Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 29

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Police Parade Suspects in Baby Factory Burst

The Rivers State Police Command, on Tuesday, paraded three pregnant women and a 36-year-old man suspected to be involved in producing babies for sale. The ‘baby factory’ suspects were arrested at Igwuruta in Ikwerre LGA, on July 5, 2014. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Igwuruta Police Station, Bello Muhammed, said that they were able to apprehend the suspects after being alerted by well-meaning Nigerians. Muhammed explained that the women were reportedly brought from different local government areas, and further investigation revealed that after delivering, he pay them N100,000 per baby girl and N150,000 for a baby boy before selling the babies,” the DPO said. Mohammed said he was following the directive of the state Commissioner of Police to enlighten the communities within his jurisdiction on the need for landlords to be mindful of the people they harbour in their houses and their occupations. But one of the pregnant women, Glory Anyanwu, who said she was eight months pregnant, denied that they were being kept for a baby producing business, and that the male suspect was not responsible for her pregnancy.

Rivers Lawmaker Kidnapped in Port Harcourt

A member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Golden Chioma, was on Tuesday night abducted by unknown gunmen in Port Harcourt. The lawmaker, who is the Chairman House Committee on Judiciary, represents Etche Constituency II, and was said to have been kidnapped at about 8pm in Diobu area of Port Harcourt. The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, when contacted, confirmed the abduction. He said that police was strategising to rescue the lawmaker safely and apprehend the bandits.

Police Arrest 19 Suspected “One Chance” Thieves

The Cross River State Police Command has arrested 19 suspects who specialised in robbing people in commercial vehicles. The act, popularly referred to as ‘one chance’, is a menace that has long faced residents of Calabar. It was gathered that their modus operandi was posing as commercial motorists and robbing unsuspecting commuters, who entered the vehicles, of their money and other valuables. The police said on Tuesday that four vehicles were also recovered from the suspects. The suspects comprised 11 men and eight women. They were from Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Anambra and Delta states. Parading the suspects at the State Police Headquarters, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of criminal investigation, Ganiyu Salami, said they were arrested in two different hotels in Calabar following a tip-off. Salami said bundles of papers, neatly cut to the size of naira notes, were recovered at the hotels. He urged residents, especially those who had withdrawn huge sums of money from the bank, to be wary of the vehicles they enter.

Four Die of Generator Fumes

Four persons, Emem David, her two children and a girlfriend to her neighbour, identified as Raphael, have died by allegedly inhaling fumes from a generator, which was placed by the side of the door to their room in Akwa Ibom State. David was said to have relocated the generator to the door side on Thursday night to prevent it from being drenched in the rain. The landlord of the house, Ekere Benson, said David left the generator near the doorpost, and mistakenly placed the exhaust facing the room. He stated that on Friday morning, the generator was still running and nobody in the compound had any inkling of what had happened to the family. He added that it was when he returned from work on Friday evening that he learnt that some of his tenants had died of generator smoke.

Flood: 30 Families Rendered Homeless in Akwa Ibom

More than 30 families in two communities in Ibeno LGA of Akwa Ibom State have been rendered homeless by flood caused by persistent rainfall in the area. Some people from Iwuo Okpom and Inua Eyet Ikot communities in the state have also abandoned the area as flood continues to destroy several houses. The Chairman of Iwuo-Okpom Town Council in Ibeno Local Government Area, Chief John Etim, on Monday attributed the flooding to heavy down pour. He said the rain which lasted closed to six hours rendered at least 30 families homeless, while houses and roads were flooded in the affected communities. He lamented that there was no good drainage system in the communities, calling on the state and local governments to curb the situation urgently before the communities are swept into the Ocean. The chief appealed to the state government to send relief materials to the communities in order to alleviate the suffering of the people.

Vulcaniser, Killed, Buried in Shallow Grave by Herbalist

A native doctor, Nze Sunday Asika, and another person, Uchenna Ibeh, were on Wednesday paraded by the Department of State Service, DSS, in Awka for killing one John Nwosu, a vulcanizer and burying him in a shallow grave in Aguata LGA of Anambra State. Both Asika and Ibeh admitted that they killed the diseased, but disagreed on who masterminded the killing. Asika alleged that though he shot John to death, it was Ibeh that carried the body and buried him in the grave. He said further that Ibeh threatened to kill him if he allowed John to go because John had not been giving them money brought by his brother in South Africa, adding that it was the same Ibeh that brought the gun he used. Ibeh, however, said that he was only working for the native doctor as an electrician, but admitted that he was the person that took security operatives to the place where John was buried. Anambra State Director of DSS, Mr. Alex Okeiyi, told newsmen in Awka that the deceased was an intermediary between his brother residing in South Africa and the native doctor, who he (the deceased) approached to prepare a charm that would make it possible for his brother’s business to flourish in South Africa.

Robbers Kill Policemen, Cart Away Money in 3 ATMs

Armed robbers, last weekend, attacked a bank branch in the premises of University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, carting away millions of naira from the bank’s Automated Teller Machines, ATMs. It was gathered that two policemen on duty that night were killed while the private guards were bound and locked up inside the strong room in the bank. The dare-devil robbers reportedly took advantage of the downpour on Friday night to launch the attack. The machines were said to have been fully loaded with cash ahead of the weekend withdrawals by customers and this may have attracted the bandits who reportedly spent sometime in the bank without being challenged. Spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the robbery but said detectives had swung into action to unravel what actually happened that night. Urging residents of the state to remain calm, the police spokesman said the police were on top of the situation.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Police Arrest 39 in Mop-Up of Arms from Delta Communities

Delta State Police Command said it has arrested 39 suspects in connection with the communal crisis between two neighbouring communities, Ibabu and Iselegu, which has led to the beheading of a young man. The command, in conjunction with soldiers, also recovered arms in the warring communities, stored in readiness for continued onslaught against each other. Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, in a statement, said that the operation followed the recent communal clash between Ibabu and Iselegu communities in Ndokwa East LGA of the state, during which one Efe of Iselegu community was allegedly beheaded. According to her, the state police command in synergy with the military carried out joint mop-up of arms operation in both communities and arrested 28 suspects from Iselegu community while11 were arrested from Ibabu community. The mop-up operations were geared towards the recovery of illegally acquired fire arms in circulation in the area and to restore lasting peace to the communities.

Man Killed Testing Charms' Efficacy

A 25-year-old man simply identified as Osamame Isekhuere, was at the weekend, shot dead in Benin City by his friend while trying to test the efficacy of charms in his possession. The shooting, which occurred at the Oba market, forced many traders in the market to lock up their shops and run for their lives following riots occasioned by the killing. It was gathered that Osamame had asked one of his friends to shoot him to test a new charm that he had acquired against bullets after incising and rubbing the charms on their bodies and they decided to test it with live bullets. According to the source, Osamame first shot at his friend but the bullet did not penetrate but when the friend shot at Osamame on the chest, the charm failed. Osamame was said to have died instantly. His friends, who heard of the killing, burnt down a building where the said friend was living in a rented apartment.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Son Kills Father in Ogun State

The 21-year-old Tolani Ajayi, who killed his father, Charles Ajayi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), at the Redemption Camp along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway last week has apologised to his mother over the incident. Ajayi, who confessed that he had been into drugs, added that he used a kitchen knife and cutlass to attack his late father during an argument between them, denied that he was under the influence of the drugs at the time of the incident. Ajayi is currently being detained by the Ogun State Police Command.

Another Lagos Boat Mishap Claims One Life

A commercial passenger boat capsized at the Coconut Island channel area of Lagos. In the aftermath of the accident, one Idris Adekunle drowned while many others sustained various degrees of injuries. The incident happened around the Iba and Tincan Island area of the state. While other passengers of the local boat were rescued alive, Adekunle was not immediately found by rescue teams. Some of the passengers, who sustained injuries, were taken to the hospital for treatment while those with minor injuries have been discharged. According to eyewitness account, the boat capsized when waves from an oncoming bigger vessel swamped it and sent the passengers into the salty water. The South-west spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, who confirmed the incident, said initially all the passengers were presumed to have been safe until an alarm was raised by one of the passengers on the disappearance of Adekunle.

Police Arrest Six Robbery Suspects in Lagos

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), on Monday, arrested six suspected members of an armed robbery gang, which specialised in stealing exotic cars. The Force Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, paraded the suspects, and some exhibits recovered from them. The force spokesman alleged that the gang specialised in stealing exotic cars from different parts of the country and disposing of same in neighbouring countries. According to him, items recovered from the suspects include 17 different exotic cars, two locally made single-barrel pistols and assorted ammunition. According to him, the suspects were arrested in Ekiti, Abuja and Lagos. The confession of the suspect in Lagos led to the arrest of a 28-year-old man, who claimed to be a political thug in Ekiti.

Man Nabbed for Defiling Minor

The Police in Lagos State are currently investigating a visually impaired middle-aged man, identified as Kingsley Anyanwu for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl at his residence on June 20. It was learnt that the victim started residing with the suspect’s family in January after she was introduced to Kingsley’s sister, Maurine. According to reports, the victim was until the unfortunate incident a housemaid to Kingsley Anyanwu’s old mother. The suspect allegedly asked the victim to come to his bedroom to read out a message on his phone. The victim alleged that immediately she entered his room, he grabbed her, forcefully raped her. She reportedly escaped from the house when the suspect allegedly attempted to rape her the second time. After receiving the beating of her life for running out of the house, the suspect and his sister allegedly returned her to her aunt residing in Ikeja on the pretext that she was wasting food. When she narrated her ordeal to her aunt, the lady immediately took her to the Healthcare Centre. After medical examination the medical officer confirmed that she was raped.

Human Rights Lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, Dies at 49

One of Nigeria’s foremost human rights lawyers, Bamidele Aturu, is dead. Aturu, known for his commitment to championing human rights and constitutionalism, died at a Lagos hospital on Wednesday evening after battling an undisclosed illness. Associates of the deceased confirmed his death. The late lawyer was one of the founding members of a political group – Democracy Alternative – committed to pursuing deep-rooted democratic principles and holding those in power accountable to the governed. He came to prominence as a fighter against rights abuses when, as a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, he refused to shake the hand of the military Administrator of Niger State, Col. Lawan Gwadabe, in 1988 during his youth corps passing out parade, declaring that the military had caused great harm to the democratic aspirations of Nigerians. Aturu studied law at the University of Ife and devoted much of his legal practice to representing marginalised or oppressed individuals and groups.

Court Remands Three for Killing Man

An Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court has ordered that three men ─ Awalu Suraju, Ashiru Sanibaba and Abdullahi Saidu be remanded in the Ikoyi Prison for allegedly conspiring with some other suspects at large to kill one Sango Mohammed on the 28th of May 2014. The Magistrate, F.J Adefioye, ruled that they should be in custody pending the release of legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions. Policemen from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, said the three suspects were among a mob that hacked 28-year-old Mohammed to death with machetes. The incident happened at the Alaba Market area of Lagos State. The suspects were arraigned on two counts of murder.

NDLEA Seizes 1.370kg of Cocaine from Suspect

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, have recovered 1.37kg of cocaine from one Ifeanyi Nriagwu. The drug, which was sealed in parcels and kept inside a laptop bag, was found after a thorough search of the smuggler’s luggage. The 34-year-old suspect was caught at the departure hall during the screening of passengers on a Turkish flight. The Commander of the NDLEA at the MMIA, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the suspect was detected on his way to Turkey from where he would have proceeded to South Sudan. The drug tested positive for cocaine and weighed 1.370kg.

Landlord Accused of Defiling Tenant’s Daughter Granted Bail

A Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday slammed a N2m bail on a landlord charged with defiling his tenant’s seven-year-old daughter. The accused, John Ogunsola, 40, however, pleaded not guilty. The Chief Magistrate, Yewande Aje-Afunwa, who noted that the offence could attract life imprisonment, ordered that Ogunsola should also provide two sureties in like sum. She adjourned the case to July 7 for hearing. Earlier, the Prosecutor, Peter Nwangwu, told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 27 at his residence. He said the accused took advantage of the minor and sexually assaulted her. Nwangwu said that investigations revealed that Ogunsola had defiled the child on four previous occasions. He said a tenant in the compound, in whom the child confided, alerted the girl’s mother to the defilement. Nwangwu said Ogunsola was arrested after the matter was reported to the police.

Banker in Court over Theft of Customers’ Funds

A banker, Musari Ayodele, was on Wednesday docked before an Igbosere magistrate’s court, in Lagos, for forgery, and stealing N3.2 million, belonging to customers of Skye Bank Plc, at Ikorodu branch. Ayodele, 35, was arraigned before Magistrate O. Olanipekun. The defendant is facing a two-count charge of stealing and forgery preferred against him by the Police. The defendant, who is a marketing supporting staff of the bank, was said to have committed the offence sometime in 2011. The prosecutor, Innocent Odugbo, told the court that the defendant fraudulently withdrew N3,253,290 belonging to customers and converted same into his use. The prosecutor also alleged that Ayodele forged the signature of one Ganiyu Moshood and withdrew N430,000 from his account. Earlier, the defendant had pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

2 Policemen Docked for Stealing N30m from Monarch’s Palace

Two policemen, who used to provide security at the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu’s palace were, Wednesday, arraigned before a Lagos magistrate’s court for allegedly stealing N30 million. The policemen are Victor Ikudehin, 34 and Philip Hunsa, 34. The defendants, who are standing trial before Magistrate Helen Omisore, are facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing. The Police prosecutor, Charles Odii, told the court that the duo committed the offence between March 2012 and March 28, 2014. He said the incident took place at the Oba’s Palace in Iduganran at Lagos Island of the state. Odii said the money that was stolen belongs to His Royal Highness, Oba Rilwan Akiolu. The prosecutor further said the policemen conspired to steal the said amount, adding that they also did not prevent one teenager from committing the offence. Earlier, the defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. However, Magistrate Helen Omisore granted the defendants bail in the sum of N250,000 each with two responsible sureties each in like sum. She adjourned the matter till July 31.

Police Investigate Ile-Ife Fracas

The Osun State Police Command said it had commenced investigation of the bloody fracas between the supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Ile-Ife on Monday. The state Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Maishanu, said the command had dispatched detectives to Ile-Ife to unravel the circumstances surrounding the violent fracas which left several people injured. The command’s Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), DSP Folasade Odoro, said no arrest had been made but that the command was making frantic efforts to ensure that such an incident does not repeat itself before, during and after the August 9 governorship election in the state. A violent clash broke out when some PDP supporters believed to be loyal to Senator Iyiola Omisore unleashed terror on some APC members and supporters during the ward rally of the party. It was also reported that some supporters of the APC destroyed some billboards and posters of Senator Iyiola Omisore which resulted in a clash.

GENERAL

Boko Haram Kills Seven in Borno

Suspected Boko Haram members disguised in army uniforms, last Sunday, killed seven people in an attack near the North-eastern border with Cameroun, residents said. The gunmen, five of whom were also killed, razed a police station and a military camp during the late Sunday attack. The gunmen split into three groups and launched simultaneous attacks on the military camp, the police station and other buildings in the village,” said Abor Grema, a resident of the targeted Krenuwa village in Marte district. Marte was one of the areas in Borno State where Boko Haram chased out the government last year, forcing President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency in the region, while launching a military offensive to crush the uprising.

Gunmen Raid Police Post, Cart Away Arms in Benue

Unknown gunmen numbering over 50 on Monday overran the Police station in Igumale town in Benue State and carted away arms from the armory of the station after overpowering the officers on duty. It was gathered that the armed men, who stormed the community at about 8pm in a convoy of cars, scared away the locals by shooting sporadically in the air after which they besieged the police station. After scaring everyone away, the men matched straight to the Police station and overpowered and injured the officers and men on duty, after which they broke into the armory of the station and emptied it.

Gunmen Open Fire on Worshippers in Jos

Unidentified gunmen last Sunday night opened fire on a group of Muslim worshippers in Bukuru, Jos South LGA of Plateau State, injuring three persons. It was gathered that the incident occurred during Tarawi‘s prayers, after the Muslims broke their fast. The Secretary, Bukuru Elders’ Committee, Bala Baba Mohammed, who confirmed the incident, said that the gunmen opened fire on a group of worshippers in a mosque. The Media and Information Officer of the Special Task Force (STF), Captain Ikedichi Iweha, who confirmed the attack on phone, said the situation was brought under control by the task force.

Army Finds Boko Haram Links to Politicians in Balmo Forest

Some prominent politicians are presently being interrogated following the discovery of their identity cards and other incriminating items when troops destroyed terrorists’ camp in Balmo Forest, Bauchi State last week. The Coordinator of the National Information Centre (NIC), Mike Omeri, disclosed in Abuja, on Wednesday. According to him, following the last successful operation carried out by security forces to dislodge terrorists from their forest bases in Darazo Local Government Area end of Balmo Forest, some politicians are currently being interrogated after the recovery of some sensitive registration cards and other materials of a prominent political party that were found in the possession of some of the suspects arrested. Army spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade insisted that the military and other security agencies were getting results in their fight against terror. He noted that the regular arrests of terrorists and their backers were indicative of such results which should be encouraging to all Nigerians.

Gombe Police Foil Bomb Attempt on Secondary School

An attempt to bomb some final year students of Government Day Secondary School (Pilot), in Tudun Wada area of Gombe metropolis who were writing their mathematics examinations conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) was foiled by the police. Residents scampered for safety after the police discovered a Honda Odyssey laden with heavy explosives in the school that is directly opposite the Gombe Police Area Command. The state Commissioner of Police, Abdullahi Kudu Nma, immediately they got the distress call, bomb disposal experts mobilized to the scene and succeeded in defusing the heavy laden explosives in the premises of the school. Checks revealed that the suicide bomber, who defied the security guards at the gate of the school, tried to detonate the bomb by hitting the car several times on the walls of the school but could not succeed. The vehicle was loaded with 10 long and short cylinders believed to contain explosives, two ammunition boxes suspected to be carrying explosive substances.

Suspected Boko Haram Kingpin Killed in Kaduna

A man believed to be a top member of the dreaded Boko Haram sect has been killed by security operatives in Kaduna. The suspect was said to have engaged in a gun duel with armed security operatives who stormed his Kinkino residence in Agwan Mu'azu area of Kaduna metropolis, following a tip off. It was gathered that security operatives comprising the SSS, police and soldiers stormed the area at about 2am on Sunday and ordered its occupants to come out. But rather than obey the order by the security agents, the suspects who were said to be two in number opened fire on security agents who also responded by shooting at them. A resident of the area who pleaded anonymity said the gun exchange lasted for about one hour, resulting in panic and apprehension among residents of the area.  The suspect was said to have been one of the top Boko Haram members who fled Maiduguri for Kaduna. Sources further revealed that security agents had been on the trail of the suspect for a long time. The second suspect was said to have attempted to escape but he was arrested and taken away.

Boko Haram Insurgency Claims 197 Traders -NANTS

The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), the umbrella body of all traders across the country, Tuesday put the number of traders killed as a result of bomb blasts perpetrated by the dreaded Boko Haram sect between May and June at 197. The association condemned the coordinated spate of suicide bombings in various market places which led to the killings of 197 with 137 injured at the El Kanemi and Ngurosaye village market in Borno state, the terminus market in Jos and the Emab plaza blast the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). President of the Association, Ken Ukaoha, addressing the leaders and representatives of the various markets in FCT, added that the figures were not inclusive of victims who died from incessant open fire attacks on innocent traders on the roads especially in the North eastern parts of the country.

Air Force gets New Director of Information

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has appointed Air Commodore Dele Alonge as its new Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI). Alonge took over from Air Commodore Yusuf Anas. Alonge who was the Deputy DOPRI for the past three years was elevated, as Anas would be proceeding on terminal leave to his retirement and disengagement from service in October. Both used the opportunity to launch an information brochure on security tips for members of the public in view of the rising cases of terrorism. They also warned members of the public to be wary of job scammers who impersonate the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosun, on Facebook.

Boko Haram Insists on Prisoners-for-Girls Swap

A man claiming to be a member of Boko Haram has maintained that the Federal Government must release its members detained in numerous facilities nationwide before the terrorist group would release the 219 Chibok schoolgirls it has held in captivity for almost three months. This came as the National Council of State (NCS) assured Nigerians that schoolgirls would be rescued very soon. The man stated that the girls were in “a state of amnesty”, healthy and eating well, adding that the Christians who refused to convert to Islam were not forced to do so as it is anti-Islamic. The Boko Haram member maintained that the girls were taken for a specific reason and reiterated the condition for their release, adding that the girls would be released once the federal government met the terrorist group’s demands for a prisoner exchange deal.

Jonathan Swears in Four New Ministers

President Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, swore in four new ministers. Former Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, is the new Minister of Education; Dr. Stephen Oritse Oru is to oversee Ministry of Niger Delta. Dr. Abdu Gulama is the Minister of Science and Technology, while Prince Adebayo Adeyeye is the Minister of State for Works. Jonathan also deployed the Minister of State for Works, Alhaji Bashir Yuguda to the Ministry of Finance as Minister of State for Finance. Yuguda is currently overseeing the Ministry of National Planning. At the swearing in ceremony held at the Presidential Villa, Jonathan congratulated his new cabinet members for their appointment.

INTERNATIONAL

Islamist Militants Kill 29 in Two Attacks on Kenyan Coast

Gunmen killed at least 29 people in raids on two separate areas on the Kenyan coast, the interior ministry said on Sunday. The Somali Islamist militant group al Shabaab, which attacked the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi in September 2013, said it had staged an attack on Saturday evening in the coastal area. Nine people lost their lives at the Hindi trading centre in Lamu county, near the scene of attacks in which 65 people were killed last month, Mwenda Njoka, the ministry's spokesman told Reuters. Another 20 people were killed in another attack in the Gamba area of neighbouring Tana River County. Both counties are situated north of the port of Mombasa. Officials said a group of 10-15 men struck at Hindi. Al Shabaab said it had broken into the police station at Gamba and freed suspects from the detention cells.

Seven Killed in Algeria as Truck Crashes

Seven people have been killed and one seriously injured when a mini truck fell off a bridge on Tuesday in the province of Mascara, in the west of Algeria. The accident occurred at 3 pm in the national road 17 in Mohamadia, when a mini truck carrying eight people skidded off the road and fell down from a 25-meter-high bridge. The dead bodies of the victims were transferred to Dahou Dahaoui Hospital in Mascara, while an investigation was underway to determine the circumstances of the accident. Figures provided by the National Center for Prevention and Road Safety show that more than 27,500 road accidents occurred in 2013, killing more than 3,700 people and injuring 49,120 others. A driving license’s demerit point system is still not in force in Algeria though it was approved by the Transport Ministry in 2012. This new driving license rule is seen as an efficient step to curb the increase of deadly car accidents in the North African nation

Children Killed in Afghanistan Rocket Attack

Five children were killed by a rocket fired by Taliban fighters during a battle with Afghan security forces in a northern region of the country on Monday, authorities said. The Taliban fired a rocket-propelled grenade into a civilian house in Ali Abad district of Kunduz province at 5 a.m., said Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, a spokesman for the provincial police chief. Four other people in the house were wounded, he added. In western Afghanistan, a separate rocket attack killed a district police chief and four other police officers, authorities said. That attack took place in Farsi district of Herat province at 6 a.m., said Abdul Rauf Ahmadi, a spokesman for the provincial police chief.

Israeli Strikes Kill Nine in Palestine

Nine Palestinian militants have been killed in a series of Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip. The armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Hamas says six of its fighters died in a single strike near Rafah in the south. Three others died in separate Israeli air strikes in response to at least 20 rocket attacks from Gaza. Tensions in the region are high following the murder of Palestinian teenager Mohammed Abu Khdair. Police believe there was a nationalist motive to his killing, and have arrested six Jewish suspects. The death followed the murder of three Israeli teenagers, whose bodies were found a week ago. Emergency services in Gaza confirmed only two deaths from the air strike in Rafah but four others are believed to be buried under the collapsed site. A seventh victim was reported killed in another attack. Earlier, two other Palestinian militants were killed in a separate air attack near a refugee camp in central Gaza. The Israeli military said the strikes were in response to rocket attacks against southern Israel and targeted “terror” sites and concealed rocket launchers.

Iraq Confirms Rebels Hold on Chemical Site

Isis-led Sunni rebels are in control of a disused chemical weapons factory, Iraqi officials have confirmed. Iraq said it would be unable to keep to obligations to destroy its chemical weapons. The Muthanna complex northwest of Baghdad houses remnants of rockets filled with sarin and other deadly nerve agents. The UN and the US say the munitions are degraded and the rebels will be unable to make usable chemical arms from them. In a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Iraq’s UN Ambassador, Mohamed Ali Alhakim, said the rebels took over the complex on 11 June, after disarming soldiers who guarded the site. The document stated that Muthanna’s surveillance system showed that there was “looting of some equipment and appliances” at the factory.

Somali Troops Retake Presidential Palace from Al-Shabab

Somali troops have retaken the presidential palace in the capital Mogadishu after al-Shabab fighters forced their way in and exchanged heavy gunfire with soldiers and guards. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was not inside the palace at the time of the attack, but the prime minister and the speaker of parliament were, said Captain Mohamed Hussein, a senior police official. The presidency said both President Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed were safe. Tuesday’s attack started when a car bomb exploded outside the presidential compound. Police said the fighters, who were armed with grenades, split up into groups once inside and tried to take control of different buildings in the compound. Somalia’s president sacked his police and intelligence chiefs Wednesday after Islamist Shebab fighters launched a major assault against his palace for the second time this year. Both the police and intelligence chiefs were replaced, and the minister for the national security was named, Information Minister Mustafa Duhulow said.

Syrian Opposition Elects New President

Syria’s Western-backed opposition National Coalition has elected Hadi al-Bahra, chief negotiator at the Geneva peace talks, as its new president following a three-day meeting in Istanbul, the coalition said. Bahra, a US-trained industrial engineer, will replace Ahmad Jarba, who has served the maximum two six-month terms. Like Jarba, Bahra has close ties to Saudi Arabia and has lived there. While designated as the main body representing the opposition by the US and other key powers, the National Coalition has little power inside Syria, where disparate armed groups outside its control hold ground. Infighting within the opposition coalition has also undermined rebel efforts to take on forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, playing into the hands of rival, Sunni rebel groups that include foreign fighters.

Israeli Continues Bombardment of Gaza

The Israeli army carried out 160 airstrikes in Gaza overnight, escalating a bombardment that has killed at least 27 Palestinians and wounded more than 100. An unknown number of casualties were reported. Another blew up the house of Hafez Hamad, a leader of the military wing of Islamic Jihad. He was killed along with at least four women and children, according to neighbours and hospital officials. The Israeli cabinet has authorised the army to call up 40,000 reservists. Only a fraction of them have so far been mobilised, though officials hinted at a lengthy campaign in Gaza. Four rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel between midnight and sunrise, the army said, three of them at the southern city of Be’er Sheva. Israel has detained nearly 900 Palestinians in raids since June 12, when three teenage settlers were kidnapped while hitchhiking home from their religious seminary in the occupied West Bank.

Over 50 Blindfolded Bodies Discovered in Iraq

Iraqi security forces found 53 corpses, blindfolded and handcuffed, south of Baghdad on Wednesday as Shi'ite and Kurdish leaders traded accusations over an Islamist insurgency raging in the country's Sunni provinces. Officials said dozens of bodies were discovered near the mainly Shi'ite Muslim village of Khamissiya, with bullets to the chest and head, the latest mass killing since Sunni insurgents swept through northern Iraq. Fifty-three unidentified corpses were found, all of them blindfolded and handcuffed, Sadeq Madloul, governor of the mainly Shi'ite southern province of Babil, disclosed. He said the victims appeared to have been killed overnight after being brought by car to an area near the main highway running from Baghdad to the southern provinces, about 25km southeast of the city of Hilla. The identity and sectarian affiliation of the dead people was not immediately clear, he said. Sunni militants have been carrying out attacks around the southern rim of Baghdad since spring. In response, Shi'ite militias have been active in rural districts of Baghdad, abducting Sunnis they suspect of terrorism, many of whom later turn up dead.

US Drone Kills Six in Pakistan Anti-Taliban Offensive

A US drone strike killed six suspected militants on Thursday in a Pakistani tribal district where Pakistan has launched a major military offensive against local and foreign fighters. Local security officials said two US drones fired four missiles into a compound in Doga Macha Madda Khel, a village close to Datta Khel town. Pakistan’s armed forces have been waging a massive assault on North Waziristan in recent weeks to eradicate hideouts militants have used to launch attacks across the restive nuclear-armed country. The army says it is now in control of 80 percent of strategically important Miranshah, which officers said had become a virtual supermarket for jihadist fighters wanting to equip themselves with guns and explosives. A local security official said that the drone strike had killed four foreign fighters and two local cadres who had fled Miranshah before the launch of the offensive. Doga Macha Madda lies in difficult, mountainous terrain which the official said the militants had hoped to use as cover.