Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 48

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

FIDA Laments High Rate of Child Rape in Enugu

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Enugu State chapter has decried the high rate of child abuses and defilement in the state, saying that about 15 children in Enugu State alone were raped by their fathers between July and November, this year. Chairperson of FIDA, Enugu State branch, Nkiru Ugwu-Nwabueze, stated this, on Thursday, during the opening of FIDA Week 2013 in Enugu. Ugwu-Nwabueze, who expressed regret that the children were defiled by those they call uncles, brothers, advised parents to always give their female children sex education to enable them know some sensitive parts of the body. According to her, among recent cases which FIDA swung into action to obtain justice was the defilement of a three-year-old girl by her biological father.

Imo Police Investigate Murder of Customs Comptroller

The Imo State Police Command has commenced investigation into the circumstances that led to the kidnap and eventual murder of an Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Mishak Ugwoha. The slain Ugwoha had visited his Umuduruji, Amaigbo, country home in Nwangele LG council area of the State to supervise his building project when a set of armed hoodlums stormed the project site to abduct him, but he resisted. A villager said the slain Ugwoha was at the building site with four of his relations when the hoodlums struck. The villagers later found the bullet-riddled remains of the customs boss where it was dumped along Amaigbo-Umundugba road. The aggrieved kinsmen of Ugwoha have reportedly burnt the family homes of two natives said to be connected with the abduction and murder of Ugwoha. The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Joy Elemoko, confirmed the incident, adding that suspects have been arrested.

Gunmen Abduct Bayelsa Commissioner’s Father

Gunmen, on Tuesday, abducted the 78-year-old father of Bayelsa State Commissioner for Tourism Development, Belief Nelson. The septuagenarian, Chief Tempurah Nelson, was kidnapped by gunmen in Minibeleu community of Akassa in Brass LGA of the state. The gunmen were said to have shot sporadically into the air to prevent any attempt by community youths to stop their operation. The commissioner, who confirmed the abduction, said the kidnappers had yet to contact members of the family. A community source, who identified himself simply as Kingsley, said the gunmen allegedly gained entry into the victim’s apartment through the roof. He said the gunmen came into the community through a long creek from River Nun. Spokesman for Bayelsa State Police Command, Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the kidnap. He said the Police Commissioner had directed the anti-kidnapping squad of the command to ensure that the victim was rescued and the kidnappers arrested.

Ijaw National Congress President Slumps, Dies at 70

President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Senator Tari Sekibo, on Monday, slumped and died. The late Sekibo, aged 70, was elected the INC president in March this year. He was also the Chairman of the Unified Okrika Divisional Council of Chiefs.  Sekibo slumped at the Bayelsa State Government House shortly after he arrived for a meeting with the Governor Seriake Dickson. He was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), few meters away from the Government House, where he was pronounced dead by doctors. The meeting, it was learnt was to deliberate and take a position on the crisis rocking the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide. The Publicity Secretary of the INC, Pastor Victor Burubo, confirmed the death of the President.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Court Sentences Student to Death for Robbery

A High Court in Effurun, Delta State, has sentenced a 24-year-old secondary school student, Moses Akatugba, to death by hanging for stealing mobile phones and recharge cards at gunpoint. Akatugba was convicted on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery in contravention of Section 6 (b) and punishable under section 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms  (Special Provisions) Act Cap R11 Volume 14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The convict with others at large had robbed one Mrs. Akpor Mazino of the items at her shop at gunpoint. Similarly, an Asaba High Court, on Tuesday, sentenced a 30-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Paul Nwanegbo to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour for robbing a female passenger of her telephone handset in October 2011. He had threatened her with a toy gun and later bit her arm after she resisted him.

6 Trucks Burnt in Edo Robbery Attack

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Edo state, on Monday, confirmed that an armed robbery attack, last Saturday, caused multiple accidents involving six trucks on the Benin-Ore Expressway. FRSC toll-gate (Benin) Unit Commander, Adewale Ameen, who confirmed the accident, however said no life was lost in the incident. Ameen said six trucks involved in the accident were burnt to ashes. According to Ameen, the armed robbery attack led to the fall of a container across the road and as two other unsuspecting trucks got to the scene, in an attempt to escape from the robbers, rammed into the container, while a tanker, laden with 33,000 litres of petrol, rammed into the other trucks which caught fire.

Delta Community Warns Shell, Contractors over Pipeline Project

The people of Boutubo Community in Burutu LGA of Delta State are spoiling for a showdown with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and its contractors, over alleged marginalisation and neglect in the repair of the Trans Ramos pipeline in their area. Chairman of the community, Afidi Ebiarede, accused the contracting firm and its sub-contractor of undermining his community in the execution of the project. He said that the companies had concluded plan to commence work without the community’s  Freedom To Operation, FTO, and due consultation with its leaders as was the norm in such projects, warning that the plot could truncate the repair of the pipeline, which conveys crude to the Forcados Terminal of Shell.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Police Investigate Hospital Attack in Ekiti

The Ekiti State Police Command say it has begun investigation into the alleged invasion of a government health centre in Ado Ekiti, by five gunmen suspected to be ritualist looking for new born babies. The police are also investigating the management of the centre on why it failed to report the attack to the police. According to an officer of the health centre, the invaders, who were fully armed, demanded for the whereabouts of a particular baby, said to have been delivered earlier in the day. The gunmen got annoyed when they were told that no baby was available in the hospital as at that time. The invaders reportedly went berserk and beat up the hospital staff and injured some of them. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Babayemi, said the incident was yet to be reported to the police. He, however, stated that the command had sent some detectives to assess the veracity of the incident, as no official report had been made by the medical officials in connection to the incident.

6 Die in Lagos Bank Robbery Attack

Two policemen and four members of a dare-devil armed robbery gang were killed during an attack on the Ayobo Ipaja branch of a bank. Four members of the gang were, however, arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Some policemen were also severely injured while many members of the armed robbery gang also escaped with bullet wounds. It was gathered that the incident occurred around 2am on Sunday, when the robbers broke into the bank. The robbers had reportedly forced their way into the bank and were vandalising the Automated Teller Machines in the bank, when policemen from Ayobo Police station raced to the scene. The armed robbers were said to have overpowered the police team, after a fierce gun duel and were able to escape from the scene of the robbery. However, another round of gun duel ensued between the armed robbers and SARS operatives, leading to the arrest of four members of the gang, while the suspected leader of the gang and some others escaped with bullet wounds.

Man Remanded in Prison over Alleged Rape of 75-Year-Old

An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Monday, ordered the remand of a 45-year-old man, Lawrence Adedapo, in prison for the alleged rape of a 75-year-old woman. Chief Magistrate Simeon Ojo, in his ruling, decried the alarming cases of rape in the state. Ojo adjourned the case to December 16, for further hearing. The Police Prosecutor, David Erinma, told the court that the accused committed the offence on November 7 at Ise-Ekiti in Ise-Orun LGA of the State. Erinma told the court that the accused unlawfully had carnal knowledge the septuagenarian woman, which led to her severe bleeding.

Teacher Arrested over Pupil’s Death

The police in Ondo State have arrested a teacher at a nursery and primary school in Akure for beating a four-year-old pupil, which resulted in her death. The pupil, Elizabeth Wanogha, was said to have committed an undisclosed offence, which made her teacher, Mr Alade Adebayo, to give her some strokes of cane. A source said though the girl did not die the day she was beaten, she was beaten to a state of coma that resulted in her eventual death. The girl was said to have died two weeks after she was beaten by the teacher. Following her death, her father reported the matter at the Police and the teacher was arrested. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Wole Ogodo, explained that the deceased was hospitalised immediately after she was beaten.

Gunmen Kidnap Industrialist in Osun

A frontline industrialist in Osun State, Mrs. Olayinka Obaleye, popularly known as Yinka Oba, was on Tuesday night abducted by gunmen in Ilesa. The woman had closed at her factory, which produces mattresses, when her captors, who had been hanging around, swooped on her. Obaleye is the Chief Executive Officer of Yinka Oba Foam which has its factory along Ijebu Jesa Road. Obaleye’s driver was said to have been shot and killed by the gunmen before they drove away with their target. The killing of the driver was said to have scared residents away as the gunmen escaped without hindrance. The Police Public Relations Officer, Folasade Odoro, who confirmed the kidnap, said the police were on the trail of the abductors.

Court Remands 72-Year for Killing 14-Year-Old Daughter

A 72-year-old man, John Udin, has been remanded in prison by an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly killing his 14-year-old daughter, Gloria. Udin was arraigned on Wednesday on one count of murder. It was learnt that the accused had hit the teenager with a piece of wood, which had nails on it, on her forehead. Three days after the incident, the she took ill and was rushed to a clinic in the area, where she died. The Chief Magistrate, Demi Ajayi remanded the accused in prison.

Bike Rider Arraigned, Remanded for Killing Motorist

A 30-year-old commercial motorcycle rider, Useni Ibrahim, was on Tuesday remanded in prison by an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court for allegedly killing a motorist, Mufutau Akanbi, 53, with a broken bottle. The accused was said to have ridden his bike in a way that angered the deceased who was also driving on the road. The deceased allegedly came down from his car and there was reportedly an exchange of words between them, resulting in a fight. The defendant in a fit of anger, was said to have reached for a bottle, smashed it on the floor and stabbed the late Akanbi in the chest. He was said to have collapsed and died from the injury. The police thereafter arrested and arraigned him on one count of murder. The magistrate, Mrs. M. O. Tanimola, ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison pending the legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution. The matter was adjourned till December 16.

Explosion at Ondo Water Treatment Facility Kills Three

An explosion at the facility of the Ondo State Water Corporation in Araromi Obu, Odigbo LGA has left three persons dead and 10 others injured. The victims were said to have died of contamination arising from the chemicals they inhaled from one of the cylinders of the corporation that exploded on Tuesday night. The gas was said to have caused itching on their faces and made them fall to the ground. A seven-year-old boy and his grandmother died before they could get to the hospital. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, who confirmed the incident, said health officers had been dispatched to the town to give medical assistance to the people. The people of the community had taken refuge in neighbouring communities to escape further poisoning by the gas.

Fraudster Nabbed after Defrauding US Couple of $42,497

Operatives of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Lagos have arrested a 24-year-old man who posed as a lady to defraud a United States of America couple of $42,497, purportedly for the purchase of a property in Lagos. The suspect, identified as Olafinraye Adedamola, admitted the offence while being paraded on Thursday. He was said to have connived with a Malaysian lady to defraud the couple. Adedamola who noted that this was his first attempt, said he first met the couple on Facebook and in the course of their discussion, booked for a meeting in Malaysia.

Police Arrest 5 for Visa Fraud

Operatives of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested five people in connection with different cases of visa fraud and forgery of documents. The Commissioner of Police in charge of the unit, Tunde Ogunsakin, has also raised the alarm over increasing rate of hackers who use official websites to defraud Nigerians, especially job seekers. The trio of Raji Oluseyi, Degoke Johnson and Popoola Oladimeji were arrested after the United States of America Consulate in Lagos discovered a fake United Kingdom visa on a Nigerian passport submitted by one of them who was seeking visa. The duo of John Oseghae and Smart Imafidon were also arrested after the British High Commission in Lagos discovered that one of them had submitted a forged income tax clearance certificate.

Gunmen Kill Estate Agent in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has commenced investigation into the murder of an estate agent, Peter Adeoye, who was killed by three armed men on a motorcycle in the Alagbado area of the state. Relatives of the deceased disclosed that Peter was doing some work on a piece of land along Unity Road, Amikanle, Agbado, on November 14, 2013, when the gunmen shot him to death. Peter’s wife, Tosin, said that the incident occurred around 6am. The deceased’s wife called on the government to ensure that their lives were not in danger. Tosin explained that her husband had a feud with many members of the community over land matters.

Osun Monarch Killed as Hoodlums Torch Palace

There was confusion in Ilashe, a town in Obokun LGA of Osun State on Wednesday night as some hoodlums allegedly invaded the palace of Loja of Ilashe, Oba Anibijuwon and set the place on fire. Some chiefs and residents alleged that the assailants strangled him and left his corpse inside his residence to burn. One of the chiefs, Adejumo Operinmade, said that he was informed that some persons, who claimed to be members of the Odua People’s Congress (OPC), had come and demanded to see the monarch, but they were told that he was asleep. He stated that the strange visitors came back and they pointed a gun to the head of the monarch’s housemaid. They allegedly went to late Anibijuwon’s room and strangled him. The octogenarian monarch had been blind for over nine years. The State Commissioner for Information, Sunday Akere, said that security agencies were investigating the case to get those behind it arrested.

NDLEA Arrests Woman with 645 Grammes of Cocaine

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has foiled an attempt by a 38-year-old woman to smuggle 645 grammes of cocaine hidden in a female hand bag to Turkey through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. She was arrested during the outward screening of passengers on a Turkish airline flight. NDLEA Airport Commander, Hamza Umar who gave the name of the suspect as Ezeji Uloma, said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect invested N2.3 million into the illicit drug transaction. The drug which was carefully hidden in her hand bag was detected during screening of passengers” Hamza stated.

Couple Arrested over Theft of N13m from Church

A suspect, Pius Edward; his wife, Fausat; and her mother, have been arrested by the Oyo State Police Command in connection with the theft of N13m from Bishop’s Court, an Anglican church in Bodija area of Ibadan. Edward, a security man at the church was alleged to have broken into an office where the money was kept and made away with it. It was alleged that he woke his wife the following morning and told her to prepare for a journey with the children. The police were, however, able to trace his movement and arrested him at Idi-Iroko, Ogun State. He was also said to be planning to relocate his family to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ndabawa, said Edwards’ in-law’s involvement was attempting to help the family disappear from Nigeria by facilitating the procurement of their travel documents. Edward confessed to the crime saying that he only stole N2.5m. Fausat said she did not know that her husband had stolen the money. “He threatened to leave me with the children if I did not follow him.

NDLEA Arrests Five with 458 bags of Indian Hemp

Five suspects were arrested while 458 bags of weeds, suspected to be Indian hemp, were impounded when a team of policemen from the Oyo State Police Command raided a farm at Eleja Village in Ona Ara LGA of the state. The state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ndabawa, on Tuesday, said that he got an intelligence report on the farm and acted promptly by sending policemen to the farm. At the village, large quantity of harvested weeds suspected to be Indian hemp was uncovered in an operation that spanned through the night and into the following morning. The suspects were caught at different locations in the village. A total of 458 bags of the weed loaded in three buses and a car were also taken away by the police.

Police Nab Armed Robbery Informant, Armourer

A 31-year-old man, Kabiru Mohammed, has confessed to hiring a seven-man robbery gang to steal $383,000 (N61, 280, 000) from his father. The suspect said that he hired notorious robbery kingpin, Abiodun Ogunjobi, aka Godogodo, to steal the money from his father who owns a bureau de change at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The suspect also confessed to have joined Godogodo in some robbery operations in the state. He also served as informant to the gang on getting their targets. Another suspect, Okechukwu Lawrence, who was arrested alongside Mohammed, confessed that he was the one handling the weapons for the gang. Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

Eight Killed, 11 Injured as Truck Loses Control

Tragedy struck in the Oshodi area of Lagos State on Tuesday after a truck belonging to the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Church lost control, killing and injuring many people. The truck, which was laden with sand, was heading towards Mile 2 area when it experienced a brake failure. The incident was said to have caused traffic congestion on the Mile 2 bound lane as bystanders and motorists rushed to the scene to assist the victims. Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the driver, Lawrence Nwaodu, had been arrested and the vehicle had been impounded. Braide said the victims had been rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where they were responding to treatment. Braide warned motorists, especially truck drivers, to always check their vehicles before driving on the expressway as cases of truck accidents had risen in recent times.

Customs, Smugglers Engage in Gun Battle at Badagry

Men of the Nigeria Customs and suspected smugglers, last weekend, engaged themselves in a fierce gun battle at Mowo and Aradagun communities in Badagry area of Lagos State. Traders at Mowo Bus Stop were mostly affected, as the scene of the confrontation was not far from the market where they scampered for safety, leaving their wares behind, while residents and shop owners along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway locked their shops and fled. According to an eyewitness, trouble started when smugglers tried to drive-in three lorry loads of rice but met stiff resistance from the Custom officials who were shooting to halt the progress of the Lorries. The market women said the gun battle took them by surprise but they had to run for cover to avoid being caught in the crossfire. They, however, called for a better way of curtailing the activities of smugglers. Activities of Customs officials have increased in recent weeks because of the forthcoming Yuletide.

GENERAL

French Citizen Escapes from after 11 Months in Captivity

The Embassy of France in Abuja, Monday, confirmed the escape of its citizen, Francis Collomp, from the clutches of kidnappers after 11 months in captivity. The 63-year-old Collomp, an employee of French firm, Vergnet, was abducted by about 30 armed men on December 19, 2012 at his residence in Katsina State. The attack claimed the lives of two of his bodyguards and a passer-by. Collomp’s abductors were suspected to be members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Bilads-Sudan. Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Olufemi Adenaike, who presented Collomp at the police headquarters last Sunday said, that Collomp escaped from the kidnappers through the bush at Dan Magaji village in Zaria, Kaduna State.  He flagged down a commercial motorcyclist, and told him to take him to the nearest police station. He was handed over to the French Embassy officials in Kaduna. A French Roman Catholic priest, 42-year-old Georges Vandenbeusch, was kidnapped last week in Cameroun. It was reported that he was seized by the Boko Haram sect operating in the region and had been brought into Nigeria.

Nigerian Police Deploy 400 Personnel in Sudan, Liberia

The Nigeria Police Force, on Tuesday, deployed three contingents of the Formed Police Unit made up of 400 personnel to Sudan and Liberia in support of the United Nations mission in Liberia and the African Union – United Nations’ Hybrid operation in Darfur. The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who addressed the men at the Force Headquarters parade ground, tasked them to be good ambassadors of the police and the nation. The IG assured the contingents that the police authorities had made ample provision for their welfare, material and logistics support and charged them to be focused. Nigeria police contingents are currently on international peacekeeping assignments in nine countries.

Scores Killed as Security Operatives Raid Boko Haram Hideout

The Joint security Task Force (JTF), on Tuesday, raided a house suspected to be hideout of Boko Haram members, killing scores of suspects at Gayawa village in Ungoggo LGA of Kano State. A resident said that during the operation which lasted for many hours, gun shots and several bomb explosions were heard in the village. A combined team of JTF operatives and personnel from the State Security Service (SSS) carried out the raid. The JTF said after intelligence build up, it also mounted a snap check point along Kankara-Sheme Road in Katsina State to intercept the fleeing terrorists from the operations. The spokesman of the JTF, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, said that two suspected terrorists were intercepted and apprehended on their way to Zamfara State. Items recovered from them were two AK 47 rifles, four magazines, 68 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and a car.

Lecturer, Four Others Arrested over Involvement with Boko Haram

The State Security Service (SSS), on Wednesday in Abuja paraded an assistant lecturer in Arabic and Islamic studies at the Kogi State University, Ayingba, Muhammad Yunus, for recruiting and coordinating a Boko Haram terror cell in Kogi State. The service said Yunus, who is the spiritual leader, runs a terror group which comprised 4 other members. SSS Deputy Director, Media and Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, explained that the terror cell planned to launch attacks in Kogi State before they were apprehended. She explained that until his arrest, Yunus had held several preaching sessions gaining about 200 adherents, whom he taught the virtues of Jihad and the sanctity of the Sharia law as an alternative form of governance and its entrenchment in the state and beyond. However, Yunus denied being a Boko Haram member, while his cell members insists that he had been teaching them about Jihad and how to exploit it to install Sharia in Kogi State.

Police Arrest Ritual Killers in Plateau State

The Plateau State Police Command has arrested five persons in connection with the death of an 11-year old girl, who was killed in the Filin Sukwa area of Jos North LGA. The girl, Ummu Salma, was allegedly killed by the men, who removed some parts of her body. It was gathered that the Ummu had been sent on an errand by her grandmother but failed to return, prompting the villagers to set up a search party to look for her.  In the course of searching for her, the search party discovered that another person, identified as Auwalu Ajanguwa, had equally sent her to get something where her grandmother had sent her. Ajanguwa, upon interrogation, claimed to have seen one Nafiu, going up the hill with the girl. He mutilated body was discovered the next day with her eyes and tongue removed. Ajanguwa’s arrest led to the arrest of Nafiu, Rabiu and one other person. The suspects were said to have claimed that they were paid N300,000 to supply human parts by one Alhaji Aminu, who had been arrested. Police spokesperson, Felicia Anselm, confirmed the incident.

Army Trains Special Forces to Combat Boko Haram

Army authorities, on Thursday, disclosed that at least 154 Special Forces had completed their training at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry to tackle the menace of Boko Haram in the country. The breakdown shows that 96 soldiers graduated from the Special Warfare Course and 58 from the Counter Terrorism Course of the institution, bringing the total to 154. Of the 154 of the Special Forces, 96 were drawn from the Nigerian Army and 58 from the Nigerian Air Force. This, the Commandant of the Institution, Maj-Gen. Tukur Burutai, said made the training unique because it was “the first time the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Army were undergoing a 16-week-training together in the school.” Burutai said the training had equipped the participants to withstand any crack special forces in the country and anywhere in the world. He charged them to put to test what they had learnt from the course. The Commandant expressed satisfied with the performances of the graduates.

Tinted Glass: Senate Stipulates N50,000 fine, 6-month Imprisonment

The Senate, on Thursday, passed the Bill for an Act to amend the Motor Vehicle (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act aimed at checking indiscriminate use of tinted glass vehicles without approval. The options of N50000 fine, jail term or both were contained in the bill, which was sponsored by Senator Ita Enang. The decision of the Senate followed the adoption and approval of the report of its joint committee on Police Affairs and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on the bill. The chairman of the joint committee, Senator Paulinus Nwagwu, said the need for the bill arose, following the reactions of Nigerians to the recent announcement by the Nigeria Police of its intention to arrest and prosecute Nigerians driving cars with tinted glass.

UNICEF Tasks Nigeria on Domestication of Child Rights Act

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), on Wednesday, reaffirmed its commitment to engage in efforts that would ensure the protection of every child against all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence. Speaking at 2013 commemoration of the Universal Children's Day/anniversary of the convention on the rights of the child organised by the UNICEF in collaboration with Enugu State Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development, in Enugu, the Chief of UNICEF A-field office Enugu, Charles Nzuki, also stressed the need for all the states in the country to replicate the Child Rights Act. He said the UN General Assembly adopted the declaration of the rights of the child on November 1959 to protect every child against all forms of abuses, neglect, exploitation and violence. He urged parents and guardians to protect child's right at homes, schools, place of work and in the larger community.

FG Arraigns Suspect over Attack on Deeper Life Church

The federal government has filed charges against a suspected Boko Haram member, Abdulmannan Obadiki, who was alleged to have participated in the 2012 attack on Deeper Life Church, in Okene, Kogi State. About 20 worshipers were shot dead in a midnight attack when gunmen stormed the church where the people were holding a vigil. Obadiki is charged with engaging in terrorism activities and illegal possession of firearm, in a six-count charge filed against him. He is alleged to have committed the offences in collaboration with some others, who are at large. Obadiki was taken before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The judge adjourned the case to December 12 for his arraignment.

Senate Propose Life Imprisonment for Child Rapists

A bill proposing life imprisonment for persons convicted of child rape passed the second reading at the Senate. In the same vein, anyone found culpable in any other sexual assault as well as engagement of children in prostitution will be committed to imprisonment not below the period of 10 years. Also, conviction for child pornography and administration of substance with the intention to overpower another person for sexual activities will result in five years and 10 years imprisonment respectively. The bill which scaled second reading in the Senate, on Wednesday, was sponsored by Senator Chris Anyanwu. Anyanwu said the need to evolve the bill had become imperative in view of the rampant cases of rape and the attendant trauma for victims in the country. She listed cases of sexual abuse to include gang-rape, sexual tourism, sexual harassment, deliberate transmission of HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases, culture or religious sexual offences, non-disclosure of conviction of sexual offences and administration of substance to stupefy.

20 Die as Special Forces Raid Boko Haram Hideout

Soldiers of the Special Forces have raided a hideout of members of Boko Haram, at Yaurakura, in the Bagudu Island of Lake Chad area of Borno State and killed 20 insurgents. It was learnt that the raid, which began last Saturday, consisted of both attack by land troops and aerial strikes. The raid was said to have been made possible as a result of intelligence reports and air reconnaissance operations in the area. The source described Yaurakura as a major stronghold of the insurgents and that the area also served as an escape route on water. The troops reportedly seized several arms and ammunition from the terrorists. Among the items said to have been seized from the insurgents were sub- machine guns, BMG machine guns, rifles, rocket propelled bombs and assorted ammunitions as well as four vehicles said to be laden with Improvise Explosive Devices. Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen Chris Olukolade, said that the Special Forces would continue the raids on the camps of the insurgents and would not allow them operate any base in and around the country. Meanwhile suspected members of Boko Haram carried out attacks on farmers, killing nine people and setting ablaze over 20 farms about to be harvested in Konduga LGA.

Reps Approve Extension of Emergency Rule in North

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, approved the request by President Goodluck Jonathan to extend the proclamation of emergency rule in the north-east states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe for another period of six months. This resolution by the House was reached after the Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Saad Ola Ibrahim and the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar briefed the lawmakers on the security report from the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, which was transmitted to the House by President Jonathan last week.

Four Killed as Gunmen Raid Gombe Police Station

Four persons, including a police corporal, died when gunmen attacked the Bojude Police Station in Kwami LGA of Gombe State on Tuesday. The State’s police spokesman, Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed that the gunmen attacked the station at about 2am. He said that three of the gunmen were killed while one police corporal also died during gun duel with the hoodlums. Atajiri explained that some of the gunmen escaped with bullet wounds while another police man, who sustained injuries, was treated and discharged. He called on health workers in clinics and hospitals in the state to report to the police, any persons with bullet wounds who might visit their facilities for treatment. He said that the situation was calm and that more police men had been deployed to the area.

INTERNATIONAL

Syrian Rebel Chief Killed in Air Strike

The head of the Syrian rebel Liwa al-Tawhid Brigade has died of wounds he suffered in a regime air strike last week, the rebels and a monitor said on Monday. Abdel Qader Saleh, known as Hajji Marea, died of wounds he sustained last Thursday when war planes targeted the Liwa al-Tawhid leadership. He was taken to Turkey after being wounded, and died in a hospital. He was reportedly taken back to Syria for burial. Thursday’s strike also killed Yussef al-Abbas, known as Abu al-Tayyeb, Liwa al-Tawhid’s intelligence chief. He had been in a car along with Saleh, and another senior figure in the rebel group, Abdelaziz Salameh, who was also wounded. Following the attack, Liwa al-Tawhid arrested 30 people suspected of being informers for the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Saleh, chief of operations for Liwa al-Tawhid, was widely seen as the brigade’s most important figure.

Egypt: 25 Killed, Several Injured in Train Collision

No fewer than 25 people were, on Monday, killed and 28 others injured when a freight train crashed into a mini-bus and a truck near Cairo, the Egyptian capital. The train was en route to Giza governorate from the southern city of Beni Suef when it hit a mini-bus carrying passengers. The health ministry spokesman, Mohamed Fatah-Allah, said that the death toll may rise.  Initial reports said the drivers of the vehicles ignored warning lights and chains blocking entry to the crossing, and tried to cross the tracks, Hussein Zakaria, the head of the Egyptian Railway Authority, alleged. The train driver and his assistants were detained. Railway accidents pose persistent challenge in Egypt due to poor maintenance.

Niger Republic Dismantles Human Trafficking Ring

Authorities in Niger Republic have announced the dismantling of a human trafficking network blamed for the deaths of 92 migrants in the Sahara desert in October, arresting dozens including a driver believed to have left the victims to die. “We have just dismantled a trafficking ring and have arrested around 30 leaders including police, drivers and vehicle owners” in the north and south of the country, said justice minister and government spokesman, Marou Amadou. The Niger migrants – mostly women and children – were headed for Algeria in hope of a better life when the two trucks they were travelling on broke down in the harsh desert. Only 21 out of a total 113 people attempting to cross the Sahara survived, the rest died of thirst. Residents who put up the migrants in their homes before they started out on their perilous journey were also detained, the minister

Iraq Executes 12 Terror Convicts

Iraqi government has announced the execution of a dozen “terrorism” convicts. The latest executions, carried out last Sunday, bring to at least 144 the total number of people put to death by Iraq so far this year. The justice ministry and officials said that all the convicts were Iraqi men accused of terrorism. Executions in Iraq, usually carried out by hanging, have increased this year despite persistent international criticism urging Baghdad to issue a moratorium on capital punishment. In a statement issued on World Day against the Death Penalty last month, the justice ministry said it had executed 42 convicts in one week.

EU Worries over Libya’s Deteriorating Security

European Union (EU) foreign ministers have expressed concern over the “significant deterioration” in Libya as troops deployed and militias were ordered out of the capital following deadly clashes. The EU’s position came as United States (U.S.) military said Monday it hopes to train 5,000 to 8,000 Libyan army troops to help contain violence from heavily armed militias. The EU ministers further condemned the violence in Tripoli on November 15. The unrest erupted Friday when former rebels from Misrata fired on protesters, triggering clashes that killed 43 people and wounded 450. The ministers also reiterated the EU’s commitment to support Libya in its transition towards democracy and urged the authorities to report human rights violations, including against migrants, and to bring those responsible to justice. The training by U.S., which was requested by Libya’s prime minister, would be carried out by the military’s Africa Command, Pentagon spokesman, Colonel Steve Warren, disclosed.

Soldiers Killed in Sinai Attack

At least ten Egyptian soldiers have been killed in a car-bomb attack in the volatile border region of northern Sinai, officials said. They said the car bomb on Wednesday struck a bus carrying the off-duty soldiers as it travelled on the road between the border town of Rafah and the coastal city of el-Arish. Thirty-five soldiers were wounded in the attack. The soldiers belong to the 2nd Field Army, which is doing most of the fighting against Islamist fighters waging an insurgency against security forces in Sinai. The bus was on its way to Cairo, the officials said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday's attack, but suicide car bombings are a signature method by armed groups linked to or inspired by al-Qaida. The northern Sinai region, which borders Gaza and Israel, has been restless for years, but attacks have grown more frequent and deadlier since the July ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Many Trapped as South Africa Mall Collapses

One person has died and up to 50 people are feared trapped after a partially-constructed shopping centre collapsed in Durban, South Africa. The accident happened in Tongaat, near the eastern coastal city on Tuesday. Those reported trapped were working on the building at the time. Police spokeswoman, Mandy Govender, said one person was confirmed dead and at least 26 people had been pulled from the rubble. It is not yet clear what caused the collapse though Deputy Mayor Nomvuzo Shabalala indicated that safety regulations might have been flouted. Emergency paramedics at the scene used sniffer dogs and specialist equipment to find survivors under the vast broken plinth of concrete and mesh of reinforcing bars.

28 Die as Bomb Attacks Hit Baghdad

A spate of bombings in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, targeting Shia neighbourhoods, Wednesday, killed at least 28 people and wounded 65 others. Police officials said the deadliest attack was in the central Sadria neighbourhood, where a parked car bomb went off at an outdoor market, killing five shoppers and wounding 15. Other attacks took place in Shaab, Tobchi, Karrada, Azamiyah and Amil neighbourhoods.  Iraq is experiencing a surge in violence since April, following a deadly security raid on a Sunni protest camp in the country's north. Since then, more than 5,500 people have been killed, according to the United Nations. No group immediately claimed responsibility for Wednesday's violence, but Sunni fighters linked to al-Qaeda's front group often set off coordinated bombings across Baghdad, typically targeting Shias, whom they regard as apostates.

PM Declares State of Emergency as Cyclone Kills 16 in Italy

Italian authorities declared a state of emergency in Sardinia after a cyclone struck the Mediterranean island on Monday, killing at least 16 people and leaving hundreds homeless. Cyclone Cleopatra dropped 450 millimetres of rain in an hour and a half, causing rivers to burst their banks, sweeping away cars and flooding homes across the island. Prime Minister Enrico Letta, who called a meeting of the cabinet to discuss the crisis, said the declaration of a state of emergency would allow extra resources to be freed up more quickly to reach devastated areas. The mayor of Olbia, the north-eastern Sardinian town among the worst affected areas, said the sudden flooding had burst “like a bomb” with the same amount of water falling in an hour and a half as falls in the city of Milan in six months.

5 Die as Drone Strike Hits Islamic Seminary

At least five people have been killed in a suspected US drone attack on an Islamic seminary in Pakistan's north-western region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Fareed Khan, a police officer, said the unmanned aircraft fired at least three rockets at the madrasa in the Hangu district, killing two teachers and three students just before sunrise on Thursday. An intelligence source said that Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of Taliban-linked Haqqani network, was spotted at the seminary two days earlier. In a separate incident on Thursday, a bomb targeting security forces killed three people and wounded 25 others in Pakistan's southwest, officials said. The bomb, which was rigged to a bicycle, exploded near a group of soldiers and police patrolling in a vehicle in Quetta. Elsewhere, in the north-western bordering town of Torkham, a suicide bomber blew himself up in the halls of customs offices on Thursday, wounding 17 people, officials said.

25 Dead in Iraq Car Bombing

A car bomb has exploded in a busy market in Iraq's northeast, killing at least 25 people, according to the town's mayor and medical sources. The attack occurred on Thursday in Sadiya, 65km northeast of Baghdad, a town in ethnically mixed Diyala province. The bomb went off in the market for groceries, in a neighbourhood populated mostly by Faylis, or Shia Kurds, the officials said. The blast in Sadiya struck a day after violence across Iraq, including a spate of bombings in Baghdad, killed 59 people and left more than 100 wounded.

11 Feared Dead as Storms Rage Across the Arabian Peninsula

A weather system has caused widespread flooding across the Arabian Peninsula. In Saudi Arabia, the storms killed at least seven people, with five others still missing. The capital, Riyadh, and the north-eastern city of Arar were amongst the worst hit. The storms flooded a number of underpasses on major routes around Riyadh, causing widespread disruption, and the north of the city was plunged into darkness as the storms pulled down power lines. Iraq was also badly hit, as the rising flood waters submerged streets and caused buildings to collapse. At least 11 people are known to have died across the country. In order to try to limit the damage caused by the storms, authorities have tried declaring national holidays.

DR Congo Commences Trial of Soldiers over Rape, War Crimes

Thirty-nine government soldiers accused of war crimes have gone on trial in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Most of the charges relate to the mass rape and other acts of sexual violence against more than 130 women and girls in November 2012 by a retreating army. The military trial comes after months of international pressure after some officers were suspended but no soldiers tried. The UN then threatened to stop funding army units suspected of abuses. Armed groups in eastern DR Congo often use rape as a weapon of war. The charges, including murder, rape and looting, were read out to the soldiers, who are mostly low-ranking, at the military court in the eastern city. The trial will focus on events a year ago when M23 rebels took control of Goma and thousands of soldiers retreated to the town of Minova. According to a UN report, at least 102 women and 33 girls were victims of rape or other acts of sexual violence by government troops in the market town to the south of Goma. The lead lawyer representing the victims, Sylvestre Bisimwa, says the figures given in the UN report are very low, stating that so far 1,014 victims - male and female - have been identified.

China Oil Pipe Blast Kills 35

At least 35 people in China have been killed in an explosion after a leaking oil pipeline caught fire in the city of Qingdao. Officials said that workers were trying to repair the pipeline at the time of the explosion. More than 100 fire fighters were involved in putting out the fire. It is owned by Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner. The leaking pipeline was spotted early on Friday, and the explosion happened several hours later, the Qingdao government said. Sinopec said that it would investigate the incident with responsibility and give timely reports. The authorities have ruled out terrorism but say the incident remains under investigation.