Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 32

• 

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

One Killed, as Gunmen Abduct Senator’s Mother in Yenagoa

Gunmen, Thursday, stormed the Opolo area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, and successfully abducted the 90-year-old mother of Senator Emmanuel Paulker. No word has been heard so far on the fate of the old woman nor has the kidnappers made any demand. The gunmen shot sporadically into the air as they made away with her at the ungodly hour of about 3.00am. Although no motive has been established for the daredevil action of the gunmen, the old woman was taken away from her residence which is just a shouting distance from the headquarters of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and a contingent of the state special security outfit station. The action is considered as unusual as it happened within the Yenagoa metropolis, where there was no get-away boat stationed anywhere nearby. The gunmen, whose number could not be ascertained, snatched their victim without any confrontation from law enforcement agents, despite the shooting. Her grandson, Driver, who was with her when the gunmen invaded, was reportedly injured, while trying to stop them from taking the old woman away. The Police Public Relations Officer, Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident.

Gunmen Kill 15 in Rivers Community

At least, 15 persons were feared killed in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers State by unknown gunmen. The gunmen numbering about 12 stormed seven communities in the LGA and opened fire on unsuspecting persons. It was gathered that the assailants, who were all armed with AK-47 rifles, rode into the area with six motorcycles and operated from 9pm on Wednesday till the wee hours of Thursday. A source in the area disclosed that while three persons were shot dead in Ede, one of the communities in the area, one person lost his life in Obite. In Egite community, two persons were killed by the gunmen while two others were injured. Four others were shot at close range in Egita community while one also died in Obiosimiri community during the raid.

Child Abductors to Face Death Penalty in Akwa Ibom

Henceforth, any person who abducts a child in Akwa Ibom State will face death sentence like a kidnapper under the state child’s rights and anti-terrorism law. Already, 25 persons arrested for alleged child abduction by security agents in the state are to face trial while 30 kidnapped children from the state and some neighbouring states had been rescued. The state Governor, Godswill Akpabio, who stated this, remarked that the convicts would face death sentence like hardened criminals. According to him, the trauma parents go through in such incident is always heart breaking, and promised that every child abductor would be brought to book. He then called on the people of the state to report any suspicious movement to security agencies and to always be security conscious at all times, hinting that five teams of security agencies are carrying out investigation to check child theft in the state.

Ex-Militants Warn Against Termination of Amnesty Programme

Ex-militants in the Niger Delta have said that termination of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in 2015 could trigger fresh crisis in the region. Coordinator of the ex-militants under the third phase amnesty (Ebipa-Opre Ex-militants Forum), Ramsey Oyakemeagbegha, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said that the conditions which triggered militancy in the region had not been addressed. According to him, making 2015 the end of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, as being rumoured, could spell more trouble for the region and the country. The ex-militants also restated their resolve to support President Goodluck Jonathan, if he declares his intention to contest the 2015 poll.

Youths Invade Community over Land Dispute

Irate youths numbering over 200 from Alor-Uno in Nsukka LGA, Thursday, invaded the neighbouring Amaogbo community allegedly destroying properties worth millions of naira. The invasion followed a dispute over a piece of land where people of Alor-Uno reside, which Amaogbo claimed did not belong to them. The intervention of law enforcement agencies was said to have restored calm. Chairman of Amaogbo Youths Assembly, Simeon Onyishi, said his community was astonished on sighting several rampaging youths chanting war songs and descending on any property within sight and looting places. He said that the youths from his area resisted the temptation of fighting back so as not to allow the situation to escalate, stressing that over N50 million worth of property and many buildings were either destroyed or burnt. However, the traditional ruler of Alor-Uno, His Majesty Ngwu Eze said the land belonged to his community, even as he denied knowledge of the attack allegedly carried by youths of his community.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Police Arrest Woman for Allegedly Killing Her 2 Children

The Delta Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old woman in Abraka for allegedly killing two of her children. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu, said this on Thursday in Asaba in a statement. She said the suspect had confessed to the police that she gave a liquid substance to the children to drink. The suspect, she added, said the children were aged nine months and two years. Kalu said the suspect claimed that the liquid substance was given to her by one Apostle Austin Eduviere of Triumphant World International Church, Abraka, and was for healing purposes. The suspect, she added, told the police that the liquid substance was a mixture of water and salt and sold to worshipers for N1,850. The cleric, Kalu said, had been arrested and was helping the police in their investigation.

Delta Police Parade Female Cult Member, Armed Robbers

A 21-year-old lady was among 11 members of a youth cult group arrested by the police in Asaba while performing their initiation rites. The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the arrests on Tuesday, said the lady, Chioma Akuchi, and one Francis Vincent with nine other people, were arrested at Umuadike Quarter off Asaba–Ibusa road by a police patrol team. Kalu said weapons recovered from the suspects included one cut-to-size locally made pistol, one live cartridge and one battle axe. She said the suspects were being investigated and could be charged before a court if indicted. In another case, the PPRO said detectives from Ashaka Division, acting on a tip-off, raided a house at Ashaka and arrested one Solomon Ageje, 24, in possession of one cut-to-size locally made gun and five live cartridges.

Man Stabs Friend Over N2,000 Debt

A man identified as Oruma has stabbed his 20-year-old friend in the neck over a N2,000 debt in Benin, Edo State. The victim, identified as Frederick Eze, was reportedly stabbed by Oruma in the Oza area of the state following a fight that broke out when the victim seized one of Oruma’s properties for refusing to pay the debt. A witness disclosed that the victim bled and lost consciousness, and was rushed to a private hospital on a wheelbarrow after several cab drivers declined to take him. However, another source said a fight broke out during gambling among friends, adding that the fight led to the stabbing. The source, who noted that the police had questioned Frederick at the hospital when he briefly came out of a coma, said the suspect had been arrested. Police Public Relations Officer, Edo State Command, Noble Uwoh, confirmed that the suspect had been arrested.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Ebola: FG, LASG to Isolate 59 Persons Who Had Contact with Dead Victim
…Suspends Asky Airline

Determined to contain the ease of the infection and the swiftness of containing victims infected with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), the Federal Government in conjunction with the Lagos State Government have identified some 59 persons who had physical contact with Mr. Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian who died of the disease last Friday in Lagos. The decision was premised on the concern that leaving them in the midst of the people could trigger an unfettered spread of the infection to hitherto uninfected persons. It was announced that 59 persons including the Nigerian Ambassador to Liberia, Chigozie Obi-Nnadozie, had contact with the late Sawyer believed to have imported the EVD to Lagos. The state government acknowledged that the contacts were established with the support of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) among others. The First Consultant Medical Centre, where the patient died last Friday, has also been temporarily shut down, in accordance with the WHO guidelines on treatment of the disease. Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said it had started screening passengers arriving from places at risk from Ebola and had suspended Pan-African Airline, Asky, for bringing the first case to Lagos.

Robbers Invade Bariga, Lagos on Sallah Eve

Armed robbers struck on Popoola and Oreofero streets, Bariga, Lagos, and unleashed terror on some residents on Monday night. The robbers stormed the streets at about 2am, and left after about three hours of robbery and battering. At least three residents were stabbed by the armed robbers, who were said to be large in number. One of the residents claimed that the Pedro Police Division was informed while the robbery went on, but the police did not show up early to save the situation. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said some hoodlums had come to the area to steal a commercial bus, but they were eventually arrested by the police.

NDLEA Nabs China-Bound Trader with Cannabis

Operatives of The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a 39-year-old suspected smuggler, who sells motorcycle parts in Nnewi, Anambra State. It was learnt that the suspect, Chibuzor Ogbodo, had concealed drugs confirmed as cannabis in food items before the officials of the agency attached to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos nabbed him. Ogbodo was apprehended while trying to smuggle the drugs to China. In the course of investigations, the suspect, who hails from Enugu, said a successful trafficking of the dried weeds weighing 11.06 kilogrammes would have earned him $10,000 (N1.6m) profit. He claimed that his intention was to resuscitate his “dying” business after a friend had defrauded him of $3,000, adding that he planned to use the profit to buy motorcycle parts in China. The NDLEA commander at the airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the suspect was to board a Qatar Airline flight when he was nabbed. The suspect would have faced capital punishment if caught with drugs in China.

Customs Battle Smugglers at Border Posts

The Nigeria Customs Service in Seme Border on Monday said in spite of the challenges posed by the aquatic and marshy terrain of the command, it had achieved higher level of suppression of smuggling and other related offences. Area Comptroller Willy Egbudin said this in a mid-year report of the command in Lagos. This, according to him, was possible through increased enforcement of activities, enlightenment of border communities and the trading public about the dangers of smuggling.” Egbudin said 18 suspected smugglers were arrested and their cases were at various stages of investigation and prosecution. The comptroller said the command also made 487 seizures with a Duty Paid Value of N196.2m. He added that the command handled exportable goods valued at N4.9bn between January and June.

Police Nab 22-Year-Old for Defiling Teenager

Policemen in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, have arrested 22-year-old Qudus Giwa of the Sabo area of Ijebu Ode, for defiling a 15-year-old girl. He was arrested on Friday, July 25, but was said to have committed the offence on Monday, July, 21. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said the suspect had unlawful carnal knowledge of the young victim on the fateful day. He said the victim personally reported the matter to the police. Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the suspect had been transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the Department of Criminal Investigation in Abeokuta for proper investigation and prosecution as directed by the Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye. Meanwhile, the men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state have arrested a 40-year-old man, Obanle Ishola, for operating a fake recruitment office. He was arrested in Ilaro, in the Yewa South Local Government Area of the state. According to the NSCDC Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Olanrewaju Kareem, Ishola operated an employment scam, in which he promised his victims of placement in the NSCDC.

Five Robbers Killed in Shootout with Police

Operatives of the Ogun State Police anti-crime team attached to Agbado Division in Ifo Local Government area of Ogun State on Saturday killed five armed robbers, out of the 12, who engaged the police in a shootout while one of the suspected robbers was arrested. Others were said to have escaped with bullet wounds. According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the policemen had responded to a distress call while the robbers were operating at Oluke, Okugbolu and Onireke areas of Agbado, when the robbers met their waterloo. The armed robbers had launched attack on the people of these areas when a call was made to the Divisional Police Officer in Agbado Division, who then put a call to alert his men on routine patrol to race down to the area where the robbers were caught in the act of robbery. Members of the Vigilance Service in the area reportedly assisted the police team. The PPRO identified the arrested bandit is said to be helping the police in their investigation.

Pastor, Four Others Arrested for Robbery

A 40-year old Pastor of a Church in Ikere Ekiti in Ekiti state, Taiwo Afolabi, and four other syndicates have been arrested by men of the State Police Command for allegedly dealing in car snatching and robbery. Another 17-year old boy, Raji Babatunde was on Thursday arrested during a robbery operation at Okesa Area of Ado Ekiti capital city by men of the Swift Response Squad at about 3.30am after receiving a distressed call from some victims. While parading the suspects at the police headquarters in Ado-Ekiti Thursday, the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Babayemi, said Afolabi and his gang were arrested by police along Igbaraodo- Ogotun road when they could not give satisfactory accounts   of themselves.

No Fresh Case of Ebola in Lagos -LASG

Lagos State Government again reiterated that no fresh case of the dreaded Ebola virus disease has been found in the state or any part of the country. According to the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, two of the persons said to have come in contact with the late Liberian victim of the disease, Mr. Pat Sawyer, have manifested symptoms of the dreaded virus. The state Commissioner for Information, Lateef Ibirogba, has advised the citizens to be wary of the activities of fraudsters who are making spurious claims about their ability to provide cure for the virus urging them to always contact health providers to report unusual feelings noticed. He cautioned the people to desist from sending panicky text messages about the disease that could heighten tension and create anxiety. He reminded residents of the state to make use of the emergency phone numbers- 08023169485, 08033086660, 08033065303, 08055281442 and 08055329229 provided to contact health authorities in case anyone with observed symptoms of the Ebola disease is noticed.

Police Trails Man Who killed lover in Lagos and Fled to Ghana

The Lagos State Police Command, Thursday, disclosed that it remained on the trail of the 33-year-old man, Kelechi Williams, who allegedly strangled his lover, a 39-year-old mother of four, Njideka Lizzy Nzewe, in her Lagos apartment on July 19, 2014 and subsequently fled to Ghana. Nzewe was an international business woman and Chief Executive Officer of Edmark International. According to reports, the late Njideka who was to travel to the United States of America on July 24, 2014, with her kids, had gone to the bank in the company of Williams to withdraw N4 million. However, at about 2.30 am, Williams allegedly tied her hands, strangled her and thereafter, made away with over N8 million, her phones and her SUV. Police sources further hinted that homicide detectives at Area ‘E’ Command, Festac Town, were closing in on the suspect.

GENERAL

Three Female Suicide Bombers Strike in Kano, Kill 3, Injure 16

A bomb attack in Kano, Monday, led to the killing of three persons with over 16 persons injured. The incident occurred when a female suicide bomber detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) which was strewn around her body at a kerosene queue at NNPC Mega Station, located at Hotoro along Maiduguri Road, Kano State. There is a rising incidence of female suicide bombers in Kano. The bomber, who struck at St. Charles Catholic Church in Kano State on Sunday, was also a woman. Six people including a woman suicide bomber were killed on the eve of Eid el Kabir celebration in Kano on Sunday. Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, confirmed the explosion at the NNPC mega filling station. The bomber may have planned to trigger a conflagration at the mega station but the station did not go ablaze due to the security barricade put in place by policemen on duty at the station. At another incident, the police in Kano State also confirmed that a woman pretending to be a customer but had an IED laced around her possession blew herself up with it. The victims of the blasts were immediately rushed to the hospital.

Boko Haram Kills 8 in Yobe State, Blows Up Bridge

The outlawed Boko Haram terrorist group continued its onslaught on Monday with a seven-hour attack on Katarko village, in the outskirts of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital. At the end of the siege, eight persons were killed, while a bridge linking Yobe and Adamawa States was blown up. Katarko is believed to be one of the strongholds of the Boko Haram sect in the North-eastern state. Residents disclosed that the insurgents stormed the town around 7:30 pm on Monday, first attempting to attack the military base before moving to some houses where eight persons were killed. It was also gathered that during the siege, the insurgents blew up the Katarko Bridge linking Damaturu to their stronghold, Buni Yadi, the capital of Gujba LGA of the state. This area connects Yobe and neighbouring Borno and Adamawa States, all under emergency rule as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency. Meanwhile, two suspected members of the outlawed sect have been arrested in Damaturu metropolis in possession of Improvise Explosive Devices (IEDs).

Jonathan Names Suleiman Abba New IGP

President Goodluck Jonathan has named Suleiman Abba as the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP). Abba, who takes over from the outgoing IGP Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar, joined the Nigerian Police Force in 1984. IGP Mohammed Abubakar, last week, proceeded on statutory retirement having completed 35 years in service. Abba, from Jigawa State, is an alumnus of the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies. Former IGP, Mr. Mike Okiro, and chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), pledged the commission’s support to Abba in his new appointment. In a statement issued in Abuja, Okiro noted that as a tested officer, who had held various command positions in the NPF, that he has no doubt Abba would bring new perspectives in the search for solutions to the security threats confronting the nation.

NYSC Redeploys Corps Members from Troubled States

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Thursday announced the redeployment of corps members from seven northern states. The affected states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano and Yobe. A statement by the Director of Public Relations of the NYSC, Mrs. Bose Aderibigbe, said that the decision followed the high insecurity in some parts of the North. The corps members are part of the 2014 Batch ‘B’ Orientation Course scheduled to commence on August 5. The NYSC said due to logistic reasons, the orientation course would be conducted in two streams for different states. The Stream One exercise will be conducted from August 5 to 26 in Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Oyo, Niger, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, FCT, Imo, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kogi, Katsina, Nasarawa, Ogun, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara states. Corps members posted to states listed in the Stream One category would undergo the orientation course in their respective states of deployment. The statement explained that the Stream Two exercise, meant for the affected northern states, had been scheduled for September 1, 2014 to September 22.

Eight Killed in Fresh Taraba Communal Clash

Eight people, including a teenage girl were reportedly killed on Thursday in a fresh communal clash between the Jukuns and Hausas in Ibi LGA of Taraba State. At least 40 houses, vehicles and other properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in the bloody clash which erupted at about 4.30a.m. The clash was, however, brought under control by a combined team of soldiers and police that were drafted to the area to maintain peace. The clash is coming barely two months after a violent clash between the two warring groups claimed several lives and property thereby necessitating a permanent deployment of security men comprising the army and mobile policemen to the town to forestall future breakdown of peace in the community. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Joseph Kwaji said that violence broke out when a man was attacked and robbed of N200,000 at about 5:30pm on Wednesday. Kwaji disclosed that 14 people had been arrested while two AK 47 riffles had also been recovered from the suspects. The PPRO, who disclosed that the area was being closely monitored, however, declined to confirm the casualty figures.

Ebola Death Toll Rises to 729 -WHO

Fifty-seven more deaths from the Ebola epidemic spreading alarm in West Africa have pushed the overall fatality toll from the outbreak to 729, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. The 57 deaths were recorded between Thursday and Sunday last week in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, the UN health agency said in a statement. It added that 122 new cases were detected over the four days, taking the total number of confirmed and likely infected cases to 1,323. Sierra Leone has declared a state of public emergency to tackle the worst ever outbreak of Ebola and will call in security forces to quarantine epicentres of the deadly virus, President Ernest Bai Koroma said. The measures resembled a tough anti-Ebola package announced by neighbouring Liberia on Wednesday evening. Koroma announced he was cancelling a visit to Washington for a U.S.-Africa summit next week because of the crisis and would instead hold an emergency meeting with regional leaders in Guinea on Friday. Koroma said that the police and the military would restrict movements to and from epicenters, and would provide support to health officers and NGOs to do their work unhindered, following a number of attacks on health workers by local communities.

Boko Haram Attacks Borno Communities, Razes 4 Churches

Gunmen believed to be Boko Haram members, dressed in military fatigues, Wednesday night attacked about four communities in the southern part of Borno State where they burnt down four major churches, security sources officials said. The gunmen, according to sources, stormed the communities all in Hawul LGA on Wednesday, targeting only churches and using explosives and petrol bombs. The gunmen operated freely without going after the residents, a resident disclosed. Meanwhile, the Bauchi State police command has discovery a cache of arms and improvised explosive devices buried in a building somewhere in Azare town of Katagum LGA. The state’s police spokesman, Mohammed Haruna, said the lethal weapons were discovered on Wednesday at about 4:30pm following a tip-off. The PPRO said the police Explosives Ordinance Unit of the police Command had successfully recovered and rendered safe a heavy-wired IED gas cylinder buried in a building site located at Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) Quarters in Azare.

Female Suicide Bomber Kills Five in Kano

Five people were killed when a female suicide bomber blew herself up in a college in Kano State on Wednesday. The suicide bomber detonated her explosives in a technical college. The incident follows a spate of recent suicide bombings that hit the state five times in the past week. The female bomber mixed with the students before unleashing terror, Ibrahim Ado, a student who witnessed the attack, disclosed. Three people were killed in two suicide bombings in the state on Monday. Kano state, the hub of commercial activities in Nigeria, has witnessed an increasing number of attacks in the last two weeks. Boko Haram is suspected to be behind the attacks.

Police Rescue 10-Year-Old Girl Strapped with Bomb Apparatus

Two suspected Boko Haram operatives were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly using a 10-year-old girl with an aim to carry out a suicide bombing. The minor, named Hadiza was strapped to a suicide bomb apparatus. Nigerian military forces intercepted the trio when they were along a road in Katsina State in a Honda CRV. The suspected Boko Haram members, Zainab and Iliya, tried to escape with the girl but their way was blocked by other Nigerians and subsequently arrested, said the report. This was the fifth attack since Sunday and female bombers were used in at least three of the attacks.

Death Toll Rises from Cholera Outbreak in IDPs Camps Rise to 8

The number of the dead recorded as a result of cholera attack on the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Biu has risen to eight, an official of the Nigerian Red Cross at the camp disclosed on Thursday. He said three more persons have died, apart from the five persons that had earlier died as a result of the epidemic that affected over 100 people out of the 10,000 IDPs at the camp. It would be recalled that two camps were created in Biu, about 100 kilometres from Damboa after most residents fled the town following its capture by the Boko Haram insurgents. The Red Cross official lamented that the situation at the camp was made worst with the Borno state government not making available adequate drugs and vaccination on the camp.

Suicide Bombers Hit Mosques in Yobe

Suicide bombers attacked two mosques in Yobe state late Tuesday killing at least six people and injuring several others, witnesses disclosed. The first explosion rocked an open air mosque belonging to a Shiite Muslim sect in the Dogo Tebo area of the town of Potiskum around 7:55pm leaving four people dead. The second blast five minutes later at a mosque within the compound of the chief imam in the town’s Anguwar Bolawa area killed at least two worshippers. The body of the suicide bomber was left untouched by residents in protest, he said. Resident Awwal Maikusa who gave a similar account said a second blast occurred five minutes later. A suicide bomber went inside the mosque while Muslim faithful were saying their evening prayer, said Sheriff Abdullahi who lives in the area. The town was locked down by soldiers following the attacks, with residents ordered to remain indoors. Potiskum, Yobe state’s commercial hub, has been the scene of repeated deadly Boko Haram attacks in the last four years although they have become rarer in recent months.

Boko Haram Kills 13 in Potiskum, Mosque, Market

Two suspected Boko Haram members detonated bombs on a mosque and heavily populated area of Potiskum, a commercial town in Yobe state, Northeast Nigeria, killing 13 persons and injuring 35 others. It was gathered from the residents of the town that the insurgents came in unmarked vehicles and threw Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at the Alkali Kalli; and Shakafa mosque near the market square of Potiskum, killing 13 people with the injuring of 35 others Tuesday. The bomber that threw explosives at the mosque, according to Hudu Ibrahim, a resident of Potiskum escaped unhurt in the vehicle used in attacking the people.

Boko Haram Razes Churches, Threatens Council Secretariat in Borno

Five churches in Kwajaffa, Tashan Alade and other surrounding communities in Hawul LGA of Borno have allegedly been set ablaze by suspected members of the outlawed Boko Haram. It was gathered from a member of the local vigilante in Maiduguri, Hassan Ibrahim that the Boko Haram militants invaded the affected communities on Wednesday in the night targeting only churches using Improvised Explosive Devices and petrol bombs on them which caused heavy explosion. It was also gathered that the gunmen after destroying the churches told some communities members that their next target is to go and set ablaze the Hawul Local Government Secretariat. Ibrahim said though no live was lost, the gunmen operated freely without confrontation from either residents or security operatives.

INTERNATIONAL

Soldiers Rescue Cameroonian Vice PM’s Wife from Boko Haram

The Cameroonian Army had, in a successful operation, rescued the abducted wife of the country’s Vice Prime Minister, Amadou Ali, who was kidnapped by the Boko Haram sect on Sunday alongside a traditional ruler of Kolofata town. According to reports, 16 people died during the rescue operations that lasted for several hours. Although, Cameroon Information Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary who disclosed the information said government has been investigating the matter to establish the actual number of those killed in the military clampdown and rescue operations, the abducted woman was successfully rescued. Suspected Boko Haram terrorists had on Sunday kidnapped the wife of a senior Cameroonian Minister and a traditional leader in attacks in the far north of the country. The attack reportedly killed at least six persons.

Hamas Vows No Israel Ceasefire

A Hamas commander has rejected suggestions the Palestinian militants are ready for a ceasefire with Israel to end violence in Gaza. Fighting continued into the early hours of Wednesday, with at least 32 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire overnight, Gaza health officials said. At least 1,200 Palestinians and 55 Israelis have been killed since July 8. Early on Wednesday, shelling on a UN school in Gaza’s Jabaliya refugee camp killed at least 15, medical sources said. A UN official confirmed the shelling but gave a lower initial toll of 16 dead, AFP news agency reported. Most of Palestinian deaths have been civilians, and 6,700 have been injured, according to the Gaza health ministry. Israel has seen 53 of its soldiers die in the conflict with militant group Hamas. Two civilians and a Thai worker in Israel have also died. Israel insists the existence of such tunnels, dug by militants to infiltrate Israel, are the key reason for pressing ahead with Operation Protective Edge. The Israel Defense Forces want to continue operations to destroy the tunnels once any ceasefire is agreed.

Stampede Kills 24 in Guinea Concert

At least 24 people have died in a stampede at a beach concert in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The president’s office has declared a week of national mourning after what it called a “tragic drama” at a concert by the Guinean rap group Instinct Killers. Dozens of people were injured, said police sources. The concert took place on Tuesday evening on a beach in Ratoma, a northern suburb of Conakry. The authorities were “shocked by the tragic drama caused by mass movements at a cultural event,” said a statement from the president’s office. Hospital sources said there were 13 girls among the dead

Israel, Hamas Begins 72-Hour Humanitarian Truce in Gaza

Israel and Hamas have put into effect an unconditional 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. However, hours after the truce began; Palestinians said four people had been killed by Israeli fire, apparently in response to a rocket attack. Israel says it will continue to destroy tunnels built by Hamas into Israel. Some 1,460 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the conflict, health officials say. Sixty-three Israelis, mostly soldiers, have died. Israel says it aims to stop rocket attacks by Palestinian militants in Gaza and remove the threat of being attacked from the tunnels. Hamas wants a blockade of Gaza, maintained by both Israel and Egypt, to be lifted. The BBC's Jon Donnison in Gaza says that Israeli bombing and Palestinian rocket attacks continued until the start of the ceasefire but the skies are now quiet. During the morning life appeared to be returning to some kind of normality in Gaza, with many Palestinians heading towards heavily shelled areas to see if their homes were still intact. Announcing the ceasefire, the US and UN emphasised its humanitarian nature but said Israeli troops would be allowed to stay on the ground in Gaza.

150 Trapped in Landslide in India Village

A major landslide on Wednesday struck a village in western India following heavy monsoon rains, leaving 150 people trapped, a rescue official said. The landslide submerged Malin village in Pune district of Maharashtra state, according to Alok Avasthy, regional commandant at the National Disaster Response Force. Avasthy disclosed that it was difficult to confirm casualties as the village has been cut off from communications. Heavy machinery has been mobilised to try to rescue those feared trapped, while about 30 ambulances have been rushed to the scene, officials disclosed. Heavy rains have been falling for days in Maharashtra as a result of the annual monsoon. Almost 6,000 people are presumed to have died during flash floods and landslides triggered by last year’s monsoon rains in the northern India state of Uttarakhand.

Gas Blast in Taiwan Kills 25, Injures 267

A series of explosions caused by a gas leak killed 25 people and injured 267 in Taiwan's second city on Friday, sending flames shooting 15 storeys into the air. Rescue authorities said police and soldiers had been drafted in to help firefighters after the midnight explosion and blaze gutted a district in the port city of Kaohsiung packed with shops and apartment buildings. Four firefighters were among the dead. President Ma Ying-jeou pledged tough measures to prevent any recurrence of the incident. Rescuers formed a chain to pull dozens of injured from a vast crater in the street and picked their way through piles of rubble as they ferried the injured away on stretchers. Those overcome by smoke were resuscitated in the street. Kaohsiung authorities set up an emergency centre to be staffed by servicemen coordinating the rescue operation. The National Fire Agency said firefighters were investigating reports of gas leaks, as the cause of the explosions remains unclear.

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Collapses

The Israeli military has told people in Gaza it is resuming operations, saying Hamas broke a planned 72-hour ceasefire hours after it had begun. The army said it had warned residents to stay indoors. Palestinian sources said at least 30 people had been killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza. Israel said it was in response to rocket fire from Hamas. Some 1,460 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the conflict and 63 Israelis, mostly soldiers. The ceasefire had been brokered by the US and UN to give civilians a reprieve from the violence, and had been seen as an unforeseen breakthrough after days of diplomatic deadlock. Palestinian and Israeli delegations have arrived in Cairo, Egypt, with the hope of negotiating a longer-term cessation of hostilities, but the fate of the talks now seems unclear. Israeli forces were searching for a soldier believed captured. The Israeli military said the soldier went missing during an attack on forces trying to destroy a tunnel from Gaza built by militants into Israel.

Brutal Gang Jailed 40 Years for Attack on Family

A gang of Masked armed burglars that broke into what they thought was a drug dealer’s house in a midnight attack and unleashed terror on a family have been jailed 40 years for the brutal attack on a mother and her daughter. A family was subjected to a horrific midnight attack in their own home when the masked armed burglars broke into their home thinking it was a drug dealer’s home. The mum was stabbed, her eldest daughter was hit with a crowbar and punched in the face and the youngest victim - a teenager - still can’t walk properly following the brutal assault. The four-strong gang has been jailed for a total of nearly 40 years for carrying out what the judge called “everyone’s nightmare”. All four convicts admitted aggravated burglary and four counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the burglary had had a devastating effect on the family, both physically and psychologically.

Six Taliban, Two Others Killed in Afghan Shootout

Six heavily armed Taliban fighters were killed after they entered a school and started firing at the police chief’s house in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, police officials disclosed. Police confronted the fighters in Spin Boldak district, near the Pakistani border, on Sunday morning and firefights ensued.  A civilian and a border police officer were also killed in the attack, police said. The fighters were firing on the home of provincial police commander General Abdul Razziq, which is next to the school. In a separate incident in Kandahar on Saturday night, the police chief of Registan district was killed after a roadside bomb hit his vehicle. Four other police were also killed, a spokesman said.