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

week 7

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

JTF Releases Two Arrested Vessels

The Joint Task Force operating in the Niger Delta region has freed two suspected vessels carrying diesel. The task force said that one of the vessels was carrying 282,000 litres of diesel worth N46.53 million. The JTF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Iliyasu Abba, announced the release of the vehicles on Monday at Bonny Island, Rivers State. The two vessels, identified as MV Ebba and MT Askja Rotterdam, were arrested along the creeks in Rivers on suspicion that they were transporting petroleum products without permit. Abba, represented by Maj. Badmus Adebayo, also announced the release of nine crew members from the two vessels to their employers. MV Ebba was arrested in October 2013, MT Askja was arrested in June 2013 due to its suspicious movement and because it anchored without permit. Abba said that the task force would continue to hunt oil thieves, pipeline vandals and sea pirates till it rid the region of attacks on oil installations.

Girl, 8, Raped to Death in Akwa Ibom

An 8-year-old girl has been raped to death by unknown persons in Ikot Ekang, Etinan LGA of Akwa Ibom State. The incident took place on Tuesday when she was sent on errand by her grandfather at about 6.30p.m. It was learnt that the grandfather, Enobong Wilson, raised the alarm when the girl did not return three hours after she left the house. Her corpse was eventually found the next morning near an uncompleted building in the village. The village head, Ekere Akpan, said it was the first time such an incident had happened in the community. The matter was reported to the police and they have commenced investigation to ensure that the culprit is brought to book. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Etim Dickson, confirmed the incident.

Abducted Tugboat Captain, Engineer Regain Freedom

Kidnapped engineer and a captain of a tugboat belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) have regained their freedom. The victims were reportedly freed by their captors, penultimate Thursday. A source disclosed that they were abandoned at a community in Nembe, Bayelsa State. The development came just a few days after the gunmen were said to have contacted the victims’ employers and demanded N5m ransom. The Agip tugboat reportedly sailed from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Brass to load petroleum products at the firm’s terminal and was attacked by hoodlums on January 26, 2014 at Peter’s Town, Nembe, Bayelsa State. The Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Rivers CP Bans Political Rallies in Rivers

Rivers State Commissioner of Police (CP), on Monday, placed a ban on rallies in the state. The CP, who said the decision was based on the increasing political tension in the state, specifically said the ban affected political rallies. He also prohibited activities involving the Grassroots Development Initiative, Save Rivers Movement, and the Rivers Leadership Advancement Foundation. A statement signed by the state police command’s spokesman, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad read that the police would not provide security for any group that henceforth organise rallies.

JTF Rescues Kidnapped Indians in Rivers Community

Three Indian nationals were on Thursday rescued in Abissa, a small fishing port in Akuku’ Toru LGA of Rivers State by a combined squad from the 130 Battalion of the Joint Task Force (JTF), the Nigerian Navy and the State Security Service (SSS). The Indians, Messrs Kanishk Johrar, Mohinder Saini and Balwinder Singh, were abducted in January on board a fishing trawler at Malabo and brought to Nigeria by the gang, which demanded $1million as ransom. The JTF Media Coordinator, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the squad tracked the abductors to their hide out at Abissa, arresting five suspects while others were still on the run. In similar operations, troops of 29 Battalion and 343 Regiment of Sector Two anti-oil theft squads of the JTF scuttled illegal oil distillation camps along Alakari general area and Lasukugbene community in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State.

5 Policemen Detained for Giving Rifle to Criminals

Five policemen, serving in Imo State police command, including the armourer of New Owerri police division, are now in detention over how one of the AK-47 rifles officially issued for guard duties, ended up in the hands of kidnappers. Confirming the development, the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, said while four of the five policemen were explaining their involvement in the sordid act, the armourer is being tried for negligent conduct. According to the CP, all the police officers, including the armourer, arrested in connection with the sordid finding are now facing orderly room trial. Describing how the police recovered the weapon from fleeing kidnappers, Katsina said the command’s Ambush Squad gave a hot chase to a gang of kidnappers, who in their bid to escape, abandoned the gun in their operational vehicle and ran away.

FG Begins Implementation of UNEP Report on Ogoniland

The federal government has started implementing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland by addressing some emergency measures to provide alternative facilities for the affected communities. The Director-General of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Peter Idabor, disclosed that the federal government had initiated a Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HPRP) to provide alternative facilities for the Ogoni communities. The UNEP report on Ogoniland was released on August 4, 2011 confirming claims by local communities and civil society groups that there exists an ecological disaster in the area. The NOSDRA official, however, called on the people involved in illegal bunkering of petroleum to desist from the act to avoid polluting the environment.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Group, Police Disagree over Arrest of Suspects in Edo Community

Youths of Okhuoromi community in Oredo Council of Edo State have faulted the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, for disregarding the state Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) advice to arrest known suspects in the recent invasion of the town, which led to the death of two persons and the destruction of property. Alleging complicity on the part of the police, the youth leader, Ewuare Erese, alleged that some of the masterminds listed in the DPP’s advice still roam freely in broad daylight, thereby posing terror in Okhuoromi community and its environs. The DPP had in the legal advice marked CR: 988/2013 and dated January 8, 2014, sought the arrest and prosecution of one Joshua Edo Okhuere, Irowere Emevbose (a.k.a) “Eboh”, Osamuyi, Rufus Igbinovia (a.k.a) “Dogo” and other fleeing suspects. But Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Moses Eguavoen, in reaction, said he could not give a categorical statement on the matter as he did not know if such order was issued.

Arrests 17 Oil Theft Suspects in Delta State

Troops from the 3, 19 and 195 Battalions of Sector One anti-illegal oil bunkering squads of the JTF have uncovered 12 illegal oil distillation camps at Agbede Forest, Obi-Ayagha and Otegele communities in Etsako West LGA of Edo State, Ughelli South and Warri South West LGAs of Delta State. Troops of the JTF clamped down on the illegal bunkerers and uncovered 28 Cotonu boats, 24 underground storage tanks containing about 70,000 litres of illegally distilled diesel, 547 steel drums, five surface tanks, 22 plastic tanks all filled with suspected illegally refined diesel. A JTF statement disclosed that other items discovered included five speed boats loaded with 150 drums of illegally refined AGO, 47 fabricated steel pots and 37 ovens used for cooking illegally sourced crude oil. Ten suspects were nabbed during the operation. Seven other suspects were also arrested by the troops for pipeline vandalism and oil-related crimes.

ECOWAS Court Halts Execution of Convict on Death Row

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice has ordered the Federal Government and the Edo State Government to take Mr. Thankgod Ebhos’s name off the death row. Ebhos, who has faced imminent threat of execution since June 24, 2013 when he was taken to the gallows alongside four other inmates who were executed in Benin Prison, had been on death row for 18 years. Apprehension of his transfer to another prison for the purpose of execution had been lurking since then. Avocats Sans Frontières France, in a bid to preclude further executions in the state, had instituted an action against the federal and state governments at the ECOWAS Court of Justice on Ebhos’ behalf, seeking an interim injunction restraining the respondents from executing Ebhos pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter before the court.

Court Remands Killer Cop in Prison

A Police Corporal, Valentine Ofuamaka, 39, who allegedly shot and killed one Osagie Aisagbonbuomwan, a truck driver, last Saturday has been remanded in prison by an Ogbeson Chief Magistrate court sitting at Ikpoba Hill in Benin City, Edo State. The killer Cop and another now at large allegedly committed the offence punishable under section 324 and 316 of the criminal code on the said date and location, following an argument between them. The presiding Chief Magistrate, Jonathan Ogbeide, declined jurisdiction to hear the matter due to its nature. The court then ordered that the accused killer cop case file be duplicated and forwarded to the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice. The accused (Ofuamaka) plea was not taken by the court and the case was adjourned to March 7 for mention.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Editor Shot Dead by Suspected Armed Robbers

The Deputy Editor of Saturday Newswatch, Toyin Obadina, died last weekend, hours after he was shot by suspected armed robbers at the Ikorodu area of Lagos on his way home after work. He was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where he died due to loss of blood and severe damage to his stomach caused by the gunshots. Though he was said to have cooperated with the demands of the gang who were in two Sport Utility Vehicles, they shot him point blank before abandoning him in a pool of his blood. His wife, Abiola, in earlier reports said her husband was responding to treatment after the doctors carried out an emergency surgery on him to extract the bullets from his body. The state police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said efforts were being made to arrest the suspects. The Nigerian Guild of Editor (NGE), which attributed the robbery attack to the proliferation of small arms in the country, called on the government to arrest the situation.

Missing-in-Custody Man Reported Killed

Information emerged this week that the son of a widow, Mrs Bose Bajulaye, Joseph, whom the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command, had earlier denied was ever in their custody, had been killed since November 2013. A report alleged that Joseph was shot and killed by SARS men when he was trying to escape from custody. He was described as a fake soldier. The mother of the suspect and human rights activists had demanded explanation from the police on the whereabouts of the suspect but had met denial at every point. Human rights activists have demanded a probe into the killing of 34-year-old Joseph Bajulaye (also called Joseph Jack) in police custody, saying the SARS story did not add up. Lagos lawyer and activist, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, said the officer in charge of SARS, Mr. Abbah Kyari, must explain to Nigerians why SARS initially said the suspect was never in its custody.

20-Year-Old Mother Flushes Baby Down the Toilet

A 20-year-old woman, Rafiat Oseni, has been brought before an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s court for allegedly killing her day-old baby by flushing him down a public toilet at Alaba Rago Market, Ojo area of Lagos State. Oseni, who worked as a sales girl in the market, had entered the toilet pretending to ease herself. She was said to have forced the baby into the toilet, but the baby got stuck in it. He died as people were attempting to rescue him. The police prosecutor, Inspector Richard Odigwe asked for the remand of the defendant pending when the police obtain legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution. The magistrate, Olanrewaju Olatunji, remanded the defendant in the Ikoyi Prison pending legal advice.

Police, Customs in Gun Battle at Seme

Policemen from the Oto Awori Police Division and some Nigeria Customs Service officials attached to the Seme Command, on Tuesday, exchanged gunfire for about an hour at Agbara over the alleged arrest of a Police Inspector. The Police Inspector, who was said to be attached to the Oto Awori division, was allegedly arrested by the customs officials after a tip-off that he was involved in smuggling bags of rice from Cotonou, through the Seme border. Eyewitnesses said customs men had lain in wait for the Police Inspector on his way from Cotonou and apprehended him when he showed up. But the detained Inspector quickly made a distress call to his colleagues and no fewer than 10 teams of policemen came down to the spot. They were said to be armed and shot indiscriminately as they approached the scene. They allegedly told the customs officials that what they wanted was that the police inspector in their custody be released to them. It was learnt that the Inspector was eventually released to them.

Woman Docked for Complicity in Robbery Plot

A 29-year-old woman, Adebimpe Kosoko, was on Monday arraigned before a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, for being aware of the plot by three suspected robbers to attack one Mrs Sakirat Idowu which she did not report. Instead, she allegedly received their stolen items with $200 cash. While Adebimpe was charged with felony and receiving stolen items, the three suspected robbers were charged with murder, armed robbery and conspiracy. They were accused of attacking their victim while armed with a gun, shot her and disposed her of valuables and cash in December 2010. They all pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them. State counsel, Mr Afolabi Sholebo, urged the court for a trial date to enable him produce witnesses in court and the defence counsel, Mr O.A Azeez, did not object. The presiding judge, Justice Aishat Opesanwo, adjourned the case to March 20.

Chef Nabbed for Impersonation

A 22-year-old college dropout, Gani Akinmade, has been arrested by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, Lagos for allegedly impersonating the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo on Facebook. Akinmade was said to have used the false identity to attempt swindling one Olubukola Awofeso, a United Kingdom resident whom he met on Facebook, of N3m. He was arrested at a bank when he went to withdraw some money sent by another victim in the United States through Western Union money transfer. Gbadebo had denied ownership of the Facebook account, adding that he had neither spoken with Awofeso nor proposed any business to her. However, Akinmade, who claimed to be a self-employed chef, denied the impersonation allegation.

Policeman Caught on Video Demanding Dollar Bribe, Faces Dismissal

The policeman, who was recently caught on video demanding dollars as bribe from a Nigerian-American and two other Nigerians over alleged traffic offences in Lagos, has been arrested and is now facing an orderly room trial. The man, identified as Corporal Aniyem Chiyem, whose video was posted on YouTube was secretly filmed by one of the passengers in a three-minute, 45-second footage. A statement by the Force Spokesman, Frank Mba, on Monday, said that Chiyem with Force No. 374171 was attached to Isheri Division, Lagos State. His arrest was sequel to a matching order issued by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State to ensure prompt arrest and investigation of the matter. The incident was said to have happened in the Egbeda area of Lagos. One of the passengers, on noticing the policeman’s resolve to take bribe, offered him N700 which Chiyem rejected. Meanwhile, the IGP has commended the unknown whistleblower in the case for his painstaking efforts in exposing what would have been a hidden crime.

Union Boss Stabbed to Death in Lagos

The vice chairman of Costain branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Seyi Olaleye, has been stabbed to death in Lagos. Olaleye, aka Seyi Rugged, was killed during a clash with a group of thugs led by one Waheed aka Skippo. It was learnt that Skippo and Seyi Rugged and their respective followers had been at loggerheads for a while. It was learnt that the fresh crisis began after some of Skippo’s boys attacked Seyi Rugged’s boys twice in January, forcing retaliation by Seyi’s gang. The situation degenerated leading the eventual death of Seyi. Residents urged the police to beef up security in the area in order to forestall any reprisal.

Cobbler Arraigned for Fondling Twins, 6

One Yusuf Ojuolape, a cobbler, was arraigned at an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s court for allegedly fondling six-year-old twins and causing them injuries. Yusuf, alongside his friend, Akibu, who happened to be neighbours with the girls’ parent, were in the habit of calling the twins to their room to assault them by inserting their fingers in their genitals, according to reports. It was learnt that their mother got to know about the assault when she discovered swelling around her daughters’ genitals while she was bathing them. After which she asked them what happened and they told her it was Yusuf that has been assaulting them. On another occasion when she sent the kids on an errand, they were stopped by Yusuf and his friend who succeeded in taking one of them in while the other ran off to alert her mother. Akibu took to his heels when the police arrived at the scene while the police succeeded in arresting Yusuf.

Lagos Govt Warns Youths against Involvement in Gang Wars

The Lagos State Security Council has warned that all those who get involved in gang wars should desist henceforth or face full wrath of the law. The state Police Commissioner, Mr Umaru Manko, said security agencies would henceforth go after the perpetrators with the aim of putting a stop to the act. He said the security agencies would not only go after the boys that are involved in the gang wars but even their sponsors, stressing that this is a warning for them in areas like Mushin, Bariga, Shomolu and all the involved communities.

Transport Workers Clash in Osun

Deadly clashes involving rival groups of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Wednesday in Ile-Ife, Osun State, left several people injured while commercial activities were paralysed for several hours. Sources said the groups involved in the mayhem were NURTW Ife Intra-city unit and NURTW Lagos/Ibadan unit. A resident of Oduduwa Roundabout area in the town disclosed that mini bus drivers operating within Ife metropolis and their counterparts plying Lagos and Ibadan have for long harboured ill-feelings against each other. A mini bus driver disclosed that the clash erupted at a meeting when members of intercity unit visited the secretariat of intra city to complain about the activities of its members who they said were taking passengers to the park. Members of intra city unit were said to have attacked Lagos/Ibadan drivers with dangerous weapons, leaving many of them injured.

GENERAL

NASS Urges Military to Reduce Insecurity in Nigeria

Chairman Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator George Sekibo, has called on members of the armed forces to reduce the incidence of crimes and insecurity in the country. Sekibo made the call on Monday while inaugurating the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Quarters in Karu. Sekibo however expressed gratitude for the onerous tasks carried out by the armed forces to deal with the Boko Haram threat and other extremist as well as economic saboteurs and social miscreants in the country. On his part, Supervising Minister of Defence, Mr Labaran Maku commended the Chief of Defence Intelligence for providing quality accommodation for its staff. Earlier, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj-Gen Sani Audu, said that the event was part of the realization of his vision to provide a befitting residential accommodation for the staff of the agency.

Gunmen Kill 80 in Plateau, Kaduna, Yobe States

Some 80 persons have been killed by gunmen in separate attacks on villages in Plateau, Kaduna and Yobe States. In Plateau State, some 30 persons, including two soldiers, were killed in two villages in Riyom LGA. Twenty others, mostly traders, were also killed on Monday night when gunmen, suspected to be members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect, attacked a local market in Yobe town. Another set of gunmen, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, killed some 30 persons when they invaded three villages in Kaura LGA of Kaduna State. He said scores of others sustained wounds from gunshots and machete cuts while several houses were razed. Eighteen of those killed in Yobe State met their death when the gunmen attacked Kukawa and Dokshi, in Gulani LGA, on Monday night. The gunmen, who injured several others, were also said to have killed a lecturer at the College of Agriculture, Gujba, said to be returning from Ashaka, Gombe State, at Buni Gari, while they were fleeing the scene of their invasion.

160,000 Policemen in Training for 2015 Elections Monitoring

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, has said about 160,000 policemen are being trained to ensure hitch-free gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun states this year and the 2015 general elections. The IGP said this when the United States Ambassador, Mr. James Entwistle, paid him a courtesy visit at the Force headquarters Abuja, on Tuesday. Abubakar explained that the police officers are receiving specialised training on electoral laws, election security, crowd control, anti-riot operations, covert intelligence operations and general principles of democratic policing. According to him, the men and women are being trained in different police training institutions across the country in preparation for the elections. On his part, Entwistle promised increased collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force in the area of capacity building and other security related matters. He said the US government was committed to the growth and success of Nigeria’s democracy and economy.

Cholera Kills 20 in Benue

About 20 persons, including women and children have died, following a fresh cholera outbreak in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. The epidemic had also left about 300 persons hospitalised across several hospitals in the state capital. At Joluwa Hospital, Dr. Adole Victor, disclosed that the hospital had been admitting close to four cholera patients daily in the last two weeks. He added, that majority of the patients who manifested the disease were residents of the Wadata area of the town which is a known slum that is bordered by River Benue. The state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Orduen Abunku, said his ministry had recorded six deaths as a result of the disease. Abunku, who stressed that the ministry had issued a warning to residents of the town to ensure environmental cleanliness, added that residents must also ensure that they boil their water before drinking.

Air Force Destroy Suspected Boko Haram Hideouts in Borno

The 79 Composite Group of the Nigerian Air Force in Maiduguri said on Wednesday that it had destroyed suspected Boko Haram hideouts following a raid in some parts of the state. Squadron Leader Chris Erondu disclosed that the raid was carried out after surveillance in the areas. He said that sequel to intelligence reports, the 79 Composite Group in conjunction with 75 Strike Group, Yola, carried out air surveillance interdiction and raid on identified Boko Haram hideouts in Bulabulim, Yujiwa-Alagarno, all located around Damboa axis of Borno State. According to him, the results of these air operations have been remarkable as the insurgents have retreated to neighbouring countries of Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republic and have suffered heavy casualties.

28-Year-Old Nigeria Arrested over Australian Woman's Death

The EFCC has arrested a 28-year-old man wanted in connection with the death of an Australian woman and for defrauding her of $US90,000 ($A102,800) in an online dating scam. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Monday that Orowo Jesse Omokoh was arrested on January 28 in Nigeria. The suspect would be brought before court for extradition proceedings, a spokesman said. Omokoh is alleged to have struck up a fake online romance with Jette Jacobs, but five days after he moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, to meet her in February 2013, she was found dead. Some of her valuables were missing and Omokoh had returned to Nigeria. The EFCC, said that Australian Federal Police informed officers in March that Omokoh had allegedly defrauded Jacobs of $US90,000. Jacobs, a grandmother, reportedly sent tens of thousands of dollars to him during her four-year 'romance' with the suspect.

22 Killed in Plateau Attack

Gunmen opened fire in the predominantly Muslim village of Mavo in the Wase LGA of Plateau state at about 2am, witnesses said. Security forces in the area went to investigate and the gunmen returned in the early afternoon, shooting villagers and burning houses. It was unclear who carried out the attack. The interim administrator of Wase council, Zakari Haruna, and state police both confirmed the attack but neither gave a casualty figure. There was no immediate comment from the military.

Gunmen Kill Policeman, Son in Bauchi

Gunmen attacked Soro Divisional Police Station in Ganjuwa LGA of Bauchi State on Monday killing a policeman and his son before freeing four suspects in police detention. The gunmen, who launched the attack at about 1.05am on Monday, were said to have completely burned down the station. This came barely one week after cattle rustlers attacked the Giade Divisional Police Headquarters with explosives, carting away arms, ammunition and a Police Hilux Van and freeing one suspect in detention. The Bauchi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Haruna Mohammed, said three suspects had been arrested in connection with the attack, adding that the police was currently investigating the incident. A security source also said the gunmen, after the attack, were reported to have gone to the house of a policeman, serving in Gombe and killed him and his son.

Army Boosts Contingency to Handle Insurgents

As the fight against terrorism reaches its crescendo, the Nigerian Army said as part of its threat analysis, the service has put measures on ground to boost its contingency in order to handle the insurgents. The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Obi Umahi, made this disclosure on Wednesday at the commissioning of the 65 Battalion Alfa and Bravo Company Offices, sponsored by Lieutenant General TY Danjuma, under the leadership of the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna Dasuki. The GOC said notwithstanding the upper hand by the military, they would not lower their guards adding that if anything happens anywhere in the country, they would be proactive enough to tackle it.

ECOWAS Court Orders Release Soldier Detained for 8 Years

The Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Court) has found Nigeria guilty of unlawful detention in relation to the incarceration of a soldier, Alimu Akeem, an aide to former Chief of Army Staff (CAS), General Victor Malu since 2006. Akeem, of the 72 Para Battalion, Nigerian Army, Makurdi, Benue State, was attached to General Malu as a security detail until November 13, 2006 when he was seized, with four others over allegation that a riffle got missing in the ex-CAS’ home in Benue State. He was taken before the Army Court Martial in Enugu on May 15, 2009 before which he was arraigned on a two count charge of “theft of property belonging to the Army” and “vacation of duty post during working hours.”

Gunmen Kill Islamic Scholar, Wife, Son in Kaduna

An Islamic scholar, Sheik Muhammad Albani, along with his wife and 12 year old son were last Saturday, shot death by unknown gunmen in Tudun Wada area of Zaria, Kaduna state. Albani aged 54, was said to have been attacked on his way home after leaving the venue of his daily Islamic preaching in the area at about 10:30pm. Spokesman of the Kaduna state police command, Aminu Lawan who confirmed the incident said the police had commenced investigations to fish out the culprits. Meanwhile one person has been arrested by security agencies in connection with the killing. The suspect was said to have been arrested by the youths in the locality and handed over to security agents after he was thoroughly beaten. He confessed that he and nine others carried out the attack that led to the extermination of an entire household.

Pastor, 10 Others Killed in Adamawa Attack

Gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram killed a pastor and 10 other persons in a fresh attack penultimate Friday at Ekklisiya Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN) Church in in Madagali area of Adamawa state. The chairman Madagali Local Government council, Maina Ularamu, said the attackers had attempted to burn down the village head, but were resisted by some youths and other local vigilantes that kept firing local guns to repel them.  He, however, confirmed that they shot 10 persons and the resident pastor of EYN church to death. Soldiers were later deployed, but the gunmen escaped into the bush after looting foodstuffs and 5 cows. Two persons were reported missing.

Maiduguri Airport Re-Opened

The Federal Government has re-opened the Maiduguri International Airport in Borno State for civil, scheduled and unscheduled flight services after the Boko Haram attack on December 2, 2013. The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nnamdi Udoh,  who disclosed this, stated that some of the agency’s equipment, including components of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON),  power generating sets and instrument landing system (ILS) destroyed during the attack, had been restored by NAMA. Although commercial flight services has not started in the airport, Udoh said airlines could now resume flight operations as the damaged navigation equipment at the airport has been fixed. The managing director of NAMA said the FG had also installed sophisticated air navigation equipment at the airport to boost surveillance around the borders with Cameroon where, according to him, there is increased infiltration of suspected terrorists.

Factory Shut over Death of 3 Workers in One Week

The Kano State Government on Thursday in Kano closed down the factory of KANOSAN Ltd over the death of three workers in its treatment plant in the last one week. The state’s Industrial Waste Committee Mobile Court said it ordered the closure because the management of the factory had been careless with the lives of its workers. The closure was jointly announced by the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and Tourism, Dr Abubakar Daburam and his counterpart at the Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas. According to the commissioner, the closure of the company was the outcome of an investigation conducted by a committee set up by the state government to check the issue. KANOSAN Ltd had last week lost three of its workers in the sewage of the company, an act which authorities and environmentalists have attributed to negligence on the part of the company.

INTERNATIONAL

Student Goes On Rampage, Kills Two in Moscow School

An armed student entered a Moscow school on Monday and took more than 20 teenagers hostage in an incident that also claimed the lives of a policeman and a teacher. The hostage-taker was one of the students of school number 263 on the northern outskirts of Moscow, police officials said. A policeman and a biology teacher were killed in the hostage crisis, which sparked fresh security fears in Russia ahead of the start of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. He had held more than 20 teenage biology class students and the teacher hostage for about 30 minutes before the police moved in. It was not immediately how the teacher and the policeman died. The hostage-taker has been detained.

11 Killed as Boat Capsizes in Bangladesh

At least 11 people were killed when a motor boat capsized after catching fire in north-eastern Bangladesh, police said on Tuesday. The boat was carrying about 100 passengers on the Surma river near Doarabazar in Sunamganj district, nearly 200 km north-west of capital Dhaka, when the fire broke out on Monday night, police officer Harunur Rashid said. The fire may have been started by a cooking stove, and caused many to panic and jump overboard before it capsized, according to reports. Rashid said that more than 50 passengers were able to swim shore. Most of those on board were day labourers at a stone quarry in the district, across the border from the Indian hill state of Meghalaya, he said.

Election Workers Shot Dead in Afghanistan

Two Afghan election campaigners working for presidential candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, have been shot dead in the city of Herat. The shootings took place the day before campaigning officially starts for the April polls. Gunmen reportedly attacked the two as they left a campaign office. Abdullah Abdullah was the runner-up in the disputed election of 2009 to President Karzai, who cannot stand this time. Abdullah pulled out of the second round of the 2009 election because he said he feared the vote would be rigged. His spokesman, Sayed Fazel Sangcharaki, confirmed the deaths of the campaign workers on Saturday. Analysts say Abdullah is the only presidential candidate to publicly endorse a security deal with the US that would see thousands of foreign troops remain in Afghanistan beyond 2014.

Tunisian Policeman, Militants Killed in Raid of Hide-out

A Tunisian policeman and two Islamist militants were killed during a police raid on a house in Tunis where weapons, explosives and suicide bomb belts were found, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday. A gun battle erupted late on Monday when police surrounded the house in an attempt to arrest a group of suspected militants hiding there. Tunisian armed forces have cracked down on the hardline Islamist Ansar al-Sharia faction, whose leader has declared allegiance to al-Qaeda. Tunisia formally celebrates a new constitution on Friday to mark the country's progress to democracy. Three years after its uprising inspired revolts across the Arab world, Tunisia is led by a new caretaker government that took over after the moderate Islamist Ennahda party stepped down in a compromise to end a political crisis.

Two Killed in Yemeni Bus Attack

At least two people were killed when a bomb hit a bus carrying Yemeni soldiers in the capital Sanaa on Tuesday, a medical source said. Tuesday's blast was the latest in a series of security incidents to hit Yemen in less than a week. Two Westerners kidnapped penultimate Friday and three explosions near the French embassy, the defence ministry and the central bank, shook the capital last Sunday. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but Yemen's security personnel have been targeted by Islamist militants in the past.

Iraqi Forces Kill 57 Islamist Militants

Iraqi troops and allied tribesmen killed 57 Islamist militants in Anbar province on Monday, the Defence Ministry said. There was no independent verification of the toll among the militants, said to be members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a jihadi group also fighting in the civil war in neighbouring Syria. ISIL militants and other Sunni groups angered by the Shi'ite Muslim-led Baghdad government overran the city of Falluja and parts of the nearby city of Ramadi in Anbar on January 1. The Defence Ministry said most of the 57 militants had been killed in the outskirts of Ramadi. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has held back from an all-out assault on Falluja to give time for a negotiated way out of the standoff, but mediation efforts appear to have failed. Troops intensified shelling of Falluja late on Sunday and security officials said a ground assault would follow soon.

Libya Completes Destruction of Chemical Weapons

Libya said on Tuesday that its chemical weapons, including artillery shells and bombs filled with mustard gas, have been destroyed. The destruction, completed just a few days ago, was "an important milestone" for Libya fulfilling its obligations under the chemical weapons convention, according to the country's Foreign Ministry. According to Andrew C. Weber, U.S. assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs, the weapons destroyed were: 517 artillery shells filled with mustard gas, eight 250 kilogram bombs filled with mustard gas and 45 tubes filled with mustard gas. The destruction operations over the past few months were a joint effort involving Libyans trained for the tasks, with technical assistance and logistical support from the United States, Germany and Canada. The next phase will be preparations for the destruction of "chemical precursors," or Category 2 chemicals, according to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Officials there say the destruction of chemical precursors is expected to be completed by the end of 2016.

US Calls on CAR to End Violence

The United States has called for an end to the “cycle of violence” in the Central African Republic (CAR) after soldiers publicly lynched a suspected ex-rebel following a military ceremony. The gruesome attack, widely captured on camera, happened mere moments after Catherine Samba Panza, the Interim President, spoke of her pride in seeing the country’s armed forces contribute to national security again. The Central African Republic has been engulfed in deadly violence since Muslim rebels calling themselves Seleka, or alliance, seized power in March 2013, forcing the then president Francois Bozize out of power. The violence intensified, leaving hundreds of people dead, as the mainly Christian anti-balaka (machete) started fighting Seleka rebels who are blamed for a campaign of murder, rape and looting against the Christian majority.

Former Rwandan Spy Chief on Trial in France

A French court has begun hearing the landmark trial of a former Rwandan intelligence chief charged with complicity in the 1994 genocide. Pascal Simbikangwa, who is paraplegic after a car crash, was arrested in 2008 while living under an alias on France’s Indian Ocean island of Mayotte. His lawyers argue that he is being made a scapegoat for the killings. France has been accused of being too slow to prosecute those allegedly linked to the genocide. Hundreds of thousands of Rwandans perished over 100 days in 1994. After the genocide, many Rwandans fled to France as they share a common language and used to enjoy close diplomatic relations. Simbikangwa, 54, is accused of helping to arm ethnic Hutu militia who manned roadblocks in the capital, and instructing them about their part in the slaughter. He faces the possibility of life in jail even though charges against him have been downgraded from genocide and crimes against humanity to complicity in these crimes. More than 50 journalists, historians, farmers, security guards and former intelligence officials are expected to be called as witnesses in the trial.

HRW Slams Iraq for Women Prisoners Abuse

Iraqi authorities are detaining thousands of women illegally and subjecting many to torture and ill-treatment, including the threat of sexual abuse, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said. Many women were detained for months or even years and security forces often questioned them about their male relatives’ activities, rather than crimes they were believed to have committed. The women described being kicked, beaten, given electric shocks, threatened with sexual assault, and even raped in front of their relatives and children. A spokesman for Iraq’s Human Rights Ministry said the testimonies in the HRW report were “over-exaggerated”, but acknowledged that they had some limited illegal behaviours by security forces against women prisoners. The ministry’s teams had referred such reports to the relevant authorities, “asking them to bring those who are culpable to justice”, the spokesman said.

15 Students Killed in Syria Barrel Bomb

At least 15 boys were killed when Syrian forces dropped a barrel bomb on a mosque operating as a makeshift school in Aleppo, the opposition Syrian Coalition said Wednesday. Barrel bombs are drums packed with explosives and shrapnel, which are then dropped from the sky. Tuesday’s attack is the second barrel bomb raid in two days in the northern Syrian city, which has become a flashpoint of the country’s civil war. “Each and every day that the barrel-bombing of Aleppo continues, the Assad regime reminds the world of its true colors,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement after the attack.

Ex-Athlete Bags Life Imprisonment for Murder in South Africa

A former Nigerian Olympic athlete, Ambrose Monye, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in South Africa. Monye was sentenced alongside Andre Gouws for the murder of Channelle Henning. After having denied for months, both of them confessed to being involved in the murder of the 26-year-old Henning. She was shot in Faerie Glen, in the east of Pretoria in November 2011 just after she dropped her son at a crèche. At that time, Channelle and her estranged husband, Nick Henning, had been locked in a custody battle. Henning was picked up by law enforcement agents in December after his best friend, Gouws told the court that Henning offered him a million Rands to have his wife killed. Gouws also told the court that he offered Monye R50,000 to find killers to kill her. The Nigerian said he is ashamed of his actions.