Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 30

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Policeman, Two Suspects Killed as Robbers Invade Tide Newspapers

A policeman and two suspected armed robbers were killed while six others were injured in a gun duel between the police and some armed robbers who had, on Monday, invaded the premises of the Rivers State Government-owned Tide Newspapers in Port Harcourt. It was gathered that about five young men, armed with four AK-47 rifles and a locally-made pistol, entered the premises of the company at about 12.30am and disposed staff from the Production and Proof-reading Department who were on duty of their possessions. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ahmad Muhammad, confirmed the incident.

Security Operatives Rescue Abducted Man, Kill Kidnapper in Anambra

Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) have rescued Pius Maduka, an elder brother of the Coscharis Group, Cosmas Maduka. Pius, who was kidnapped nine days ago in Nnewi, Anambra State, was rescued in Orlu in Imo State. His abductors were said to have demanded and collected N15 million but refused to release him. Thereafter, they demanded for another N28million, saying the amount would make up for the release of Pius and the wife, a woman that wasn't even kidnapped but whom the kidnappers had mistaken for another woman in captivity. The operatives of the DSS stormed the hideout of the kidnappers, rescued Pius, killed one of the kidnappers and arrested four others.

NSCDC Raids Baby Factory in Abia State
…Rescues 19 Women

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Monday raided a baby factory, rescuing no fewer than 19 pregnant young women. The home was said to be located at Umunkpeyi in the Isiala Ngwa South LGA of Abia state. The Abia State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr. Andy Dateer, while parading the rescued girls and some of the workers in the baby factory, said the arrest was made possible following a tip-off. Apart from the 19 pregnant inmates, NSCDC said three babies, aged two, were also rescued along with four social workers and four young men who were arrested at the premises. According to him, the operators of the home keep young women with unwanted pregnancy in the premises and sell off their babies as soon as they are delivered of them. In Bayelsa State, a commercial sex worker in Yenagoa has sold her day-old baby for N20,000. It was further learnt that as soon as she delivered the baby, the buyer, said to have come from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, came on Monday to take delivery of the baby. Spokesman for Bayelsa Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident, adding that police investigators had traced the matter to Rivers State.

Abia Commissioner Dies of Gunshot Wounds

After battling for his life for six days, Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Kenneth Nwosu, has died of gunshot wounds he sustained following an attack by suspected assassins. He was attacked by hoodlums on the night of Wednesday, July 9, 2014 along Umuajata/Amakama road. Commissioner for information and strategy, Eze Chikamnayo, announced Nwosu’s transition on Tuesday, saying that the agric commissioner breathed his last on Monday night at the Abia State Specialist Hospital Umuahia, where he had been receiving medical attention. He said that the death of Dr Nwosu was a sad moment for the government and the entire people of Abia state.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Man Jailed 10 Years for Running Unregistered Hospital

An Evbuoriaria magistrate’s court sitting in Benin City has sentenced a 32-year-old man, Jeremiah Onovwata, to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for floating an unregistered private clinic, Divine Maternity and Clinic, which metamorphosed into Divine Nursing Home and Maternity. He was said to have impersonated the Chief Medical Director of the health institution located at Siluko Road, Benin. Special Grade Magistrate, Patricia Igho Braimoh, while sentencing the accused without an option of fine, said the court was satisfied with the prosecution evidence which was corroborated by the evidence of the defence. The court said the accused was therefore guilty as charged. The accused, who was found guilty on all the five-count charge on which he was arraigned, will however serve only two of the 10-year jail term, as the sentences will run concurrently. The court, which relied on sections of the law, said the convict was earlier pardoned for the same offence in 2009, having deposed to an undertaking never to impersonate the medical director at the clinic and maternity home, but only to be apprehended for the same offence.

Rainstorm Claims Four Lives in Edo

Torrential rainfall Monday in Igarra, headquarters of Akoko-Edo LGA of Edo State has claimed the lives of four persons. The rain which started around 11am was also reported to have caused serious flooding, destroying over 50 houses and properties worth millions of naira. Two of the victims, a young girl and a pastor were said to be travelling to Igarra from Auchi in a commercial vehicle alongside other passengers when their vehicle broke down in Egbigere close to their destination and when they attempted to push the vehicle, the flood occasioned by the rain swept them off the road into a nearby stream where they drowned. Their dead bodies were discovered the next morning. A middle aged man died when a building collapsed on him, while an undergraduate was swept away by the flood while coming home from school. Their bodies were also recovered the following morning.

Court Jails Illegal Oil Dealer in Warri

The Federal High Court, Warri, Delta State, has convicted and sentenced one Shedrack Ofose to one year imprisonment for conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products. Shedrack was arraigned on March 5, 2013. Justice M.S. Abubakar found him guilty of the two counts preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The Justice subsequently sentenced him to six months jail imprisonment on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently. The court also ordered that the vehicles recovered from the convict be auctioned and the proceeds remitted into the Federation Account.

JTF Arrests 11 Suspected Oil Thieves

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta has apprehended 11 suspects for stealing 134 drums of petroleum products. The suspects were said to have siphoned the products from a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. JTF troops deployed in Omadine, Warri South LGA of Delta State, were said to have intercepted a trailer carrying drums of the products. The troops were said to have, during investigation, discovered that the trailer was conveying 50 drums of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil, 49 drums of crude oil and 35 drums of sludge. The troops reportedly arrested three suspects in connection with the theft and impounded the vehicle. The outfit’s Media Coordinator, Lt.-Col. Mustapha Anka, said the troops also apprehended two suspects at Aziza Junction, Okpe LGA, Delta State. He said the suspects were conveying 400-litre-capacity container in a Mitsubishi Gallant saloon car when they were arrested.

Robbers Invade Newspaper Office in Delta

Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers invaded the office of THISDAY Newspaper in Ika North-east LGA of Delta State, carting away valuables worth millions of naira. Investigation revealed that the robbers, numbering about seven, invaded the office complex at about 1am, after scaling the perimeter fence into the premises. It was also gathered that the hoodlums brought down the wall of the building to gain access into the offices from where they made away with generator cables, office equipment, printing materials, industrial fans, television set, heavy equipment and some unspecified amount of cash from the sales office. An Administration Officer, Sandra Eme, said the robbers, who operated in a pick-up van, tied the hands and legs of the security men on duty to enable them perpetrate their operation unchallenged for four hours. The office accommodates THISDAY multi-million naira South-east and South-south regional printing press and other ancillary services departments that cover the zones’ operations.

Delta Community Threatens Showdown with NPDC

The Opuama/Ikpotogbene Community in Warri North LGA of Delta State has called on the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) to immediately halt oil exploration and exploitation activities in its community, alleging that the company did not follow due process before its on-going operation in the area. The community expressed disappointment with the apparent decision of the company to abandon the process initiated to fashion a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the host communities and the NPDC. Members of the Opuama/Ikpotogbene community under the aegis of Concerned Oloduwa Descendants also lambasted the company for entering their native-land and commencing clearing as well as dredging work without conducting the necessary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Beside the central issues of an MoU and conducting EIA, the community listed a number of other demands in a statement, which the people insisted should be captured in acceptable terms of engagement between it and the NPDC.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Navy Arrests Three for Impersonating Naval Personnel

Three persons in full naval uniforms with forged naval identity cards have been arrested for impersonating naval personnel at the Okokomaiko and Tin Can Island areas of Lagos State. Confirming the arrests, the Command Information Officer of the Western Naval Command (WNC), Lieutenant Commander Way Olabisi, said the suspects were caught extorting money from unsuspecting innocent people, thereby giving the erroneous impression that they were naval personnel. While condemning the recent trend of impersonation especially when the uniform is used to commit crimes, he said the command is geared to deal decisively with such unauthorised persons in naval uniforms. He also said efforts are underway to bust syndicates that specialise in the production of forged naval identity cards in various parts of Lagos.

Lagos Issues Alert on Ebola

Worried by the increasing cases of deaths from the outbreak of Ebola virus in some neighbouring West African countries, the Lagos state government has given some precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak of the deadly virus in the state. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, listed some of the measures to include; washing of hands often with soap and water, avoiding close contact with people who are sick and ensuring that objects used by the sick are decontaminated and properly disposed. He advised health workers to be at alert and ensure they always wore personal protective equipment as well as observed universal basic precautions when attending to suspected or confirmed cases, and report same to their appropriate authorities. The worst-ever outbreak of Ebola that has killed hundreds of people in West Africa, the World Health Organisation said on July 11, 2014. Ebola virus is currently ravaging many communities in some West African countries like Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone among others.

Police Rescue Prophets from Angry Mob

The Ekiti State Police Command said its men on Wednesday rescued two prophets, Mercy Arogundade, and Sunday Akinbami, from mob action. They were accused of attempting to kidnap one Feyisayo Oguntuase. In a statement on Thursday, the Ekiti Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Babayemi, said the timely response of the patrol team from Oke-Ila Division, Ado-Ekiti, to the distress call, prevented the mob from lynching the duo and setting them ablaze. He stated that two prophets and the alleged victim were rescued and taken to the station. Preliminary investigation revealed that Feyisayo Oguntuase is mentally ill and was handed over to the prophets for treatment and care by her father due to the on-going doctor’s strike. Babayemi stated that the girl had been released to her father, Femi Oguntuase, after he confirmed that he handed over the girl to the prophets for care due to the on-going doctors’ strike.

Suspected Ritualists Behead Woman in Ondo

Police authorities in Ondo state have ordered full blown investigation into beheading of a woman in Arigidi Akoko in Akoko North West area of the State for alleged ritual purpose. Police sources said the headless body of the deceased was found along old Ogbagi/Arigidi Akoko road at about 9pm penultimate Saturday. It was gathered that the deceased body, between 25 to 30 years, was discovered by a passer-by, who raised alarm and the Police were invited. Consequently, a team of detectives under the command of ASP Ezeala Obiora visited the scene and alleged that the corpse must have been dropped by suspected ritualists. The police image maker in the state, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation is on to unveil those behind the dastardly act.

Four Feared Dead as NSCDC, Neighbourhood Watch, Traders Clash in FESTAC

At least four persons were, on Tuesday, killed in a deadly clash between operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Neighbourhood Watch and traders in FESTAC Town, Amuwo-Odofin LGA of Lagos State. The clash started when some traders whose stores were demolished at Alakija, mobilised to protest the seizure of their goods. The traders’ attempt to retrieve their goods was rebuffed by the Neighbourhood Watch officials, who packed the wares into their operational vehicles despite pleas from the traders. Although they had succeeded in carting away the goods of the traders, the operation ran into a hitch when they allegedly attempted to seize the machine and money of one of the lottery operators in the area. However, some area boys and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who were waiting for the result of the lottery draw after they had already staked their money, resisted the move. In order to achieve their aim, the officials were said to have called in two patrol teams of the Operation Mesa (OP Mesa) and they arrested about 10 traders and NURTW members.

SARS Arrest Four Chadians for Robbery

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday arrested four security guards from Chad Republic for armed robbery, and recovered four pump action guns, locally made pistols, cutlasses and charms. The suspects are currently detained in SARS cell alongside one of the receivers of stolen goods, Atom Haruna, at the instance of the state Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko. The SARS operatives were alerted on the deadly activities of a notorious armed robbery gang terrorising residents of Magodo, Omole and other neighbouring estates around the area, and swung into action. Asides robbing the Kara market, the suspects, it was gathered, also used to operate on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway, where their modus operandi was to place dangerous obstacles on the highway to puncture tyres of unsuspecting motorists before robbing them.

Ikorodu Residents Accuse Police of Killing and Arrest of Innocent Protesters

Some residents of Baale Crescent, Ajegunle, Lagos State, have insisted that the police shot dead some protesters on Saturday on the Ikorodu road. They claimed that the police, after the disappearance of the protesters who were not residents, went into people’s houses to handpick innocent residents and clamp them in detention. It had reported on Monday that the crisis began after the police raided a criminal hideout in the area on Friday, where some hoodlums were smoking hemp. Four of the fleeing hoodlums were said to have fallen into a canal. While two escaped, the other two were feared dead. Other hoodlums, who were enraged by the development, had staged a protest on the Ikorodu Road, burning tyres and vandalising vehicles. There were reports that policemen from the Owode Onirin Division shot at the protesters, killing some of them. But the police authorities had denied the reports, saying no bullet was fired and all the police did was to disperse the crowd who threatened to burn down a station. The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, added that 25 of the hoodlums were arrested, and investigation was on.

10-Year-Old Boy Rescued from Abductors in Lagos

The Police in Lagos, on Saturday, said they rescued a 10-year old boy and arrested one of the suspected kidnappers. The command’s spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, disclosed that three other suspects were arrested for cultism and armed robbery. Braide said all the suspects were arrested in different parts of the state in the last five days. She said that policemen attached to Oworonsoki Division, last Monday rescued one Moses Idowu after one of the suspected kidnappers was mobbed by youths in the area, while others escaped before the police arrested him. The suspect had injured the victim while attempting to take him forcibly. The Police image maker, further disclosed that two suspected cultists were also arrested on Tuesday after a tip-off that a group of hoodlums suspected to be cultists assembled at Odo-Kekere area of Ikorodu. According to her, items recovered from the hoodlums are one locally made pistol, four live cartridges, three axes and four handsets.

Corruption: Police Dismiss Two Constables in Ekiti

The Ekiti State Police Command has dismissed two policemen from the command for alleged discreditable conduct and corrupt practices. According to the statement by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Victor Babayemi, the two constables were shown the way out after being tried and found guilty in an orderly room trial He said: “In the pursuit of IGP’s mission of engendering an efficient, and disciplined workforce, and to rid the Force of its bad eggs, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, on Wednesday approved with immediate effect, the dismissal of F/No. 446106 PC Famiwole Tolulope and F/No. 448477 PC Olotu Tope for the offence of corrupt practice contrary to Paragraph ‘C’ and discreditable conduct contrary ‘E’ (I) & (II) CAP 359 of the First Schedule of Police Act and Regulations 370 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.”

GENERAL

Army Begins to Take Delivery of Critical Assets to Fight Terrorism

The Nigerian Army has started taking delivery of critical equipment, some of which include sophisticated helicopter gunships with in-built night vision technology capable of neutralising the nocturnal manoeuvres of the deadly terrorist group, Boko Haram. Confirming the arrival of new equipment, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, hinted that government was enhancing the capacity of the Nigerian Army to fight terrorism, with the procurement of more sophisticated equipment. He said the army was adopting new measures to up its counter-insurgency in the North-east. It was also gathered that is finalising the training of the newly formed 143rd Infantry Battalion, which has been set up as a “special elite force” to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency. The strike force was put together in the aftermath of the kidnapping of school girls in Borno and the arrival of foreign military experts work with Nigerian security forces.

Insurgents Blow-up Bridge Linking Borno to Gombe

The bridge along the Maiduguri-Biu-Gombe Expressway linking Borno to Gombe State has been blown up by suspected members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect. Most parts of the highway linking Maiduguri to Gombe had been taken over by the insurgents, forcing motorists to take the longer ‘Maiduguri-Damaturu-Potiskum’ route into and from Borno State. It was gathered that the insurgents planted an Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) under the bridge and destroyed critical portions of the bridge. The destruction left motorists and passengers stranded in the early hours of yesterday. According to one of the residents of the area, Mallam Musa Yakubu, a loud bang was heard at about 2am yesterday when people were asleep.

Police Alert FCT Residents to Planned Terror Attack

The Nigeria Police has alerted the public to the threat of another terror attack on motor parks in the Federal Capital Territory. The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, disclosed that the police said that credible intelligence reports at the disposal of the Nigeria Police indicate that terrorists have perfected plot to carry out attacks on the Abuja transport sector. “The attacks which are intended to cause panic amongst Abuja residents and visitors alike are planned to be perpetrated through suicide bombings, or through the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) concealed in luggage, bags, cans, and other receptacles.” In response to the terror alert, the FCT Administration and the Defence Headquarters said they had intensified security procedures at motor parks and other vulnerable sites in Abuja and its environs. Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, confirmed that the military had been engaging in security sensitisation at vulnerable sites and motor parks, while the police authorities advised residents to be more security conscious and report suspicious persons and objects.

Chibok Girls: Malala Donates $200,000 to Abducted Girls’ Education

More than three months after over 200 female students were kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists from their secondary school in Chibok, Borno State, President Goodluck Jonathan will finally meet with some of the parents of the abducted girls. Making this known in statement, the president’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said Jonathan made the promise when he met on Monday with Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani Girl-Child Education Campaigner who was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Speaking to Malala, who announced a $200,000 donation from the Malala Fund for scholarships for the kidnapped girls and their education, the statement said Jonathan said that he fully empathised with the pain and anguish of the parents of the abducted girls. The president thanked Malala for coming to Nigeria to support the ongoing efforts to rescue the abducted Chibok girls and promote girl-child education.

FG Charges 6 Suspects for Kidnapping in Sokoto

The Federal Government has initiated charges against six men accused of being behind the 2013 abduction of a deceased friend to Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State, Alhaji Abu Dankure. The charge filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja has Mustapha Isah, 31(aka Ali Habibu), Mohammed Bukar (31), Faruku Waziri, 27 (aka Umar Abubakar), Usman Iddah, 31 (aka Ele Atuluku), Mohammed Bello Magaji (aka Ruwa) and Zailani Tukur (52) as accused persons. A case summary filed along with the five-count charge stated that Dankure (who was 70 years old) had travelled abroad on medical ground. He was kidnapped on November 6 few days after he returned from abroad, along the Western By-pass, Sokoto metropolis by four unknown gun men. Dankure was released on November 11 after he paid $300,000 out of the N1bn demanded by his abductors.

Man, 40, Jailed 4 Years for Raping Minor

A Kontagora High Court has sentenced a 40-year-old man, Isah Makeri, to a four-year jail term without an option of fine for raping a nine-year-old girl. In the case which lasted about six months, Resident Counsel, Abubakar Suleiman, tendered exhibits and were all upheld by the presiding judge, Justice Yusuf Tanko Usman. Before pronouncing his judgment on the convict, the judge had asked him whether he had a plea to mitigate the sentence but instead he pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of unlawful intercourse with the teenager and asked for pardon. Justice Usman, therefore, convicted him under Section 283 of the Penal Code. Meanwhile, another similar case involving three adults has been adjourned till September 10. They were alleged to have raped a 14-year-old girl in Kontagora town. Chief Counsel, Ahmed Attahiru, had tendered an application for motion on notice to add one more witness in the case and therefore prayed for additional 30days for the case to continue. Justice Yusuf Tanko, therefore adjourned further hearing.

Herdsmen Kill 50 in Zamfara Attack

Over 50 people were reported to have been killed in Gidandawa District of Maradun LGA in Zamfara State, while many others were injured following a reprisal attack on Monday on the residents by suspected Fulani herdsmen. The attackers reportedly invaded the area at about 5 am when the residents were getting ready to start the day’s fasting, killing anybody on sight. Although no reason was given for the killings, security sources described the attack as a reprisal because some Fulani herdsmen had issues with the villagers. Zamafara State Police Public Relations Officer, Lawal Abdullahi, confirmed the incident.

15 Killed in Plateau Attacks

About 10 persons were reportedly killed in the latest attack carried out in the early hours of the day in the Pilgani District of Langtang North LGA of Plateau State by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. The cause of the recent attack could not be ascertained. The member representing Langtang North/Langtang South Constituency in the House of Representatives, Beni Lar, described the communities which were attacked as “peace loving, with hardworking farmers,” wondering why some people would be so cruel in taking lives of innocent citizens. Less than 24 hours later, another 5 persons were killed in in Rakung area in the outskirts of Barkin Ladi town in the state. The gunmen reportedly stormed the village at midnight on Wednesday, and killed their victims. Following the incident, some irate youths in the area were said to have blocked the major road in protest, but were quickly dispersed by some Special Task Force (STF) personnel deployed to the area. Spokesman of the task force, Capt. Ikedichi Iweha, who confirmed the incident, however added that among the dead, were some of the gunmen.

Adamawa Assembly Impeaches Nyako
…Speaker Sworn-in as Acting Governor as Deputy Resigns

The Adamawa State House of Assembly, Tuesday, impeached Governor Murtala Nyako, following his indictment by the seven-man investigative panel which probed the former governor over a 16-count charge bordering on gross misconduct and financial mismanagement. Nyako’s deputy, Bala James Ngillari, had allegedly rushed in a resignation letter, announcing that he was also quitting office. With his resignation, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, was promptly sworn in as the acting governor of the state by the Acting Chief Judge (CJ) of the state, Justice Ambrose Mammali. It was further gathered that as soon as his tenure elapsed, the Nigerian Judicial Commission (NJC) confirmed him as the CJ of the state. Neither Nyako nor Ngillari had appeared before the seven-man investigative panel set up by the House to probe the charges against them.

Alegeh Emerges as NBA President

Legal practitioners in the Nigeria, Tuesday, elected Augustine Alegeh (SAN), as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Alegeh, who is from the Benin branch of the NBA, polled 691 votes to defeat Oladele Adeshina (SAN), who came second in the electoral contest, with 370 votes. Former Chairman of the Abuja branch of the NBA, Afam Osigwe, was equally elected as the General Secretary of the association. Meanwhile, the new NBA executives would officially assume office on August 29 when the two-year tenure of the current leadership of the association under Chief Okey Wali (SAN) would expire. The election, which was conducted amidst tight security, had a total of 1,728 registered delegates and 1,482 accredited voters.

Boko Haram Abducts Two Businessmen in Border Town

Suspected members of the deadly Boko Haram sect have abducted two Nigerian businessmen in Gamboru, the nation's, northeast border town with Cameroon. The two businessmen, it was learnt, were taken away in an unmarked two Toyota Hilux to an unknown destination along the Nigerian border with Cameroon at 7.34pm by the heavily armed abductors. Gamboru is a border town with Cameroon, and 138 kilometres northeast of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. An eyewitness disclosed that some hoodlums had burst into the market square in their vehicles, told the people not to panic, and simply went for the two businessmen who they bundled into their vehicle and sped off without killing any person at the market square and mosque.

Boko Haram Kills 2,053 in 6 Months - HRW

Human Right Watch (HRW) revealed on Tuesday that Boko Haram has killed at least 2,053 civilians in an estimated 95 attacks during the first half of 2014. According to the group, the figures are based on detailed analyses of media reports as well as field investigations. While describing the killings as crimes against humanity, it noted that the killings and other abuses were part of widespread attacks on civilians in over 70 towns and villages in the Northeast, Abuja and other places. The Abuja attacks may demonstrate a southward trend of Boko Haram operations, Human Rights Watch said.

Key Suspect in Nyanya Blast Extradited to Nigeria

The alleged mastermind of the April 14 blast in Nyanya area of the FCT, Aminu Ogwuche, has been extradited by Sudan to Nigeria. Ogwuche, who was handed over to the Interpol Unit of the Nigeria Police Force by the Sudanese authorities was flown into the country in a special flight from Sudan on Tuesday. The suspect is expected to face trial for terrorism along with other suspects that were arrested in connection with the blast which killed more than 70 people and injured over 120 others at Nyanya area of Abuja. Ogwuche was swiftly taken to an unknown detention facility in the FCT by armed security operatives.

Boko Haram Kills 36 in Borno Attacks

About 27 persons were feared killed in Sabon Gari village in Damboa LGA of Borno State, following the invasion of the village by members of the Boko Haram sect. Sources said the latest attack, which took place at about 6pm on Tuesday, left about 20 innocent civilians dead, while seven others were killed while trying to bury their dead on Wednesday. This happened as the terrorist group murdered another nine civilians in Askira-Uba LGA of the state, when the terrorist group launched an attack on Huyim village. It was gathered that the terrorists, who had retreated on Tuesday, regrouped and launched another attack on Sabon Gari, killing those that had gone to the cemetery to bury the dead. Fleeing residents disclosed that many people were seriously injured during the attack, while property worth millions of naira, were equally destroyed.

Police Arrest Boko Haram Top Operative in Bauchi

Police detectives attached to Bauchi State Police Command have arrested one Mohammed Zakari, a top operative of the violent group in Balmo Forest. Zakari, 30, who identified himself as the “chief butcher” of Boko Haram in Balmo Forest, was, apprehended penultimate Saturday along Darazo-Basrika Road, while fleeing from the intensive counter-insurgency operations going on around the forest. The suspect was said to be linked with the recent slaughter of seven people, including women and children in the area. A statement by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, on Tuesday, said that findings as well as disclosures from the suspect would assist law enforcement agencies in tracking down some other members of the terror cell. It explained that the terror suspect was discovered to have actively participated in the April attack on Customs officers at Kari town, along Maiduguri Road, Bauchi State. The Police High Command called on the citizens in the affected areas to be on guard for any suspicious or strange character.

INTERNATIONAL

295 Feared Dead as Malaysian Plane is Shot Down in Eastern Ukraine

A Malaysia Airlines passenger jet, which crashed as it flew over eastern Ukraine with 295 people on board, was reportedly shot down. The aircraft, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was travelling at an altitude of 10,000 metres when it was shot down on Thursday, Russia’s Interfax reported. An adviser to the Ukrainian interior ministry disclosed that the Boeing 777 was brought down by a Buk ground-to-air missile. Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko denied his armed forces were involved in the downing of the airliner. Malaysia’s Prime Minister said that his government was launching an immediate investigation. A flight tracking website showed that one flight path was interrupted in Ukraine. The plane appeared to have come down in a region of military action where Ukrainian government forces are battling pro-Russian separatists.

Detained Ethiopian Bloggers, Journalists Charged with ‘Terrorism’

A group of Ethiopian bloggers and journalists detained for nearly three months have been charged with terrorism for having links to an outlawed group and for planning attacks, a judge said on Friday. The seven members of the blogging collective Zone Nine and three journalists were arrested in April, prompting an outcry from rights groups, who said the case was an assault on press freedom. The group is accused of planning attacks in Ethiopia and working in collusion with the US-based opposition group Ginbot 7, labelled by Ethiopian authorities as a terrorist organisation. The Zone Nine website features mostly social and political commentary, often critical of the government. The judge said their work was a cover for “clandestine” activities and accused them of plotting “to destabilise the nation”. The lawyer for eight of the suspects dismissed the charges. Rights groups have accused Ethiopia of using the anti-terrorism laws to silence dissent.

Ukraine Accuses Russia Shooting Down Jet

A Ukrainian security spokesman has accused Russia’s air force of shooting down one of its jets while it was on a mission over Ukrainian territory. Andriy Lysenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council, said a Su-25 ground attack plane was downed on Wednesday evening. Ukraine has accused Russian army officers of fighting alongside separatists in the east of the country and said Moscow was once more building up its troops on the joint border. A missile that downed a Ukrainian transport plane carrying eight people near the border was probably fired from Russia, Ukrainian officials said. President Petro Poroshenko held an emergency meeting of his security chiefs after a weekend of Ukrainian air strikes on rebel positions near the border with Russia and charges by Moscow that Kiev killed a Russian man with a cross-border shell. Poroshenko has urged the European Union to take tough action against Russia over the separatist conflict in Ukraine's eastern regions.

UN Pulls Staff Out of Libya Militia Shells Airport

A militia shelled Tripoli airport, destroying 90 percent of planes parked there, a Libyan government spokesman said, as heavy fighting between armed groups prompted the United Nations to pull its staff out of the North African country. At least 15 people have been killed in clashes in Tripoli and the eastern city of Benghazi since Sunday, and a Libyan official said several Grad rockets hit the Tripoli International Airport on Monday, damaging the control tower. Government spokesman Ahmed Lamine said 90 percent of the planes parked at the airport were destroyed. Three years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has slipped deeper into chaos with its weak government and new army unable to control brigades of former rebel fighters and militias who often battle for political and economic power. Two soldiers were killed and a number of planes were damaged when a militia shelled Tripoli airport on Monday, a Libyan soldier said. Seven people were killed in Tripoli on Sunday in the worst fighting for six months in the capital, where rival militias have been fighting for control of the airport.

6-Year-Old Girl Raped in India School by Two Staff Members

A six-year-old schoolgirl has been allegedly raped by two staff members at a prominent school in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, police say. The child was assaulted on 2 July, but her parents discovered it only a few days ago after she complained of stomach ache and was taken to hospital. Meanwhile, hundreds of parents have protested outside the school, pulling down its gates and shouting slogans. Police have registered a case, but they are yet to make any arrests. The new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has promised a zero tolerance approach on crimes against women, but violence and discrimination against women in remain deeply entrenched in society. The girl was allegedly raped by a security guard and a gym teacher, but as there are multiple guards and gym instructors in the school, police say they are trying to identify the guilty. As news of the child’s rape became public, hundreds of parents gathered outside the school, protesting against the alleged insensitivity of the school management. Indian parents have begun a boycott of a Bangalore school after claims emerged that a six-year-old student had been raped by two staff members. The parents say they will stop sending their children to the school until they have assurances about better security for the students.

Gunmen Kill Tunisian Soldiers near Algeria

At least 14 Tunisian soldiers have been reported killed and 20 wounded after gunmen attacked military checkpoints near the Algerian border, where the army has been conducting an operation to flush out armed groups, the ministry of defence said. The fighters, one of whom was reported killed, were armed with rocket-propelled grenades and rifles and attacked the checkpoints in the Mount Chaambi area. Since April, thousands of Tunisian troops have been deployed to the area, where a small group of fighters have been holed up, some since the French military operation drove al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters out of Mali last year. The attacks came nearly one year after Tunisian soldiers were ambushed in the same region of Mount Chaambi. Eight soldiers were killed in the attack on July 29 last year which happened several days after the assassination of opposition politician Mohamed Brahmi in Tunis, causing a political crisis in the North African country. Tunisian security officials say the numbers of fighters in the mountains are only in the dozens, but the government has struggled to combat the threat.

Iraq Militants Renew Assault on Town

Iraqi militants on Monday assaulted the final area of the Iraqi town of Dhuluiyah still outside their control, after tribesmen rejected an offer to let them enter uncontested. Jihadist-led militants launched a major offensive on June 9 that has overrun large areas north and west of Baghdad, and appear to be making a renewed push to gain ground after a period in which battle lines were relatively static. The militants began their attack on Dhuluiyah, just 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Baghdad, on Sunday and have overrun most of the town, local official Marwan Mitaab said. The militants negotiated with tribesmen in Al-Jubur, a lone area of the town still holding out, offering to spare the lives of their fighters and security forces if they surrendered, Mitaab said. But the tribesmen rejected the offer, and insurgents on Monday launched a renewed assault on the area in southern Dhuluiyah. A senior police officer confirmed there had been negotiations with the militants, and added that people were fleeing across the Tigris River in boats.

Four Killed as Cambodian Military Helicopter Crashes

Four Cambodian soldiers died and one was injured Monday in a helicopter crash during military training on the outskirts of the capital, officials said. The chopper exploded in mid-air before crashing into a water-filled quarry in Prey Sar village, around 10 kilometres (six miles) from downtown Phnom Penh, police said. "We now know that five soldiers were on board the helicopter. Four were killed and one was injured," Defence Minister Tea Banh disclosed. A 300-strong rescue team comprised of police, soldiers and divers searched for bodies at the quarry where an investigation into the cause of the accident is under way. Two military generals, including the commander of the air force's helicopter unit, were among the dead.

Islamic State Fighters Seize Syria Gas Field

Fighters from the Islamic State group have seized a gas field in the desert region of Palmyra in the Syrian central province of Homs, a monitoring group and the governor of Homs said. The fighters on Thursday morning attacked the Shaer gas field, east of the ancient site of Palmyra, killing 90 guards, according to reports by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory disclosed that some 270 guards, government forces and militia members loyal to President Bashar al-Assad were missing, taken prisoner, wounded or killed. It said 21 Islamic State fighters were killed in the offensive. The Islamic State, which proclaimed a “caliphate” straddling Syria and Iraq last month, has in recent weeks taken over the entire countryside of oil-rich Deir Az Zor province.

Nine Killed in Pakistani Shootout, Blast

Two Pakistani policemen and a Taliban fighter have been killed in a shootout in the city of Lahore a short distance from the prime minister’s family home, police have said. In a separate incident, six people were killed by a roadside bomb on the outskirts of the north-western town of Hangu. The Lahore gun battle lasted several hours and took place just over two kilometres from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s private family residence, police said. Two Taliban fighters holed up in a house used rocket-propelled grenades and machine-guns to battle police outside. One fighter was killed and the other wounded and captured, said police Chief Zulfiqar Hamid. Three policemen were also wounded in the fighting on Thursday morning. After entering the house, police found explosives and detonators. The clash in the eastern city came as the army carries out an offensive to clear the Pakistani Taliban from strongholds in North Waziristan on the Afghan border. On Wednesday, more than 50 people were reported killed in air strikes in North Waziristan.

Woman Jailed for Posting Poisoned Letters

Shannon Richardson, 36, from Texas, had accused her estranged husband Nathaniel of sending the three poisoned letters in an apparent attempt to frame him. She pleaded guilty in December to the charge of possessing and producing a biological toxin. A federal judge gave her the maximum sentence under that plea deal and ordered her to pay restitution of about $367,000 (£214,000). Prosecutors say that after ordering the ingredients online, she made the ricin and then posted three letters before going to police and claiming her estranged husband was to blame.

Jihadist Stone Woman to Death for ‘Adultery’, Threaten Christians to Convert

Jihadists in the northern Syrian province of Raqa have accused a woman of adultery and stoned her to death, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday. It was the first “execution” of its kind by the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, which has proclaimed the establishment of an Islamic “caliphate” straddling Syria and Iraq. Some Syrian rebels initially welcomed the jihadists, seeing them as potential allies in their war to topple President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. But the group’s systematic abuses and quest for domination swiftly turned the mainstream opposition against it, and rebels have been battling IS fighters since January. The IS group has threatened Christians in the Iraqi city of Mosul with death if they do not to convert to Islam or pay a special tax on non-Muslims known as jiziya, or face death “as a last resort”, according to reports. The Sunni rebel group stated that the order was issued after Christian leaders failed to attend a meeting called by the group.

Israel Starts Gaza Ground Offensive

The Israeli military has begun a ground offensive against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, stepping up its military operation. It said it was in response to continued militant rocket fire and to strike a “significant blow to Hamas”, which controls Gaza. Hamas said Israel would pay a high price for the ground offensive. There had been a five-hour humanitarian truce on Thursday, but exchanges of fire resumed when it ended. Gaza’s health ministry says 260 Palestinians have died since the Israeli operation began on 8 July. It says more than three quarters of them were civilians. One Israeli has died as a result of rocket fire from Gaza and several have been injured. At least five Palestinians were killed on Thursday evening after the start of the ground offensive began, Palestinian authorities said. Israel withdrew ground troops from the Gaza strip in September 2005, and last mounted a major ground operation in 2009. The Israeli military said on Wednesday it had sent out warning messages to residents in the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes ahead of renewed attacks.