fabamwo adjourned the matter to November 25 for mention.

GENERAL

Insurgents Kill 30, Injure 10 in Borno

At least 20 persons were killed, last weekend, while 10 others were injured when gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram group launched an attack on Logomani village in Dikwa LGA of Borno State. Soldiers were said to have later pursued the insurgents into the forest around Ngamboru Ngala. Bukar Alhaji Gana, a native of Logomani, said that about a week before the attack, there was a rumour that some members of the sect were seen heading towards Marte area, where a terrorist camp was located before it was destroyed by the Joint Task Force (JTF). It was learnt that the attackers, dressed in military uniforms, also left with some of the women and also collected money from some of the truck drivers in the area. Barely 24 hours later, suspected Boko Haram terrorists, again invaded villages in Kawuri district and Fori of Konduga LGA of Borno State, killing 10 residents, including three vigilante youths, suspected to be “Civilian JTF”.

Cholera Kills 70 in Zamfara, Plateau and Lagos States

An outbreak of Cholera has claimed up to 70 lives in Zamfara, Plateau and Lagos state in the last one week. About 50 people have been killed in Zamfara, according to health officials. Residents of 6 LGAs in Zamfara state began drinking water directly from streams and untreated wells after a main water pipeline was forced to shut. Similarly, eight people were confirmed dead in a cholera outbreak in Namu community of Qua’an Pan LGA of Plateau State. The victims were said to be among the over 7,000 refugees fleeing from the crisis in Nasarawa State, who were sequestrated in several refugee camps in the community. There are fears that the outbreak may spread to Jos and its environs following a prolonged shortage of water. About 12 persons have been feared dead from the outbreak of cholera in Okota area of Lagos State and several others hospitalised in different parts of the state, following the outbreak of the disease.

37 Boko Haram Suspects Killed in Military Raid

The Nigerian Army, on Wednesday, said 37 Boko Haram members died during a coordinated raid and air strike by its troops and Nigeria Air Force on camp located in the eastern part of Borno state. The army said it got intelligence report about the hideout of the group at Alagarno, around Konduga-Damboa area and subsequently launched a fierce attack, with the collaboration of the men of the Nigerian Air Force from the 79 Composite Group on Monday, killing at least 37 of the sect members. A total of 37 terrorists were killed in the fire-fight, while several others fled with gunshot wounds, acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations (DDAPR) of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Captain Aliyu Danja, disclosed. He said some arms and ammunition were recovered after the operation, while three Hilux vehicles and many motorcycles, believed to be owned by the terrorists were destroyed by the military troops. Meanwhile, the army said it has commenced aggressive patrols of all highways in the North East part of the country to stop the Boko Haram terrorist group from attacking and killing innocent travellers. Terrorists have recently taken over some major routes in the North East, attacking, maiming and killing travellers on that road.

UN Lauds Nigeria over Commitment to Peacekeeping Operations

The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) has commended Nigeria’s continued commitment to its peacekeeping operations in countries affected by conflicts. The Head of the UN peacekeeping operations, Herve Ladsous, said this when he received the Inspector- General of Police (IGP),  Mohammed Abubakar, at the UN Headquarters in New York. Nigeria occupies the fifth position as the largest Troop Contributing Country after Ethiopia. Ladsous also appreciated the position of Nigeria for providing personnel and equipment for its peacekeepers to boost their operations. Abubakar also met the Assistant Secretary-General, Office of Rule of Law and Security Institution (ORLSI), the UN under- Secretary, Department of Field Support and Amb. Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sudan to the UN. The IGP, who described the deliberations as very fruitful, noted that presently the Nigerian Police was contributing about 4,000 officers to peacekeeping operations all over the world.

NDLEA Burns N1.9bn Worth of Narcotics in Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the Federal Capital Territory, weighing 7,248.529kg and valued at N1.9bn. The drugs were said to be forfeited exhibits seized by the agency. Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, who led other dignitaries in setting the drugs ablaze, also gave the breakdown of the drugs. He said the public burning of the drugs was in compliance with a Federal High Court order. Cannabis took the largest share of the drugs at 7,183.5kg; psychotropic substances, 40.9kg; cocaine, 18.254kg; methamphetamine 4.7kg and heroin 1.175kg. FCT Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Dennis Obiefule, said the command had successfully rehabilitated 68 drug-dependent persons.

Boko Haram Attacks Yobe Police Station

Members of the Boko Haram Islamist sect, on Thursday, launched a ferocious attack on the Misebiri Police Station in Damaturu, Yobe State. The sect members gained access to the police station through the bush surrounding the city. A military source said majority of those killed were Boko Haram members. It was learnt that the insurgents avoided the military base at the entrance into Damaturu from Borno and three other military checkpoints along the Damaturu-Maiduguri Highway by passing through bush parts to carry out the attack. It was further learnt that the Boko Haram members had made several attempts to penetrate the Yobe State capital, Damaturu, but were frustrated by the Special Forces. The attack took security operatives by surprise as they were not expecting the insurgents to attack the police station which had not witnessed such an attack before.

Pastor Arraigned in Court over Allegations of Raping 3 Minors

A pastor, Emmanuel Mathew, 50, appeared before an Abuja High Court for allegedly raping three pupils in a primary school at Mpape, Abuja. Mathew, who is the pastor and General Overseer of The Choice Bible Church, Mpape, and proprietor of the said school, was arraigned on a five-count charge. The Prosecutor, DSP Stanley Nwodo, told the court that the accused raped two seven-year-old and a nine-year-old pupils on different occasions in his school. Mathew pleaded not guilty to the charges. After arraignment, the Counsel to the accused, Mr. Uya Yamah, urged the court to admit his client to bail. The prosecutor did not oppose the application because the accused had been on administrative bail. In his ruling, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500,000 and a surety in like sum. Baba-Yusuf ordered that the surety must be resident within the FCT and must produce proof of ownership of a landed property. He adjourned the case till January 21, 2014, for hearing.

Five Nabbed over Visa Scam

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have arrested five suspects over visa scam. This arrest has increased the number of suspects in its custody to 13. A statement by the ICPC spokesperson, Folu Olamiti, said the suspects were arrested last weekend at different locations. They were either caught using forged public documents such as bank statements and letters from government agencies or for aiding and abetting the production of same to procure visas at the Indian High Commission. The latest arrests effected last weekend involved five suspects, three of who were involved in the production of fake documents to satisfy visa requirements, while the fourth was in possession of suspicious travel documents. According to the commission, the fifth suspect, a lady, was arrested for allegedly colluding with someone in India to procure a fake invitation letter from an Indian Hospital, adding that the commission was awaiting confirmation from the hospital to clear her.

Boko Haram: 3 Hajj Pilgrims Arrested in Borno

Three persons have been arrested at the Maiduguri International Airport, Borno State, after arriving from Saudi Arabia, where they had gone to perform the holy pilgrimage. Their arrest was in connection with their alleged membership of the outlawed Boko Haram sect and involvement in acts of terrorism. The Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations (DDAPR) of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Captain Aliyu Danja, said six were arrested but three of the suspects were released after initial investigation showed they were clean. The DDAPR said consistent patrol had commenced on the Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway as well as other roads in the state, urging residents, travellers and motorists not to panic. He appealed to people to continue to support the division and other security agencies in the state with credible information.

Several Injured as Thugs Attack Party Secretariat in Kano

Thugs invaded and overran the PDP secretariat located at Gydi-yadi quarters in the Kano leaving many injured. Eyewitness said that the Caretaker Committee recently inaugurated by Bamanga Tukur led PDP were conducting official business at the new secretarial when they came under attack. Those injured in the ensuing pandemonium included the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Ja’afar Sani Bello, the state Women Leader, Rabi Shehu Sharada, and the legal adviser. Another party member had his bowel ripped open, while Elder statesman and founding father of PDP, Alhaji Dauda Dangalon and several other party faithful sustained various degrees of injuries. The PDP Publicity secretary, Ja’afar Sani Bello, accused Kwankwaso administration of masterminding the attack. The Commissioner of Police, Abdulsalam Daura revealed that 4 suspects have been arrested and are been investigated in connection with the mayhem.

INTERNATIONAL

3 Killed as Gunmen Open Fire at Church Wedding

Police on Monday searched for a gunman who killed three people at a church wedding, in the first attack targeting Christians in Cairo since the ouster of Egypt’s Islamist president. An 8-year-old girl was among those killed at the Church of the Virgin in Cairo’s neighbourhood of Al-Warrak, while 18 others were wounded in the late Sunday attack, officials said. Two men on a motorbike opened fire as a crowd emerged from a wedding service, the interior ministry said. Khaled al-Khatib, a senior official from the health ministry, confirmed the casualties. Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi condemned the attack in a cabinet statement, calling it a “despicable criminal act,” and said security forces were searching for the assailants. Egyptian Christians, the majority of whom are Copts, have been targeted since Morsi was swept out of power by the army amid mass protests against his year-long rule, and in particular since an August 14 crackdown by security forces on two Cairo camps of Morsi supporters.

Suicide Blast Kills 12 in Somalia

At least 12 people died last Saturday when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a restaurant in the central Somali town of Beledweyne, witnesses said. There were a lot of people in the restaurant when the bomber blew himself up, Hussein Ali, another witness said. No one has claimed the attack, which targeted a restaurant said to be popular with soldiers. In June 2009, 20 people including Somalia’s security minister were killed in Beledweyne, when a suicide bomb blast claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked Shabab ripped through a hotel. The town lies some 300 kilometres (185 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu close to the border with Ethiopia.

Police, Islamist Students Clash in Egypt

Egyptian police fired teargas at Islamist students who pelted them with rocks during an anti-army protest in Cairo’s Al-Azhar university on Sunday. A statement from the interior ministry indicated that about 3,000 students initially blocked the main Nasr road leading to the Islamic university’s campus, and clashed with police, who arrived to persuade them to leave. The ministry said police fired teargas at demonstrators. A security official said no casualties were reported in the clashes. A similar demonstration took place in Cairo University where scuffles broke out between supporters and opponents of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, a security official said.

Suicide Bomber Kills 31 in Syria

A suicide bomber driving a truck packed with explosives killed at least 31 people and wounded dozens in the Syrian city of Hama last Sunday. The man blew himself up inside the vehicle on a busy road on the outskirts of the city in central Syria. Syria’s 2-1/2-year-old conflict began as peaceful protests but has turned into civil war. More than 100,000 people have died, according to United Nations figures, in fighting that is now spread across most of the country. Rebels have been joined by hard-line Islamists, some of them linked to al Qaeda, who have become increasingly powerful among opposition forces. Rebels also used a car bomb a day earlier to attack a checkpoint on the outskirts of Damascus. Heavy clashes erupted after the blast and continued on Sunday. Syrian military jets have pounded nearby rebel-held areas. Rebels hold several suburbs ringing the capital but have yet to make deep inroads into the capital, due to a sustained army blockade. Doctors in one suburb to the west of Damascus, Mouadamiya, have reported an increasing number of deaths due to malnutrition.

Suspected Pirates Caught in International Joint Operation

A counter-piracy task force commanded by a Royal Navy officer has caught a group of Somalis believed responsible for two attacks in the Indian Ocean. The Pirates had exchanged gunfire with a super tanker on Friday October 11 before attacking a Spanish fishing vessel three days later. Combined Maritime Forces traced the pirates’ skiffs from Britain’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary Fort Victoria. Nine men were caught and forces later destroyed two boats and equipment. Combined Task Force 151, as the group is known, embarked on board RFA Fort Victoria with support from Australian guided-missile frigate HMAS Melbourne and South Korean destroyer ROKS Wang Geon. The European Union flagship Dutch HNLMS Johan de Witt – flagship of the EU naval force in the area – and maritime patrol aircraft from Luxembourg were also part of the mission. After tracing the pirates a HMAS Melbourne Seahawk guided the warship to their precise location, 500 nautical miles off the Somali coast, before a boarding team made the final approach to search the skiffs.

Ukrainian Student Admits Mosque Bombings, Murder in Racist Attacks

A Ukrainian student with a hatred of “non-whites” on Monday admitted murdering a Muslim grandfather and planting bombs near three British mosques. Pavlo Lapshyn, 25, pleaded guilty in court to stabbing 82-year-old Mohammed Saleem to death as he walked home from a mosque in the central English city of Birmingham in April. Lapshyn, a postgraduate student from the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovs’k, also admitted plotting to cause explosions at mosques in three towns in central England between April and July. No one was injured in the blasts in the towns of Walsall, Wolverhampton and Tipton. Police said they found more bomb-making equipment in the room he was staying in as he carried out a work placement at a software firm in Birmingham. Lapshyn had only been in Britain for a few days when he murdered father-of-seven Saleem, a well-respected member of the local Muslim community. He was arrested on July 18 for one of the bombings, and then further arrested two days later for the murder.

Saudi Arabia Turns Down UN Security Council Seat

Saudi Arabia has rejected its newly acquired seat on the UN Security Council, saying the 15-member body is incapable of resolving world conflicts such as the Syrian civil war. The announcement came just hours after the kingdom was elected as one of the council's 10 non-permanent members. In a statement by her Foreign Ministry, Saudi Arabia said the council has failed in its duties towards Syria, as Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime had continued to perpetrate the killing of its people, including the use of chemical weapons, without facing any punishment. The kingdom, which has backed the Syrian rebels in their struggle to topple Assad, has in the past criticised the international community for failing to halt the civil war in Syria, now in its third year.

Chinese National Arrested in Zimbabwe over Ivory Smuggling

A Chinese man was arrested at Zimbabwe’s main airport on Monday, trying to smuggle ivory out of the country, wildlife authorities said, after reports of hundreds of elephants being poisoned. The 34-year-old man was trying to board a flight to Malaysia carrying raw ivory and chopsticks and jewellery worth around $28,250 (20,500 euros). Parks and wildlife authority spokeswoman, Caroline Washaya-Moyo, said that he was found with 17 raw pieces of ivory and several of worked ivory, which included bangles, chop sticks and beads weighing 113.9 kilogrammes. Elephant tusks and other body parts are prized in Asia and the Middle East for ornaments, as talismans, and for use in traditional medicine. The international trade in ivory, with rare exceptions, has been outlawed since 1989 after the population of African elephants dropped from millions in the mid-20th century to just 600,000 by the end of the 1980s. Wildlife experts estimate that the illegal international ivory trade is worth up to $10 billion a year.

Woman Bomber Kills Six in Suicide Attack on Russian Bus

A female suicide bomber attacked a bus in southern Russia on Monday, killing at least six people in the blast outside the volatile North Caucasus region. The bombing in Volgograd was likely to raise fears of further attacks by Islamist militants as Russia prepares to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in February in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. The attack, which investigators blamed on a 30-year-old woman from Dagestan, also wounded 28 people, of whom eight were in critical condition, the federal Investigative Committee said. Authorities named the suspect as Naida Asiyalova, 30, who had been married to one Dmitry Sokolov, a man from the Moscow suburbs who joined an insurgent group in Dagestan last year. Sokolov is descried as an explosives expert. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Benin Republic Discovers Oil

The Republic of Benin, Thursday, said it had discovered 87 million barrels of oil off its coast. The Minister of Energy, Barthelemy Kassa, disclosed that the country discovered oil in a significant commercial quantity with Sapetro company, which works on Block 1 of the sedimentary basin off Seme Podji coast. Sapetro, is a Nigerian gas exploration and production company. Its chief executive, Daisy Danjuma, wife of a former Nigerian Minister of Defence, Theophilus Danjuma, said the first commercial oil production will begin in late 2014. Kassa said the discovery would help to finance the country’s development projects.

Boy Carrying Toy Gun Shot Dead By Police in California

A 13-year-old boy, Andy Lopez, carrying a replica assault rifle has been shot dead by police in the US state of California. Officers in the city of Santa Rosa say they opened fire after the boy refused orders to drop the rifle, which they believed to be real. The shooting on Tuesday is now being investigated. It comes a day after a 12-year-old boy in Nevada shot dead a maths teacher at his school and wounded two fellow pupils before taking his own life. In the latest incident, two sheriff’s deputies saw the teenager “with what appeared to be some type of rifle”. The deputies called for backup and repeatedly ordered the boy to drop the gun before firing several rounds from their handguns, police said. “He was holding the weapon in his left hand. He began to turn toward his right in the direction of the deputy, and in so doing he moved the gun toward the deputy, and the deputy’s mindset was that he was fearful he would be shot,” Lt Paul Henry of Santa Rosa police said. Police Lt Dennis O’Leary said the deputies had been placed on administrative leave pending the inquiry.