Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 16

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Robbery Suspects Killed in Enugu

Two suspected armed robbers were killed in Nsukka, Enugu State, last Saturday, when they engaged security men in a gun battle. A statement from the Enugu State Police Command said the suspected robbers attacked a filling station on Enugu Road in the early hours of the day before they met their waterloo. The statement by the spokesman of the command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said one of the suspects was shot dead instantly, while the other died on the way to the hospital. It said a third suspect escaped with bullet wounds. The statement said the suspected robbers stormed the filling station on a motorcycle and began operation before the police responded to a distress call. It said the police recovered one Barreta piston with seven rounds of live ammunition, one motorcycle, one locally-made pistol with one cartridge and some amount of money. It identified the dead suspects as Sunday Eze and Obinna Eze.

Environmental Officials Kill 17-Year-Old Pupil in Enugu

A 17-year-old boy, Chidiebere Edeh, has died after being beaten up with sticks by men of the Enugu State Waste Management Agency. He died nine hours after being beaten up by five ESWAMA agents and a police officer. It was gathered that a scuffle between ESWAMA agents and Chidiebere ensued minutes after the deceased allegedly disposed of a bag of rubbish at one of the approved dumpsites. Apparently unhappy with the manner he discarded the waste; the ESWAMA agents immediately began to hit him with sticks. A witness said the ESWAMA men hit the deceased harder when he refused being taken away in a commercial bus. Mother of the deceased, Catherine Edeh, said that the ESWAMA agents threatened to beat her if she did not steer clear, so she said she left to look for money to bail her son, but returned to meet the place deserted with the body of her son nearby. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the incident. Meanwhile, the International Solidarity for Peace and Human Rights Initiative has demanded justice in the murder of Chidiebere by officials of ESWAMA.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Police Declare 5 Wanted over Killing of Lawyers

Delta State Police Command has declared five suspected kidnappers/armed robbers wanted over the alleged murder of two lawyers, Egwuono Dafiogho and Samuel Ekwughanju, on March 27, while on their way to a Delta State High Court sitting in Ozoro, Isoko South LGA. This is as the Warri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), stated that the Police have a case to answer over the killing of their colleagues. The NBA, after a four-hour procession in the city, in protest over the killing of the duo, accused the police of jumping to conclusions with respect to the police recent statements on the matter. The state Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Aduba, gave the names of those declared wanted as Chucks, Obeji, Kelvin, Kaya Morgan and Shakara. Aduba said they are members of “a dreadful and bloodletting gang, earlier led by Kelvin of Kokori, now on trial in Abuja and one Jonathan Ikoli, aka GSM, presently in our custody.”

Police Parade Suspected Kidnappers of Clark’s Son

Delta State Commissioner of Police Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, Monday, paraded the suspected kidnappers of Chief E. K. Clark’s son, Ebikeme Clark at the state police headquarters, Asaba. He said the command was seriously worried over the whereabouts of some members of the kidnap gang that carried out the operation, which he described as “extremely dangerous.” According to him, “other gang members still at large include Timi, Abel, Ndamaw, and Jacob. “The suspects further confessed to being behind the kidnapping of one Madam Rose at Udu Road, Warri, from whose family they collected a ransom of N1.8 million. The CP urged residents to alert the police command through any of their distress call numbers: 08036684974, 08125273010 and 08075390753 or alert any of the security agencies in the state with any useful information that will lead to the arrest of the wanted suspects. State Police Command’s spokesperson, Celestina Kalu, who paraded the suspects on behalf of the CP, said one of the suspects, Joshua Ogofa, was the master mind. Ebikeme Clark, penultimate Sunday, regained his freedom after 3 days in captivity. He was, on Wednesday April 2, abducted from Kiagbodo in Burutu LGA of Delta State by masked gunmen operating through the local river.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Fake Army Officers Arrested in Lagos

At least 10 persons parading themselves as Army officers were arrested, on Monday, by Military Police at Agbara customs check point along Badagry Expressway, Lagos. Some of the suspects arrested were wearing Army uniforms, camouflage, cap and vest. According to one of the Military Police officers, some of the persons arrested were impersonating army officers, while others were actually officers but were supposed to be off duty. The arrest, according to him, was to checkmate the activities of fake army officers operating along the axis. A bus driven by one of the arrested officers was carrying bags of rice and other contraband smuggled from Cotonou. The driver of another vehicle was also apprehended, while one of their motorcycles carrying frozen chicken and turkey was also impounded.

Gateman Drugs, Rapes Male Colleague in Lagos

A Lagos resident held down another man and raped him, a police prosecutor told an Abule Egba Magistrates’ Court Tuesday. The prosecutor, Rachael Williams, alleged that the accused, a male, had drugged his victim before raping him. “When the complainant woke up, his anus was paining him and there was some left-over semen in it”. The accused, 38-year-old Sali Malu, a gatekeeper, is facing a two-count charge of sexual assault and causing a breach of peace. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge of raping a fellow gatekeeper and breach of peace. Ruling on the bail application of the accused, the Magistrate, Tajudeen Elias, granted the accused a bail of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum. The case has been adjourned until May 5 for mention.

NDLEA Arrest Food Vendor with Ingested, Inserted Cocaine

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a food vendor, Chinelo Okorom Lynnette, 36, in Lagos while attempting to smuggle 685 grammes of cocaine inserted in her genitals into the country. Operatives of the NDLEA apprehended Lynnette at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) during inward screening of passengers on an Ethiopian airline flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. NDLEA Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the suspect ingested few wraps and inserted others in her genitals. She tested positive for drug ingestion and vaginal insertion. She however expelled a total of 685 grammes of substance that tested positive for cocaine while under observation at the airport,” Hamza stated.

FRSC Arrests 23,287 Offenders in Three Months in Lagos

The Lagos State Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Wednesday disclosed that it arrested 23,287 traffic offenders in the state in the first quarter of the year. The state’s Sector Commander, Chidi Nkwonta, disclosed that the offenders were involved in 26,076 traffic offences. Nkwonta said that lack of caution signs, defective windscreens and non-usage of seat belts topped the list of the offences. Nkwota urged motorists to consider their safety and that of their passengers above all the reasons they might have to disregard rules. Nkwonta assured that the FRSC was committed to achieving its goal of ‘zero crashes’ on the country’s highways. He added that the commission would intensify enforcement of traffic regulations to reduce auto crash casualties in the state. Nkwonta urged motorists to shun dangerous driving, overloading, drunk-driving and other acts that were inimical to road safety.

Pregnant Woman, 4 Others Electrocuted as High-Tension Cable Falls on Car

Five persons, including a pregnant woman were allegedly electrocuted on Thursday in Lagos after a PHCN high-tension cable fell, causing fire and explosion. An eyewitness disclosed that that the incident happened around 2am at Oworonshoki. Fire reportedly broke out when the cable fell on a car loaded with petroleum products. The source said that the victims rushed out of their homes when they heard the explosion and ran into the live cable unknowingly. The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, confirmed the incident, saying that the victims included three teenagers, a pregnant woman and another woman. The director said that his men were able to contain the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.

Robbers Kill Man, Shoot Daughter, 12, in Lagos

A gang of robbers on Sunday shot dead a 59-year-old contractor, Alhaji Yusuf Surajudeen, in his home located on Adebola Street in the Ogudu, Ojota area of Lagos State. Surajudeen’s 12-year-old daughter, Aisha, was also shot in the face during the operation which lasted for less than an hour. It was learnt that after shooting the father of four, the robbers forced their way into the house and turned it inside out. The robbers were said to have dispossessed family members of their valuables before fleeing. The injured girl was transferred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital where doctors are battling to save her life. It was learnt that the matter was reported at the Ogudu Police Division while the corpse had been released for burial. Police spokeswoman, Ngozi Braide, said the wounded girl was responding to treatment.

Nine Die in Ogun Road Crash

Nine passengers were burnt beyond recognition after fire gutted a Lagos-bound commercial bus on Warewa Long Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State penultimate Saturday. It was learnt that nine others sustained injuries in the accident which occurred around 4pm. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said nine passengers were killed. The sector commander, FRSC, Chidi Nkwonta, said that the cause of the accident had yet to be ascertained but investigations were ongoing. Meanwhile, four people lost their lives in the Epe area of Lagos State on Saturday following a head-on collision between two vehicles. A woman was also said to have sustained injuries.

Gunmen Invade Church, Kill 70-Year-Old Man

Gunmen, penultimate Sunday morning, invaded St. John Anglican Church, Oke Sopein, in Ijebu Igbo in Ijebu North LGA of Ogun State and shot dead a 70-year-old man, Otunba Tola Okuneye. It was gathered that about 10 gunmen arrived in two vehicles, entered the church and shot the man on the head. A resident of the area said the death of the man may likely be traced to some of those he had legal matters with in court. The remains of the deceased, who is survived by six wives and over 20 children, was deposited at Ijebu-Igbo General Hospital’s mortuary. The Ogun State Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the tragic incident.

Man Stabs Friend to Death over N800

A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lateef Jimoh, has been remanded in prison for allegedly stabbing to death his 33-year-old friend, Nurudeen Adio, over N800. The incident was said to have occurred at the Amukoko area of Lagos State where Jimoh and Adio had a disagreement over N800 and a fight ensued. In fit of anger, 32-year-old Jimoh allegedly smashed a bottle on the floor, and stabbed the deceased in the chest with its fragment. The police said the victim died before he could get any medical treatment. Jimoh was arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court on Monday on one count of murder. The defendant’s plea was not taken for the offence. The police prosecutor, Inspector Clement Okuomoise, applied for the remand of the defendant in prison custody pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution. The matter was adjourned till May 7, 2014 for legal advice.

Man Beats 2-Year-Old Son to Death, Flees

An irate mob, Monday, attempted to set a building in Ejigbo, ablaze, after one of its occupants was alleged to have beaten his two year old son to death. The suspect, identified as Oni Mama, a commercial motorcyclist, was alleged to have secretly buried the remains of his son around the area. Report said the child, apparently hungry, was seen crying and chasing his father who was about moving out on his motorcycle, last Friday. Out of anger, his father was said to have dragged him inside and allegedly hit him several times until he died. Report said Oni Mama was later seen carrying a sack dripping with blood out of the building, consequent upon which curious tenants alerted policemen at Ejigbo. Policemen are on the lookout for the suspect whose whereabouts was unknown.

3 Dead, 4 Injured as Party Congress Turns Violent

Three persons were shot dead in Ilorin during ward congresses of the Kwara state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while four were injured. The Police Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed only one death, adding that seven suspects have been arrested over the incident. In another area, the exercise turned violent when a policeman shot into the air in an attempt to control a rowdy situation. His gun fell and was seized by suspected hoodlums. In trying to retrieve the AK 47 rifle, another policeman was said to have shot at the suspected hoodlums. Others also took advantage of the crises to set up a bonfire along the area, obstructing traffic flow.

GENERAL

Military Deploys Surveillance Devices
…as Gunmen Kill 20 in Yobe

Nigerian security forces have stepped-up their on-going offensive against insurgents with the deployment of advanced surveillance devices to track the movement of key leaders and members of the Boko Haram sect. This was made known as gunmen opened fire on a mosque in Buna Gary, Yobe State killing at least 20 worshippers and inflicting serious injuries on 22 others, who were taken to a hospital in the town for treatment. A survivor, Musa Ibrahim, disclosed that the gunmen struck before dawn as residents of Buna Gary were gathering for the first prayer of the day. The gunmen were also said to have burnt many houses and shops during the attack, which lasted for about an hour without help from the security forces. The deployment of the advanced surveillance equipment, which military sources said was with the cooperation and assistance of United States and United Kingdom, was said to be a prelude to the deployment of drones to further confront the security challenges in the North-east.

Over 200 Killed in Zamfara Massacre

Death toll in last weekend’s massacre in Unguwar Galadima community in Zamfara State, hit 200. State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, who visited the village, along with other officials participated in the burial of 79 people killed in the attack by the cattle rustlers. Over 215 persons were said to have been killed in the attack on the people who were holding a meeting of vigilante groups to review the security situation in the area when the gunmen struck. In a swift response to the killings, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered the immediate deployment of special forces, comprising 10 units of Police Mobile Force (PMF), three units of conventional policemen, a unit of counter-terrorism personnel, border patrol teams and intelligence personnel drawn from various squadrons and commands to reinforce the security agents already in the area. This came as no fewer than 25 people, including politicians who were on their way to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital to attend the All Progressives Congress, APC, stakeholders meeting/congress were slaughtered by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in separate attacks in Gwoza council area and along the Maiduguri‑ Biu road.

Apo Killings: NHRC Indicts Security Agencies
…Orders Payment of N135m to Relatives of Victims

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Monday declared that the killing of eight tricycle riders at the Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja on September 20, 2013 by security agents was unlawful. In its report read by the Chairman of the Governing Council of the commission, Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, the commission awarded N135 million as compensation to the relatives of those killed. The commission awarded N10 million to each of the family of the eight people killed during the attack and N5million to each the eleven that sustained injuries. The commission also directed that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation must lodge the evidence of payment with the commission’s office within 30 days. It said contrary to reports that the people killed were members of Boko Haram, the security agents did not even interview those wounded in the operation to establish their connection or otherwise to the sect. The commission also said no arms and ammunition were shown to have been recovered from the property where the squatters were killed.

Kogi Governor’s Convoy to Blame for Iyayi’s Death - FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has blamed the convoy of the Kogi State Governor, Capt. Idris Wada, and the construction firms handling the Abuja-Lokoja road for the accident that killed former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Festus Iyayi. Iyayi died in a car crash last November while travelling to Kano for an emergency meeting called by the union over a nationwide strike by university lecturers. Following the public outrage that greeted the incident, the FRSC had ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the incident. The commission in its findings said the accident was caused by the failure of the driver of a van in the governor’s convoy, carrying seven policemen, to move to his lane of travel despite the fact that the road had been confined to a two-lane roadway following the protracted construction work on the road.

Military Arrests 17 Boko Haram Suspects in Adamawa

A troop of soldiers in masks stormed the Jimeta Shopping Complex situated in Yola, the capital of Adamawa state on Tuesday arresting 17 persons suspected to be members of Boko Haram. The Shopping Complex with a capacity of 500 shops and stores has been tagged by residents as an enclave for hoodlums following reports of incessant criminal activities in the area. Eyewitnesses account said the marked soldiers stormed the Shopping complex at about 1pm and started arresting people they had already targeted to arrest, including men of the Civilian JTF that are helping the military in their operations against members of Boko Haram.

Gunmen Kill 10, Torch Houses in Taraba

The Taraba State Police Command has confirmed that gunmen on Tuesday killed 10 people in Jibu village in Wukari LGA of the state. The police spokesman, ASP Joseph Kwaji, disclosed that the suspected assailants also burnt more than 20 houses. According to him, the suspected gunmen killed every one they saw in the area irrespective of the person’s ethnicity and region, including Jukuns. He added that 15 people were badly injured. Kwaji, however, disclosed that a joint patrol of Mobile police and military had been deployed to intensify security in the area. The spokesman, therefore, appealed to people in the area to stay calm, saying security personnel were on top of the situation. He assured members of the community that the perpetrators of ‘this dastardly act’ would be brought to book.

5 Soldiers, Terrorists Killed in Boko Haram Ambush

An officer of the Nigerian Army and four soldiers have been killed in an ambush by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, while scores of the sect members were killed in the shootout that ensued. The death of the soldiers came just as a distress call from indigenes indicating a planned attack, saved some communities around the Lake Chad Basin from being over-run by the terrorists. A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, said that the timely distress call has saved communities besieged by the terrorists in search of food around the Lake Chad area. He added that the assault on terrorists’ enclaves in Sambisa forests and surrounding locations is continuing. Operational activities around Wala, Gwoza, Pulka and environs have been intensified.

NBA Tasks FG over Prison Reforms

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has lamented the state of Nigerian prisons saying that urgent steps should be taken by the Federal Government to decongest them. The NBA, Dutse branch in Jigawa State made this known during a prison visit with the state chief judge, Justice Aminu Sabo Ringim, alongside rights activists. During the visit, they had discovered a dead prisoner in his cell at the Garu Satellite Prisons while on a visit to the facility. The association also called on the Federal Government to make conscious efforts to de-congest prisons throughout the country. The inmate, Damina Audu Jauru was alleged to have died due to excessive heat in the prison which had 160 inmates as against 50 which it was meant to accommodate. The NBA chairman in the area, Adamu Turaki Mohammed, said that some members of his association discovered the death of Mohammed in his cell, blaming it on excessive heat occasioned by overcrowding.

Pension Reform Act: Senate Prescribes 10-Year Jail Term for Pension Thieves

The Senate, on Wednesday, passed the Pension Reform Act with a prescription of a 10-year jail term for pension thieves. The Act officially accommodates employees of private firms in the contributory pension scheme. The passage of the bill automatically repealed the Pension Reform Act 2004 thereby, making it possible for every person who worked in either the public service of the Federation,  the Federal Capital Territory,  states or local government and the private sector, to receive pension benefits as and when due. The scheme covers private organisations with at least three or more employees. The act further stipulates that apart from a 10-year jail term, anyone who misappropriates pension fund must also refund three times the amount embezzled by him or her. Also, whoever attempts to misappropriate the fund, on conviction, will be liable to the same punishment as it is prescribed for the full offence in the Act. In addition to payment of fines and serving the jail terms, the Act stipulates that anyone who misappropriates pension fund shall forfeit to the Federal Government, any property, asset or fund with accrued interest on the stolen money.

One Dead, 15 Hospitalised, as Lassa fever, Cholera Ravage Plateau

One person has been confirmed dead and five others lying critically ill in two hospitals following the outbreak of Lassa fever in Plateau State. Confirming the outbreak and the death of one victim, the Deputy Director, Epidemiology in the State Ministry of Health, Dr Raymond Juryit, said there are cases of suspected Lassa fever in the state and four of the infected persons are being treated at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH), Jos, while one other is hospitalised at a hospital in Jingri, Bassa LGA of the state. He also confirmed that one person died of the fever at BUTH. Juryit also said that the state government was taking necessary measures to prevent a spread of the outbreak and had already taken specimens for confirmation.

Gunmen Bomb Police Station, Court, Bank in Jigawa
…Kill Seven Policemen, Civilian in Jigawa

Bandits suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists on Wednesday bombed a police station, a bank and a Sharia Court, killing seven policemen and a civilian guard in Gwaram Sabuwa,   Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State. Four other persons were also said to have been injured during the incident which occurred between 1am and 2am. The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 1, Mr. Tambari Muhammed, confirmed this in Dutse just as news of bloodshed by armed men in Niger State spread. The bandits, numbering over 20, allegedly arrived in the community in motorcycles and cars, used explosives to attack the police station, the bank and the court. Muhammed said that no arrest had been made but that more armed policemen had been deployed in the village. As the news of the Jigawa attack spread, there were reports that gunmen invaded and killed two people in Shadna, Bosso LGA of Niger State. It was gathered that three other persons sustained   injuries during the invasion which took place when the villagers were having their monthly traditional dance on Tuesday night. The injured persons were rushed to an undisclosed hospital while the dead were buried according to Islamic rites.

Taraba Warring Tribes Sign Ceasefire Agreement

Leaders of Tiv, Fulani, Jukun and Hausa communities in Taraba State have signed a peace agreement on behalf of their people to end violence and foster development. This is contained in a communiqué issued recently in Jalingo at the end of a peace meeting. The meeting was presided over by DIG in charge of Operations and leader, Presidential Peace Committee, Michael Zuokumor. The communiqué stated that representatives of the four ethnic groups in four local government areas of Wukari, Ibi, Donga and Takum met and resolved to end violence with an immediate cessation of hostilities. They said they are ready to embrace peace and no party should carry out any attack on the other no matter the provocation. They further agreed that the Fulani should henceforth stop invading, killing, burning houses and destroying crops and other economic trees belonging to the Tiv people. The meeting requested that the Mobile Police Barrack in Akwana, Wukari should be completed and occupied by Mobile police personnel to ensure security in the areas.

School Teacher in Court over Rape of 9-Year-Old Pupil

Bauchi State Ministry of Justice has sued a Primary School Teacher, James Dantayi, for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl, Hauwa’u Ahmed, in his office. Prosecution Counsel, Rukayyatu Ikewar, told the court that the accused had a forceful carnal knowledge of a girl in his office, in which she sustained injuries and immediately she was taken to hospital for treatment. The accused denied the charges. The case of rape was filed before a Bauchi State High Court Presided over by Justice Aliyu Baba Usman, who adjourned the case for continuous hearing.

Gunmen Kill Seven in Maiduguri

Members of the deadly Boko Haram sect, penultimate Saturday, killed seven travellers along the Maiduguri-Biu. The terrorist sect was alleged to have laid siege on the road when its members killed seven persons, forcing many motorists to avoid the Maiduguri-Biu highway and some other major highways leading into the troubled town. It was gathered that after the sect killed the travellers, they also stormed Gwargube, an adjoining village to the road where they were alleged to have summoned the villagers and threatened them to cooperate or be killed.

INTERNATIONAL

Ukraine President Calls Emergency Meeting over Increasing Protests

Ukraine’s acting president has called an emergency security meeting in response to pro-Russian protests in three eastern Ukrainian cities. Olexander Turchynov cancelled a visit to Lithuania to deal personally with the unfolding events, his office said. Protesters stormed government buildings and called for a vote on independence in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv. The unrest comes amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine over Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The move, condemned as illegal by Kiev and the West, followed the ousting of Ukraine’s pro-Moscow President, Viktor Yanukovych, in February. Thousands of Russian soldiers are reported to have been deployed along the border between Ukraine and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow has the right to protect the Russian-speaking population Ukraine. Ukraine’s leaders deny the country’s Russian speakers are under threat and have said they will resist any intervention in their country.

32 Killed, Several Injured in Pakistan Train and Market Blasts

An explosion has ripped through a train in Pakistan’s restive southwestern province of Balochistan, killing at least 14 people, officials said. The bomb went off on the Rawalpindi-bound Jaffer Express in a carriage reserved for men in the town of Sibi about 160km south of the provincial capital of Quetta. Local hospital treated 44 injured men and five seriously injured were flown to Quetta via helicopter, the district commissioner told Al Jazeera. Two carriages of the train caught fire after the blast but the flames had since been extinguished, senior police official Mohammad Nazar said. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which came a day after paramilitary troops said that they had launched an operation in the province and killed around 40 armed men. In another incident, a deadly blast struck a market on the outskirts of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, killing at least 18 people, police say. The high intensity blast took place near a busy fruit and vegetable market in the early hours on Wednesday morning, they add. Dozens of people have been injured in the explosion.

Two Foreign Journalists Shot in Afghanistan

Two journalists working for the Associated Press news agency were shot by a police officer in eastern Afghanistan, officials say. One of the women, Anja Niedringhaus, died in the attack. Her colleague, Kathy Gannon, is reported to be stable. The attack took place in the town of Khost near the border with Pakistan. It comes as Afghanistan intensifies security ahead of presidential elections, in response to threats of violence by the Taliban. The new president will succeed Hamid Karzai, who has been in power since the 2001 fall of the Taliban but is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term. The journalists had been travelling with a convoy of election workers – protected by Afghan security forces – delivering ballots from the centre of Khost to the district of Tani, on the outskirts. They were in their own car with a translator and a freelancer, reports say. The freelancer said they had arrived in a heavily-guarded compound shortly before the shooting. As they were waiting in the back seat of the car for the convoy to move, a unit commander shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) and opened fire on them, the freelancer told AP. He then surrendered to the other police and was arrested.

Over 150,000 Killed in Syrian Conflict

More than 150,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had documented the deaths of 150,344 people of which 51,212 were civilians, including 7,985 children. The group said 37,781 members of the armed opposition had been killed, including jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra Front. A total of 58,480 loyalist forces, including more than 35,000 soldiers, were also killed within the period. Included among those killed on the government side were 364 members of Lebanon’s Shiite movement Hezbollah. Another 2,871 unidentified people were recorded as having died, the group said. On Tuesday itself, more than 50 people were killed in Damascus and Aleppo provinces, the Observatory said. Meanwhile in Damascus province, 12 people were killed. Among them were six children killed by army tank fire on Jabaadin village.

23 Killed in Egypt Tribal Clashes

A second day of clashes between two tribes in southern Egypt has left a total of 18 people dead, officials say. The Egyptian military said that it had intervened to stop the fighting between the Arab Bani Hilal clan and a Nubian family. The violence started late on Friday after offensive graffiti was drawn on the walls of a local school, security officials said. Several homes were burnt down and over 31 people were injured in the clashes. Police failed to intervene to put an end to the violence, prompting the armed forces to step in, according to eyewitnesses. It is not known what sparked the graffiti war that led to the latest bloodshed. There has been tension in the past between Arab clans and ethnic Nubians, who originate from southern Egypt and north Sudan. However, this incident is the most serious instance of ethnic bloodshed in recent years.

Mali gets New Prime Minister

A new Prime Minister (PM) has been appointed in Mali to succeed Oumar Tatam Ly, who has resigned from office – along with his entire government. Ly was elected last year after a French-led military intervention ended an Islamist takeover. His successor is a former presidential hopeful, Moussa Mara, who had also served as minister of town planning. Mara had been calling for more action to be taken to curb persistent instability in the north. Security remains fragile in the north, the former base of the Islamist rebels who were driven back last year. President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita has been facing international pressure to commence peace talks that could help stability. Mara stood against Keita in the last presidential election. Mara’s political career is the product of the country’s town halls rather than elite French schools. France is now winding down its troop presence in the country but says it will continue to deploy forces against pockets of militancy in the north.

17 Killed In India Bus Accident

No fewer than 17 people were killed on Monday when a passenger bus fell into a gorge in India’s northern mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, a police report said. Some 20 other passengers were injured when the bus plunged into a 121-metre gorge in Paonta Sahib, 200km south of state capital Shimla. District Police Chief, Sumedha Dwivedi, said that all 17 victims died on the scene, and added that the death toll could increase with some of the passengers sustaining serious injuries. The cause of the accident had not been determined, but survivors said that the driver lost control of the vehicle. Report says India accounts for 10 per cent of the world’s 1.2 million fatal road accidents each year. According to the report, many accidents are reported from mountainous regions like Himachal Pradesh and are usually caused by reckless driving, bad roads or the poor condition of vehicles.

Teenager Shot Dead During South Africa Riots

A teenager was shot dead during a violent protest in a region of South Africa which has been rocked by days of rioting against the ruling ANC, local officials said Thursday. The victim was part of group looting shops in the central town of Christiana on Wednesday and was shot by the owner of a tavern, who also wounded two other people. North West police spokesperson, Thulani Ngubane, confirmed the shooting. The neighbouring town of Bloemhof has for days been the scene of violent protests during which the mayor’s residence, public buildings and shops were torched. The demonstrations, which started on April 2 to protest against the poor quality of public service and demand the resignation of local officials, spread to Christiana on Tuesday. South African police has struggled to prevent or contain an ever growing number of similar protests across the country demanding better access to housing, water and electricity.