Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 31

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Navy, Vigilante Nab 80 Suspected Drug Peddlers in Anambra, Abia

The Nigerian Navy at the Onitsha Naval Out-post in Anambra State, Tuesday, arrested 20 suspected drug peddlers at Nsugbe, near Onitsha, following an intelligence report against the activities of hard drug users in the community. This came as the Abia State Vigilante Service has paraded over 60 persons suspected to be hard drug users and peddlers arrested in Aba, Abia State. The Commanding Officer of Naval Out-post, Onitsha, Navy Captain Mike Oamen, said it was only by fighting hard drugs that the war against criminals and their syndicates could be won. The commander added that the collaboration of the naval outpost and the NDLEA would be a continuous exercise. According to the commander of the vigilante group, Mr. Idika Martins, the suspects were arrested in their hideout at Nkwa Road by Iheoji in the city, which he said was notorious for drug peddling and other crimes.

Security Operatives Destroy Kidnap Gang, Kill Three Suspects

A combined team of security agents destroyed a germinating kidnap gang in Ikwuano LGA of Abia State, killing three members and freeing their victims unhurt. It was gathered that the gang had last Thursday abducted the state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Chief Sunny Nwakodo, and was responsible for shooting of state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Kenneth Nwosu, who later died of the injuries sustained. The gang met its waterloo on Sunday when a combined team of Army and Department of State Security Services (SSS) raided a bush at Umudike in Ikwuano LGA where the gang had kept the abducted NURTW chairman. In the ensuing shootout, the security operatives gunned down three members of the criminal gang and rescued the NURTW boss without any harm. The slain members of the gang were identified as Ogbuonye Daniel Ogbonna, Uchegbu Oscar Ugochukwu and Oleka Damian Chibueze, while other gang members are still on the run. The security operatives recovered one AK 47 rifle, two magazines and 22 rounds of ammunition from the scene. Abia State Government, Wednesday, demolished a bungalow building belonging to one of the slain suspects.

Gunmen Kidnap Ebonyi Assembly Majority Leader
…Police in Enugu Nab Four Kidnap Suspects

Gunmen Thursday kidnapped the Majority Leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Sam Nwali. Nwali was reportedly kidnapped at his residence in Abakaliki in the early hours of Thursday. Nwali’s kidnap is feared to be connected to the crisis rocking the State House of Assembly, over the impeachment of the former Speaker, Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku. The Anti-kidnap Unit of the Enugu State Police Command on Thursday arrested four armed robbery and kidnap suspects. The command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amaraizu, said that the suspects were arrested by the unit’s operatives, who had been on their trail following the kidnapping of one Afamefuna Ugwu on July 9, 2014. The suspects had demanded the sum of N28 million and when the amount was not forthcoming, reduced it to N1 million.

Several Killed as Police Engage Gunmen on Waterways

Following the incessant killings by pirates on the waterways of the Niger Delta, the police in Bayelsa State, Wednesday, engaged pirates in a gun battle which has left many pirates dead. It was gathered that at least five pirates were killed during the attack on a police contingent who were on guard duties at a Gbarain oil rig in Southern Ijaw LGA of the state. The pirates were said to have stormed the rig operating for the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Lone Star Drilling Company about 2am on Wednesday and opened fire, but the policemen who had taken strategic positions repelled the attempt, killing five of the attackers. Two policemen were said to have sustained minor injuries. When contacted, the state Police Commissioner, Hilary Opara, confirmed the incident.

Undergraduate Nabbed in Killing of Father, 87

A 27-year-old undergraduate of Madonna University, Okija, Chijioke Ezebuiro, had been arrested by the Abia State Police Command for allegedly killing his 87-year old father, Dr. Emmanuel Ezebuiro. The suspect was arrested for his father’s death because he was the only one at home when the deceased was brutally murdered. According to him, police preliminary investigations showed that there was no evidence of forced entry into their house where the incident took place. Police said the crime was committed on June 30, 2014 at the deceased’s home at Umuoriehi, Isingwu in the Umuahia North LGA.

Abia Police Parade Suspected Kidnappers, Others

Abia State Police Command, Wednesday, paraded three persons who allegedly snatched three baby girls from their mother at gun point penultimate Friday. The command also paraded one Joseph Edet Essien who was caught while negotiating to sell a baby girl. Besides, the command also paraded 32 other suspects for alleged involvement in various crimes, ranging from murder, robbery, child trafficking to cultism. While eleven of the suspects were arrested for child trafficking, eight were arrested for cultism, while one was picked up for allegedly killing his 87- year-old father.  Others were arrested for armed robbery. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said one locally made pistol was found on the suspected cultists as they engaged in cult activities. The police said the matter would soon be charged to court.

Gunmen Attack Passenger Boat, Kill Two

Gunmen suspected to be sea pirates on Sunday attacked a passenger boat on the Ogbia-Nembe waterways and killed two persons, including an aide to a former commissioner in the state. The second victim was yet to be identified. Three persons, Mr Alfred Belemote, a politician and his police escort, and the boat driver survived the attack. The spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Mr Alex Akhigbe, also confirmed the incident, adding that details of the incident were not immediately available.

4 Killed in Renewed Anambra/Kogi Clash over Oil

Four persons from Aguleri, Anambra East LGA were killed on Monday, while seven others were seriously injured in a renewed clash between the people of Aguleri and Echeno/Odeke in Ibaji LGA of Kogi State. The two border communities have been laying claims to the oil deposits on the Omambala River basin. The clashes became more pronounced shortly after the commissioning of Orient Petroleum Refinery at Aguleri Otu in Anambra State by President Goodluck Jonathan last year. It was gathered that the people of Aguleri were taken unawares by the Kogi fighters. It was gathered that the latest clash, which occurred on Monday afternoon, involved the use of sophisticated weapons, even in the presence of security operatives. Monday’s attack came on the heels of a peace committee meeting held between the communities last week at Idah in Kogi State. The Anambra Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the incident.

Police Arrest Suspected Child Traffickers in Abia State

The Abia State Police Command, Tuesday, paraded two suspected child traffickers, Chinwendu Mbogu, and her sister Uzoamaka Mbogu, while their male accomplice, Prince Onyeukwu Onyeze, remained at large. Parading the suspects, The Police Public Relation Officer, Geophrey Ogbonna, said the female suspects were residing in Adamawa State from where they suddenly came home with two babies which they claimed were theirs. According to the police, the suspects claimed the babies, eight months and three weeks respectively, were sick and took them to a hospital in Aba for medical treatment. But suspecting a foul play, the hospital management contacted the police. Upon interrogation, the women confessed that the three weeks old baby was stolen from a cottage hospital in Adamawa State. Police said the family of the stolen baby had been contacted while efforts were on, to track down the fleeing male suspect.

Police Uncover Eight-Bedroom Underground Kidnappers’ Den

The Imo State Police Command, assisted by some vigilante members, has uncovered an underground eight-bedroom kidnapper’s den in a deserted building. The hideout, located in Umuchima Village in Ikeduru LGA, was used by suspected kidnappers to harbour their victims. The State Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, while parading the suspects, explained that the underground hideout, with eight bedrooms, was discovered through intelligence network and collaboration of the vigilante men. The villagers said they were neither aware of the underground den nor the criminal activities that were carried out in the compound until a kidnapped victim, who escaped from the dungeon in the middle of the night narrated his ordeal.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Navy Hands over Seized Vessel to Interpol

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Ibusa, on Tuesday handed over a seized vessel, MT Itiri, it arrested for maritime illegalities to the International Police of the Nigerian Police Force. Confirming the handover, the Commanding Officer, NNS Beecroft, Commodore Ovenseri Uwadaie, said the vessel was arrested at the Lagos road stead in connection with a hijack incidence off Pennington Terminal in the nation's waterways. The navy alleged that the vessel was involved in a case of hijack of another vessel, and after it was arrested, investigations began to unravel the truth. The Navy warned sea pirates and criminal elements in the nation's waters to desist from nefarious activities or face the consequences as there will be no hiding place for such elements.

Man Nabbed after Killing Friend over N500 Gift

Men of the vigilante group in Idjerhe Kingdom in Ethiope West LGA of Delta State have arrested a man who killed his friend over a money gift of N500 from a local politician. The deceased, simply identified as Justice, was walking down the road with his friend, Oghenerona, when they met a local politician, who was known to the deceased. The politician had given the duo N500 to share. But a disagreement arose on the sharing ratio. While Justice thinks he’s entitled to N300, for the fact that he was the one that he knew the politician, Ogheneruno, thought otherwise. Oghenerona, in a feat of anger, got a cutlass and stabbed his friend. He was promptly arrested by the local vigilante as he attempted to run away after the murder.

Police Arrest Aluminium Thieves in Delta

The police in Delta State have arrested seven people who stole aluminium sheets valued at about N50m in Onitsha, Anambra State and took them to Asaba, Delta State. The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, said the sheets belonged to G.U.O. Group of Companies. Based on the report of the theft, detectives swung into action and arrested one Charles Ikebisi, 37, of Omirigboma camp, Asaba, while his accomplice escaped, according to the Police. The PPRO said a few days later, the police received information that the stolen aluminium sheets were discovered at Okwe, awaiting evacuation by buyers from Onitsha. Consequently, the detectives rushed to the scene and arrested six others, who have reportedly confessed to the crime and mentioned their gang leader now at large. Items recovered from them include six hundred sheets of aluminium. She said investigation efforts were on to track down other suspects.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Lagos Discovers First Case of Ebola Virus

The Lagos State Government has alerted the public that a Liberian national, suspected to have the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was detected in a private hospital in the state last Tuesday. In a swift move, the federal government was said to have deployed a team of high-profile medical practitioners to the state to detect deadly virus. The Special Adviser on Public Health to the state government, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, disclosed this alongside the Project Director of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Professor Abdulsalami Nasidi. Adeshina gave details about the suspected case of the virus, which she said were obtained from the private health facility where the patient was taken in Lagos. The special adviser explained that the history of the patient “revealed that he had no contact with any case of the virus, did not visit any person with the virus in the hospital neither did he partake in the burial of any person who died of the virus.” Adeshina acknowledged that the Federal Ministry of Health, including Port Health Services, “is partnering with the state government in areas of contact tracing and other specialised care.”

Gunmen Kill Wife, Mother of Missed Target

Unidentified gunmen, on Monday, shot dead a woman, Kafila Bolarinwa, and her mother-in-law after they missed her husband, their main target. The gunmen who struck at Olorunsogo area of Ibadan were said to have besieged the residence of one Idowu Bolarinwa around 3:30am and shot his relatives dead. It was gathered that their target was in the mosque offering prayers as part of Ramadan activities when the hoodlums struck. It was further gathered that the hoodlums were enraged when they learnt that their target, who is a land speculator, was not available and shot the wife, who they thought was hiding her husband. The man’s mother, who came out to find out what was happening, was equally shot dead. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Ilobanafor, confirmed the incident.

Police Nab 3 Suspected Car-Snatchers in Lagos

Three members of a notorious robbery gang that specialised in snatching cars around Victoria Island, Lekki and Ajah axis of Lagos State, have been arrested. The suspects were arrested separately on Saturday and Monday nights when they snatched two taxi cabs from their owners at gunpoint and had attempted to use the snatched cabs to steal exotic cars. One of the suspects, Rasheed Yusuf, 20, was arrested on Saturday when the anti-robbery policemen on patrol accosted the gang after they snatched a taxi. But two other gang members escaped. But on Monday night, the two fleeing bandits, identified as Ade Yemi, 22, and Toyin Ajayola, 22, returned to Victoria Island with a taxi they snatched and were arrested after a shootout with the police.

Man Arrested over Stabbing Death of Wife

The Police in Ogun State have arrested a 47-year-old man, Gbenga Ogunfolabo, at Ishara in Remo North LGA for allegedly stabbing his wife, Bosede Ogunfolabo, to death. Police Spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said that the incident occurred on 16th July but no one reported the case to the police as the families concerned wanted to sweep the matter under the carpet as a result of pressure mounted on the deceased’s family by the family of the suspect but one of the relatives of the deceased decided to report the matter to the police. Upon investigation, it was gathered that the suspect, who is a farmer, had been maltreating the deceased, a petty trader, before he eventually stabbed her to death. The State’s Commissioner for Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, had directed that the matter be transferred to the Department of Criminal Investigation, while he advised the general public to always report cases of this nature or any other crimes to the police.

Four Killed as Robbers Cart Away N24m from Bank

Some robbers on Wednesday attacked a bank in the Alaba International Market in Ojo, Lagos, killing four people. It was learnt that the incident started at about 2.30pm at the Alaba cash center of Fidelity Bank. Witnesses said four people died, while others were injured in the incident. Two of the dead victims were said to be policemen. It was also gathered that the robbers carted away about N24m. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident, but said one policeman was killed.

Man Kills Lover in Lagos, Absconds With Property

A businesswoman, identified as Lizzy, has been found dead at her apartment on the Odusanya Oduguwa Crescent, Green Estate, Amuwo Odofin Area of Lagos State. The incident happened on Saturday morning. The 39-year-old indigene of Anambra State was murdered in cold blood by her boyfriend who also carted away her money, ATM cards, jewellery and a Range Rover Sport. The suspect, after the crime, reportedly fled to a neighbouring country. The Police Public Relations officer, Lagos State Command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident. She said the police had begun investigations.

Nigerian Navy Arrests 6 for Impersonation in Lagos

The Nigerian Navy ship, NNS Wey, Navy Town, Lagos, has arrested six persons for masquerading as naval personnel, with a warning to others still engaged in such act to desist from it or face same fate as the arrested suspects. Among the suspects were a staff of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, a dismissed Naval rating and son of a retired policeman. The Commander, NNS Wey, Commodore Ignatus Iliya, explained that the arrest became necessary following the use of personnel’s uniform and accouterments by some unscrupulous elements to commit crimes and other vices which dent the service’s image. He said Navy uniform, identity cards, caps and uniforms of other sister forces were recovered from the suspects.

One Arrested as 4 Suspected Kidnappers Invade School in Ibadan

Four suspected kidnappers on Monday invaded Onireke Girls’ High School, Ibadan, Oyo State. It was gathered that the suspected kidnappers, who were said to have dressed like mad persons, have been terrorizing students and staff of the school in the last few weeks. They were again sighted on Monday by a food vendor and some students of the school inside a bush located at the back of one of the classroom blocks within the premises of the girls college. It was gathered that some of the students rushed to inform the vice-principal of the school of the presence of the hoodlums within the school premises. This situation made the vice-principal to alert the school’s gate-keeper and some male teachers, who immediately chased the hoodlums to their hideout. The brave teachers and the vice-principal, were, however, able to capture one of the hoodlums, while their hideout was thoroughly combed.

Barber Arrested for Robbing Hairdresser

A barber, John James, has been arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly robbing a hairdressing salon at Apple Junction, FESTAC Town, Lagos. It was learnt that James, who dispossessed his victims of N15,000 and three handsets, was also a member of the Eiye Confraternity. It was gathered that 27-year-old James, who hails from Kogi State and was living at Oguntimehin Street, Ajegunle, Lagos, before he was apprehended, had carried out the robbery at the saloon with two other members of his gang. The police noted that the other two members were still at large. The SARS operatives, it was further learnt, recovered a locally-made pistol and two cartridges from James. In his confession, James said he had earlier taken part in two robbery operations, before he was apprehended by SARS.

Truck Runs Into Market, Kills Four

At least four people were killed and more than 10 injured in Odo- Eran in Igando area of Lagos State, on Monday, when a truck rammed into a market along LASU/Igando Road. An eyewitness said the truck’s brake failed just as the driver was about to negotiate at a sharp bend. Mohammed said in an attempt to avoid ramming into the tricycles parked by the sharp corner of the road, the driver had to drive into the market, killing four persons. About 10 others were injured. The truck driver was said to have attempted to run away, but people around chased him and apprehended him. The angry people around were said to have inflicted machete wounds on him. He was, however, rescued by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

Customs, Car Dealers Clash in Kwara

One person was killed, while another person sustained injuries following a pandemonium that erupted at the Saw Mill area of Ilorin, Kwara State as officials of the Nigerian Customs Service clashed with some car dealers. Trouble reportedly started when some customs officials chased a vehicle, said to be conveying suspected smuggled cosmetics products, into Ilorin. The driver of the vehicle resisted arrest while the customs officials fired gunshots, which killed the driver immediately. The aggrieved car dealers and youths were said to have wielded weapons and protested to the customs office, where they met strong resistance from customs men and anti-riot policemen. In a similar incident, eight Customs Officers in Ogun State were allegedly attacked by suspected smugglers along the Lagos-Sagamu expressway as they attempted to intercept a truck loaded with 700 cartoons of frozen poultry products. Coordinator of the Customs Patrol Roving Team B, Cletus Okon, said the contraband was intercepted after a fierce struggle. The poultry products were eventually buried in the presence of government agents in Abeokuta.

Police, NSCDC Clash over Arrested Vandals in Oyo

Men of the Oyo State Police Command and officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Monday, clashed over the arrest of suspected pipeline vandal in Ibadan. The suspected vandal was arrested along Oyo-Ogbomoso road in an unmarked Hilux Van containing about 15 jerry cans of petroleum while two buses loaded with fuel escaped. However, trouble started when the anti-vandal squad of the NSCDC was taking the arrested Hilux to their office and was allegedly intercepted by some policemen. Many members of the public scampered for safety as the two security agencies engaged each other, shooting tear gas and firing gunshot. The Police team had reportedly attempted to disarm the NSCDC anti-vandal squad and manhandle them by physically assaulting them and deflated their tyre and eventually took over the arrested suspect. The police team claimed that the NSCDC officials drove against traffic.

Man Charged for Killing Teacher

The Nigerian Police Force has revealed the apprehension of an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lasisi Kabir Iyanda, for the gruesome murder of an Islamic Scholar, Kamaldeen Muritala, 32, in Ejigbo, Osun State in June, 2014. The unfortunate incident was caused by an argument between the two, while the National Examination Council (NECO) examination was taking place. After the teacher had kicked the bucket, his students went on a riot threatening to burn down the office structures belonging to the NSCDC. The situation was then controlled by the immediate response of the police squad nearby. The Police High Command thanked the officers and men of Osun State Police Command for their fast reaction which saved the suspect’s life, as well as tangible properties. The authorities also urged the citizens to avoid acts of jungle justice.

NDLEA Arrests Man with 2.185kg of Narcotics

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a man, Ifeanacho Somadina, with 2.185kg of substances that tested positive for methamphetamine. The seizure was made on Tuesday at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. He was about boarding an Ethiopian Airline to Malaysia when the drug was detected in his bag. NDLEA Commander at the airport, Hamza Umar, said the illicit substance was found on the suspect. Explaining his resort to drug peddling, the suspect said he got into drug smuggling out of frustration.

Fire Guts Police Armoury in Lagos

A fire outbreak has occurred at the Alapere Police Station in Ketu area of Lagos, in the afternoon of July 20, 2014, Sunday. The fire outbreak was reported to have started from the weapon store of the station consuming everything in its path. After being refreshed with several explosions from the armory the inferno gutted other sections of the station and caused pandemonium. The Lagos State fire service was however, able to extinguish the fire. However, no official information on the accident, its cause or casualties has been reported, a police officer at the station assured that the case is under thorough investigation.

GENERAL

Boko Haram: 15,204 Persons Displaced in Damboa

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday said 15,204 people had been displaced by the weekend attack on Damboa town in the troubled Borno State. This disclosure came on the heels of findings that an epidemic may rise as a result of several corpses left unburied in the streets of the town as the surviving residents were made to flee. It was also gathered that thousands of people were seen on yesterday morning fleeing towards Uba town from Damboa and other areas bordering it which were attacked by the insurgents. The North-east Information Officer of the agency, AbdulKadir Ibrahim, said the internally displaced persons are presently seeking refuge in Biu, Maiduguri, both in the state and Goniri in Gujba LGA of Yobe State. Boko Haram, penultimate Friday, attacked Damboa town in Southern Borno, killing scores of people and reportedly hoisted the sect's flags in parts of the strategic town over the weekend. The sect had earlier displaced the Nigeria Army from their barracks in the town, which had been under continuous siege for two weeks. With this recent attack, the Biu/Maiduguri road -one of the major highways to Maiduguri- is now impassable.

4 Kidnappers, Killers of Abuja School Proprietress Paraded

The Department of State Security (DSS) nabbed four members of a gang that abducted and murdered the proprietress of Chelson Group of Schools, Dr. Edith Aliyu, in Abuja.  Her abductors killed her after she recognised one of them. The suspects included Maxwell Ajukwu, Solomon Amodu, Sunday Jacob and Aliyu's driver, Isah Angba, who initiated the abduction. Aliyu kidnapped at her residence at Gwagwalada on June 29, 2014 and was buried in a bush at Yangoji village along Kwali-Lokoja Expressway a few hours after she was strangled by a fleeing gang member, identified as Douglas. The Director of Operations, DSS, FCT Command, Ibrahim Haliru, explained that the gang demanded N5 million ransom, but was paid N2 million, which was converted to $11,550. Ajukwu, 41, explained that he had visited Aliyu's residence on surveillance where he posed as a generating set mechanic, adding that they decided to kill the victim because she recognised him.

Two Bomb Attacks Claim over 70 Lives in Kaduna

Suspected Bok Haram members struck Kaduna on Wednesday in two bomb attacks that claimed about 100 lives. A former military Head of State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), and a prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, escaped being killed in the blast which occurred at Alkali Road and Kawo area in the metropolis. Buhari was on his way out of town when the second blast occurred at about 2pm. An eyewitness said the bomber, who was driving a Toyota Sienna, rammed into the three vehicles in Buhari’s convoy, causing serious wreckage to the vehicles. Another SUV was later brought to convey him out of the area. However, three of Buhari’s aides and his security personnel were said to have been seriously injured in the blasts. The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Umar Usman Shehu, said 25 people were killed in the Alkali road blast, while 14 people were killed in the Kawo blast.

NIS Nabs Human Trafficking Kingpin, Rescues 5 Victims

The Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, said it had arrested a human trafficking kingpin, Muntari Hamidu, 30, and rescued five victims in Katsina State. The state Comptroller of NIS, Emmanuel Ogbumuo, who disclosed this on Wednesday, said that the suspect had been on the watch list for a long time. Ogbumuo added that the suspect was arrested in Maimujiya, a border town with Niger Republic, by a combined Immigration Border Patrol Team and the Nigerien Police, on Monday. The comptroller said the suspect was arrested together with five victims, three females and two males, aged between 20 and 25 years.

Explosion Rocks Kano as IG Orders Probe of Kaduna Bombings

As criticisms continued to greet Wednesday’s bombings in Kaduna that claimed over 70 lives, an Improvised Explosive Device went off at the New Road Motor Park in Kano on Thursday. Five persons died and eight were injured in the Kano incident. Some vehicles in the park were also damaged. The Kano explosion led to a stampede as people struggled to leave the scene where 70 lives were lost in a similar blast last year. The IED was conveyed in a refrigerator which was smuggled into the park by a cart pusher. Eyewitness accounts indicated that the cart pusher was able to beat security at the motor gate because he packaged the refrigerator like a passenger luggage. Kano State Commissioner of Police, Adelenre Shinaba, confirmed to the incident and death toll. Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has instituted a high-powered investigation team made up of seasoned investigators to unearth the perpetrators of Tuesday bomb attacks in Kaduna.

Boko Haram: Nigeria, Cameroon, Others Deploy 2,800 Troops in Special Force

Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger have agreed to quickly form a new force that would comprise 2,800 soldiers to fight the Boko Haram insurgents. The defence ministers of the contributing countries said they would each contribute 700 troops to the force. Boko Haram’s insurgency is focused on Nigeria, but it has carried out some cross-border raids. The defence ministers met in Niger’s capital, Niamey, on Wednesday, to hold further discussions on the growing threat posed by Boko Haram.

10 Killed in Kano Cholera Outbreak

Ten persons have been killed following an outbreak of cholera at Kafin Dalawa village in Tudun Wada LGA of Kano State. Malam Surajo Muhammed, an official of Isma Medical Initiative, a non-governmental organisation under the aegis of Islamic Movement of Nigeria, disclosed that a total of 699 patients had so far been treated by the medical team since the outbreak started four days ago in the village. Surajo pointed out that 16 others were still on admission at a temporary camp in the village. According to him, a primary school had to be converted to a temporary facility because the village lacked proper medical facility. He called on the state government to come to the aid of the people in the village to prevent the spread of the disease. Confirming the outbreak, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran, said the state government had dispatched a medical team to Kafin Dalawa to assess the outbreak of the disease.

Two Killed as Air Force Helicopter Crashes in Borno

A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Mi-35 helicopter on a training exercise in continuation of the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency offensive against Boko Haram terrorists crashed on Monday in Borno State, killing two crew members. The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, said the NAF helicopter crashed due to technical fault at a location south of Bama. According to him, one of the pilots was rescued alive, while the second one as well as the technician on board the three-member crew flight died in the crash. Olukolade disclosed that investigation had already commenced to unravel the circumstances that led to the accident.  He added that the crash was not as a result of any enemy action.

Military Uncovers Plot to Attack Busy Spots in Abuja

The Nigerian Army has uncovered plans by the dreaded terrorist group, Boko Haram, to launch an offensive on five busy spots in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.  Reports had revealed that the sect members have intruded Utako Market, Area 1 Shopping Centre, DeiDei Mar­ket, Farmers Market, Maitama and Area 3 Motor Spare Parts Market posing as petty traders, wheel barrow pushers, butchers, as well as cab drivers, while they await instructions on when to bomb the market. The security agencies have assured that they are working tirelessly to foil the impending attacks. It further revealed that security operatives had already met with the management of targeted markets and shopping mall to brainstorm on how to avert the impending attack. He said security agencies shut down one of such malls located at Wuse Zone 5 after it received a threat letter from insurgents over an impending attack.

INTERNATIONAL

43 Killed in China Highway Explosion, 10 Killed in Mudslide

Chinese police have detained 10 people responsible for a fatal highway explosion that killed at least 43, the State Council investigation task force for the accident announced on Monday. The police have put 20 people “under control,” with ten detained. The 20 people include those involved in illegal production, sales and transportation of hazardous chemicals and illegal modifying and camouflaging of vehicles, as well as the legal persons and safety management personnel of problematic passenger transportation companies. A van loaded with alcohol rear-ended a passenger coach last Saturday in central China’s Hunan Province, causing a huge explosion, which killed the 43 dead. Meanwhile 10 persons are feared dead from a mudslide in a village in Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Dehong, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. The local public security bureau said ten people remained missing and another seven were injured. Continuing downpours have caused several landslides blocking the roads linking the village to other areas.

South Sudan, Rebels Violate Ceasefire – UN

The United Nations (UN) has accused South Sudanese rebels of violating a ceasefire by launching an offensive to recapture its former headquarters. The attack on Nasir town was the “most serious resumption of hostilities” since May, the UN said. The rebels said they had seized the town in an act of “self-defence”. The government denied the town had fallen. Fighting between government and rebel forces broke out in December, leaving more than a million homeless. President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar met in May and recommitted themselves to a ceasefire negotiated in January by regional leaders. Rebel spokesman, Lul Kuang, said they launched an offensive because of several attempts by government forces to arrest their commander. South Sudanese army spokesman, Philip Aguer, denied Nasir had fallen following clashes between the two sides. South Sudan is the world’s newest state and became independent in 2011. Conflict erupted in December after Mr Kiir accused Mr Machar, his sacked deputy, of plotting a coup. Mr Machar denied the allegation, but then marshalled a rebel army to fight the government.

4-Year-Old Dragged to Death in Hijacked Car

A four-year-old boy trapped by his seatbelt was dragged to his death behind a hijacked car in South Africa. The traumatised mother, Chantel Morris, had loaded her son, Taegrin, and his eight-year-old sister into their VW Golf outside their grandmother’s house in Boksburg east of Johannesburg on Saturday night when three hijackers held guns to her head. Her daughter managed to climb out of the car, but as Morris tried to free the boy from his seatbelt his foot became stuck and the hijackers sped off, ripping him out of her hands. Morris and witnesses to the hijacking ran after the car screaming, but it did not stop. It was later found four kilometres away, with the boy’s battered body next to it. Police have offered a reward of 50,000 rand ($5,000) for information leading to the arrest of the hijackers.

Four People Killed in Kabul Airport Suicide Attack

A suicide bomber has killed four people, including at least three foreign security guards, in an attack outside Kabul airport, officials say. The Taliban said they carried out the bombing, which targeted a key counter-narcotics building. Four insurgents were also killed, officials say. In a separate attack on Tuesday, a roadside bomb injured a civilian close to the Afghan meteorology department near the civilian entrance of the airport. Heavily armed militants attacked the counter-narcotics building with grenades and automatic weapons. Police say the bomber rode a motorcycle and detonated his explosives outside the main entrance, located close to a foreign military base 2km (1.2 miles) from the main runway.

60 Killed in Encephalitis Outbreak in India

At least 60 people died in a recent outbreak of viral encephalitis in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, a top health official has said. Doctors say patients come from seven affected districts in northern Bengal. The disease usually occurs during the monsoon season across northern India and West Bengal is normally not among the worst-affected states. Encephalitis causes brain inflammation and can result in brain damage. Symptoms include headaches and fever. West Bengal health official, Biswaranjan Satpathy, said that there had been a sudden spike in cases and deaths from encephalitis between 7 and 20 July and the situation had now reached "alarming proportions". In June federal Health Minister Harsh Vardhan ordered "extraordinary steps" to end encephalitis, including an immunisation drive and dedicated hospital beds for patients in affected districts.

21 Killed in Baghdad Suicide Bombing

A suicide bomb has killed at least 21 people in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, police and medical officials have said. At least 13 civilians were killed in the attack, which took place at a police checkpoint at the entrance to the Kadhimiya district. Many of those killed were reportedly on their way to a Shia shrine in the area. Iraq is experiencing an upsurge in instability. The government is battling Islamist militants, who have seized cities in the country’s north-west. At least five of those killed in the bombing were policemen, security sources said. The area is home to the Musa al-Khadim shrine, a site of pilgrimage for many Muslims. In a separate incident, at least 14 people were killed in Iraqi air strikes near the city of Fallujah. The Iraqi government has been fighting rebels in the city for several months. Isis militants seized Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, in June.

Student Charged with Taiwan Subway Murders

A 21-year-old college student was, on Monday, charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder for a knife attack on a subway train in May. Cheng Chieh, who is accused of stabbing passengers randomly on a moving train on May 21, has been charged with four counts of murder and 22 counts of attempted murder. Prosecutors asked the court to give Cheng the death penalty for the crimes, which were described as “mass killings” that were “heinous and without humanity”. Cheng underwent a psychiatric assessment at Taiwan University Hospital. He was found to be “normal” after four face-to-face interviews and a body examination. This was essential for the prosecutors to ask for the death penalty.

Libya Airport Battle Claims 47 Lives

Islamist-led militiamen have stepped up their assault on Libya’s main airport, controlled by rival fighters, which the health ministry said Monday had left at least 47 dead in a week. The fighting, which erupted on July 13 and shut Tripoli international airport, also injured 120 people. A coalition of militias led by Islamist fighters launched an assault on the airport on Sunday, with clashes later spreading along the road to the capital. By Sunday evening, fighting had subsided around the airport, but clashes continued in the western suburbs of the capital, witnesses said. At least four people were killed in a double suicide bombing at an army base in Benghazi. Militias and security forces have been clashing regularly in the city, but suicide attacks have been rare during the turmoil that has followed the 2011 overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. The attack hit just as the men were breaking the fast for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. No group has so far claimed responsibility.

Israel Kills Militants Entering From Gaza, Death Toll Tops 500

Israeli forces killed at least 10 Palestinian militants on Monday after they crossed the border from Gaza through two tunnels, the military said, as the death toll from the two-week conflict hit 650 on Wednesday with over 4000 injured. With the U.N. Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire, Israeli jets and tanks continued to pound the Gaza Strip through the night. At least 31 Israelis had been killed since the July 8 when the crisis begun. Fighters from the Hamas Islamist group, which runs Gaza, and its allies, have repeatedly tried to enter Israel over the past week through a vast network of hidden tunnels, looking to attack villages and army encampments that dot the border area. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his ground forces into Gaza on Thursday, promising to destroy the tunnels and put an end to incessant missile fire out of the populous Mediterranean enclave. US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, were to meet Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to look into the crisis and seek peace. A first truce proposal that Egypt made early last week was accepted by Israel but snubbed by Hamas, which wants Israel to agree to an end to its blockade of Gaza and the release of scores of prisoners before it will cease fire.

Fighting erupts in Ukraine as crash investigators arrive

Ukrainian army tanks were reported to be launching an assault to break pro-Russian rebels' hold on the eastern city of Donetsk on Monday in the first major outbreak of hostilities in the area since Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down last week killing all 298 persons onboard. Meanwhile, the first international investigators reached rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine on Monday. Three members of a Dutch disaster victims’ identification team arrived in Donetsk and were expected to visit a railway station near the crash site where nearly 200 bodies have been stored in refrigerated wagons. The United States and its allies have pointed the finger at the pro-Russian rebels and at Moscow itself over the downing of the plane although Russia has denied involvement. EU ministers met in Brussels to discuss tightening sanctions against Russia for backing for the rebel separatist fighters blamed for shooting down the Malaysia Airlines plane.

116 Killed in Air Algerie Crash

France announced on Friday there were no survivors among the 116 people on board the Air Algerie flight that crashed over Mali, saying bad weather was the likely cause of the disaster. Flight AH017, carrying 51 French nationals, went down shortly after take-off from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. The wreckage of the McDonnell Douglas 83 plane, operated by Spanish charter firm Swift Air on behalf of Air Algerie, was located 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of the Burkina Faso border in Mali’s Gossi region. In addition to the French victims, passengers and crew hailed from Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Algeria, Spain, Canada, Germany and Luxembourg. The flight was on its way to Algiers when it crashed amid reports of heavy storms in the area, shortly after the pilots radioed in that they were diverting course due to difficult weather conditions.

Seven Killed in Kenyan Bus Hijack

At least seven people were killed and others injured when gunmen hijacked a passenger bus in the coastal town of Witu, a government official confirmed on Saturday. Lamu County Commissioner Miiri Njenga said the police officers who were on patrol and responded to the scene of crime were ambushed by heavily armed militia. Five officers were killed and some passengers were injured. The latest attack came a day after Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) destroyed military camps in Boni forest, who were believed to be behind the spate of killings in the coastal region. Gunmen had recently killed at least four people and injured several others in the Kenyan city of Mombasa. The port city has seen a wave of violence in recent months, with a number of bombings and gun attacks. The violence has largely been attributed to Somali al-Shabab militants but many say local political rifts are to blame. Witnesses said the gunmen rampaged through the streets of the city.

Mh17 Black Boxes Delivered to British Investigators

The black boxes from the doomed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 that crashed in eastern Ukraine have arrived in Britain for expert analysis, the government said Wednesday. The recorders have been delivered to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch headquarters in Farnborough, southwest of London. The AAIB experts were set to go through the information from the cockpit voice recorder. The passenger flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur came down in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board, 193 of them Dutch citizens. US officials say the plane was mistakenly shot down by pro-Russian separatists in the region. It is thought that the AAIB will be able to send details of their findings to the Dutch authorities within 24 hours — giving experts in the Netherlands further information of the Boeing 777 jet’s last moments. Ukraine’s government said in a statement that the black boxes were transferred to Britain under the observation of the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Tunisia Shuts Mosques Media in Anti-Jihadist Fight

Tunisia has hit back at a deadly jihadist attack on troops by closing mosques and media outlets seen as sympathetic to extremists, raising fears of a return to the censorship of the old regime. In the wake of a July 16 attack which left 15 soldiers dead in Mount Chaambi near the Algerian border, the authorities have laid down a "red line" against criticism of the army and police. The government announced the immediate closure of mosques which had fallen out of the control of the religious affairs ministry. It has also decided to shut down unlicensed media outlets which had "turned into platforms for takfiris and jihad," referring to apostasy charges against fellow Muslims.

Gunmen Kill Female Aid Worker in Afghanistan

Gunmen in Afghanistan have shot dead two Finnish women working for a Christian aid charity in the western city of Herat, officials say. A local governor said the women were travelling by taxi when gunmen on a motorcycle fired on their vehicle. There was no immediate claim for the attack on the International Assistance Mission workers. Separately, at least six civilians died and more than 20 were wounded in a bomb attack in northern Takhar province. The bomber detonated explosives in a packed market as locals shopped for the festival of Eid al-Fitr later this month. The IAM has operated in Afghanistan since 1966, and the Taliban have in the past accused its workers of being “Christian missionaries”, a claim the charity denies.

UN Sends Aid to Syria without Regime Consent

The UN has sent its first humanitarian aid convoy into rebel-held areas of Syria without government consent on Thursday, as UN Chief, Ban Ki-moon, accused warring parties of denying assistance to millions as a tactic of war. A convoy of nine trucks crossed into Syria from the Turkish crossing at Bab al-Salam, carrying UN food, shelter, water purification and sanitation supplies, according to Amanda Pitt, the spokeswoman for the UN humanitarian office. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution that authorised aid access at four border crossings from Turkey, Iraq and Jordan, even though the Syrian government deems such deliveries as incursions. The UN estimates that about 10.8 million people need help, of which 4.7 million are in remote areas of Syria.