Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 43

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Ex-NBA President, Okey Wali, Kidnapped

The immediate past president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Okey Wali, SAN was on Saturday night kidnapped by unknown persons in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital. In a press release sigh by the current president of the association, Augustine Alegeh, SAN, the NBA described the development as shocking.  “The NBA calls on the Federal Government to step up efforts to fulfill its primary constitutional role of providing for the welfare and security of all Nigerians. “We passionately appeal to his abductors for his immediate and safe release to his family,” Alegeh said.

Notorious Car-Snatching Kingpin Arrested

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Enugu Police Command last weekend arrested a notorious criminal who had been on the wanted list of operatives for alleged car-snatching and armed robbery crimes. The suspect, identified as Arinze Nwachukwu, was apprehended, following a distress call from residents of Atakwu, Akogbeugwu, over fight for control of revenue generated at the sand field in the community. According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ebere Amaraizu, the suspect had been on the wanted list of the operatives for various armed robbery and car-snatching incidents.

Gunmen Kill BYSIEC Secretary

Executive Secretary of the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC), Chief Simeon Akpeni, was, on Friday night, gunned down at the Yenizue-Gene suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, by armed men suspected to be assassins. The incident triggered panic among residents. Akpeni was said to have been accosted by three armed men in front of his house who shot him on the head at close range. It was further learnt that, shortly before he was killed, he got a call from someone who identified himself as an engineer and requested him to come for a meeting. He was said to have left the house and called the number of the engineer repeatedly but when the number was not going through he returned home. Akpeni was reportedly ambushed by three armed men who opened fire on him in front of his house as he alighted from his car killing him on the spot. Bayelsa State Police Command spokesman, Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident, and said that the police had commenced investigation.

JTF, Pirates Clash in Bayelsa

A soldier attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, was feared dead on Tuesday, while a boat driver sustained gunshot injuries after a violent shootout with suspected pirates along Ogbia-Nembe-Brass route in Bayelsa State. However, the authorities of the Joint Task Force said one of its operatives was wounded during the incident, while others returned safely to base. An eyewitness in the area told Vanguard that the attack occurred along Opukiri fishing port, along Nembe Creek. The source hinted that an exchange of gun fire ensued between the sea pirates and soldiers, with one of the soldiers reportedly killed. The source added that the locals were instrumental to rescuing six men of the Joint Task Force, noting that while four were unhurt, one was in critical condition.

Pastor Arrested over Stolen Goods, 5 Others for Theft, Vandalism

Ebonyi State Police Command, Tuesday, paraded a self-acclaimed pastor of Assembly of Redeemed Christian Church, Ikwo, Samuel Obura, aged 35, over stolen goods. The command also arrested two other suspects, Samuel Edet, 25, and Moses Alibo, 25, who specialised in stealing motorcycles from Ebonyi and ferrying them to Cross River State. State Police Public Relations Officer, Chris Anyanwu, stated that the pastor, who hailed from Ohalaekwu Amagu community in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State, was a habitual thief and receiver of stolen goods. In a related development, three vandals of electricity installations in different locations in Ebonyi State are now in police net. One of the suspects, Ifeanyichukwu Okoye, was caught vandalising the transformer feeder pillar, D-fuse high tension downdrop cable and one upriser.

Police Set Suspected MASSOB Hide-Out Ablaze

Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State was thrown into confusion after the Police in the state set ablaze a building at Okpoko Layout, which the operatives described as a hide-out for members of the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB. But the owner of the house, Ikechukwu Agude, and his family faulted Police claims, lamenting that the force had ruined them, saying the house was never a MASSOB hideout. Counsel to Agude, Chris Okoro, while reacting, said “We understand the governor is cleansing the state but that does not mean setting ablaze people’s property. The suspected MASSOB members involved should be arrested and interrogated to know their mind. The law should be followed to avoid harming the innocent. The entire process of burning houses is wrong”. It was gathered that the police squad, led by Onitsha Police Area Commander, Benjamin Wordu, in company of two Divisional Police Officers stormed the building and set it ablaze. The house, police alleged had been used by MASSOB members as their base, where innocent people were allegedly tortured and extorted.

Man, 60, Rapes 11-Year-Old Girl in Bayelsa

The failure of some natives of Nembe community, Bayelsa State, to allow justice prevail in the case of a 60-year-old man, who allegedly raped an 11-year-old girl and was to be given the traditional mode of punishment, is causing tension in the community. The suspect, Inabiah Isaiah, popularly known as CO2, was allegedly caught red-handed having carnal knowledge of the girl in his house. After allegedly confessing to the crime, the victim’s guardian, Jerry, reported the matter to leaders of the community for traditional justice to take its course. It was gathered that the punishment for such an offence in the community was public lashing of the culprit at the community town hall. However, trouble started when some local militia gang loyal to the accused, who it was gathered, is also a militia leader, whisked him away to the police station, apparently to shield him from public humiliation. This did not go down well with a section of the community who insisted that the full weight of tradition must be allowed to take its full course or there would be no peace. Meanwhile a group of persons and gender activists, who condemned the act, has vowed to pursue the matter in the court of law to ensure that justice prevailed, aside from the traditional punitive measures.

Auto Crash Claims 10 in Onitsha

It was a black Saturday at Upper Iweka in Onitsha, Anambra State after a motor accident claimed about 10 persons, leaving over 20 injured. Investigation revealed that the accident occurred, when the driver of a Mercedes Benz lorry that was coming from the Borromeo roundabout, towards the Upper Iweka area along the Onitsha/ Enugu Expressway allegedly had a brake failure and collided with some Mitsubishi buses filled to capacity with passengers. Confirming the incident, Benjamin Wordu, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Onitsha Area Commander said that seven people died at the Borromeo hospital.

Police in Abia State Parade Suspected Robbers, Cultists

The Abia State Police Command has paraded suspected members of a robbery gang allegedly operating at Ikwuano area of the state. Commissioner of Police , Adamu Ibrahim who paraded the suspects gave their names as Chinda ThankGod, 22; and Onuoha Chukwuka, 24; both residents of Umuariaga Ikwuano council of the state where they were alleged to be terrorizing residents. According to the CP, the suspects were picked up by a team of policemen on patrol while they were allegedly robbing unsuspecting members of the public. Some of the items recovered from the suspects include: locally made guns, live cartridges, two masks, charms and wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp. He said investigations were on to track down other fleeing members of the gang. Similarly, the police paraded Friday Henshaw and Uduak Effiong, allegedly arrested at Umuocha village in Obingwa council of the state with some locally made guns. Adamu said the suspects would be charged for illegal possession of fire arms after thorough investigations.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Police Arrest 12 Suspects Edo Assembly Crisis

Twelve persons have been arrested by the Police in Edo State over the invasion of the state House of Assembly quarters in Benin City by armed thugs, Saturday morning. One of the buses used by the thugs was also recovered. This came as Governor Adams Oshiomhole called on the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Folunso Adebanjo, to bring the perpetrators and their sponsors to book. However, Adebanjo, who disclosed that 12 suspects had been arrested, warned politicians in the state against sponsoring violence, noting that the command was doing its best to ensure that those involved in the mayhem were brought to book. Heavily armed thugs stormed the Assembly quarters at about 6:30am Saturday shooting sporadically. Oshiomhole alleged that PDP masterminded the attack. Denying to the allegation that PDP masterminded the attack, the state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, said that there is no truth whatsoever in the governor’s allegations that the party organized thugs to disrupt the President’s visit and even the House of Assembly quarters.

Actor Killed in Asaba as Robbers Attack Bullion Van

Popular Nollywood actor, Clems Onyeka, and a policeman were killed on Tuesday when armed robbers attacked a billion van in Asaba, Delta State. The robbers had trailed the van from the Benin/Asaba Expressway and intercepted it on the DBS Road where they engaged the police on escort duty in a shoot-out and the actor was hit by a stray bullet. The bullion van driver escaped with the van intact, the sources said. Confirming the attack, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Celestina Kalu, said that Clems Onyeka was hit by stray bullet during the shootout, but said no police officer was killed. She added that one of the robbers was also killed by the police who repelled them. Kalu, however, said the armed gang escaped with the corpse of one of their colleagues killed in the shootout. She said the police was still on the trail of the armed bandits.

Customs Seizes N140m Worth of Vehicles, Arrest Six Smugglers

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Federal Operation Unit, Zone ‘C’ has impounded over 88 exotic vehicles estimated at N140 million after bursting a smuggling ring. The command said the vehicles were impounded in the South-east and South-south geo-political zone of the country by the operatives of the zone. 20 persons were arrested in connection with the smuggled vehicles, with additional six smugglers apprehended in connection with other goods. Its Area Controller, Mr Victor Dimka, said his command deployed over 20 officers in mufti in Benin/Agbor axis and other communities to track the smuggled vehicles. The vehicles included Lexus Jeep, Sienna Bus, Toyota and Nissan cars among others. Smuggling is said to be on the increase in the areas, following the collection of 35 per cent duty on used vehicles. Customs officers in the zone, it was learn t, are making life difficult for smugglers by also impounding 576 bags of rice. Others items seized by the command, included 458 two stroke engine generators and 2,060 gallons of vegetable oil and 18 used tyres with DPV of over N150million.

DSS Arrests 7 Kidnappers in Delta

The Department of State Security has arrested 7 suspected kidnappers in Delta State. The hoodlums allegedly abducted Mrs. Pirah on 24 July, 2014, around Ango Park before Ogunu Bridge in Warri, and taken to a forest around Railway Road in Agbarho where the suspects negotiated and collected a ransom of N2.2 million. However luck ran against the hoodlums after they had shared the booty with each taking home the sum of N360,000.00 when operatives of the DSS swooped on them and rounded them up at separate locations. The suspects including Uche Ujugbeli, Friday Jonathan, Amos Ekerikevwe, Felix Emmanuel Ekere, Kelly Otuedon, Chibuike Nnakwe and Momo Otuedon have confessed to the crime, according to the state director of DSS, Florence Ikanone who paraded them. Ikanone, said the leader of the gang, one Morris who is still at large, sold the victim’s Mercedes ML 350 SUV in addition to getting the lion share of N400,000.

Teacher Gets Life Sentences over Rape of 11-Year-Old Pupil

A high court sitting in Benin, the Edo State has sentenced a 35-year-old teacher, Bright Asiruwa, to life imprisonment for defiling an 11-year-old primary school pupil. Asiruwa, who was a teacher to the victim before the incident, was said to have committed the act in 2007. Although proceedings on the matter had commenced at an Abudu High Court in 2008, the case was however transferred to the Benin High Court for further hearing. Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Nelson Okojie, told the court that Asiruwa defiled the pupil at Osazuwa Primary School, Ehor, in Uhunmwode LGA of the state. The presiding judge, Justice G. O. Imadegbelo, subsequently sentenced the 35-year-old teacher to life imprisonment, having found him guilty of the offence.

EFCC Detains Edo Lawmakers over Forged Signature

Members of the Edo State House of Assembly on Thursday threatened to let hell loose in the state if the operatives of the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to release the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Uyi Igbe, the majority Leader, Philip Shaibu and the Chief Whip, Folly Ogedegbe, over an alleged signature forgery. The trio were said to have been arrested and detained by EFCC on Wednesday for alleged forgery of Razak Momoh’s signature to perfect the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea. Chairman, House Committee on Information, Adjoto Kabiru, lamented that the three who were wounded during the attack on the legislators’ quarters are being kept under inhuman conditions, tortured and denied medical facilities. The arrest and detention of the lawmakers also sparked off spontaneous protests in Benin City, the Edo State Capital on Thursday.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Ekiti Police Warn Against Security Threat

The Ekiti Police Commissioner, Taiwo Lakanu, has warned any person or group of persons that have no lawful business in the state to stay away from the state in their own interest. He issued the warning over a purported plan by some hoodlums from outside the state to wreak havoc and cause total breakdown of law and order. In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Babayemi, the commissioner vowed to deal with offenders in accordance to the law.

Female Suspect Remanded in Prison over Drug Trafficking

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos ordered the remand at the Kirikiri female prisons, 32-year-old woman, Ifeoma Eze, who was arraigned before the court over an alleged illicit drug deal. Trial judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, gave the order after she pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of trafficking about 6.200 grams of Indian hemp. The accused was arraigned by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. The court ordered the remand of the accused in custody until October 24, when the facts of the case will be reviewed, and her sentence pronounced. Prosecutor, Mr. Ernest Agwu had earlier told the court that the accused was arrested on July 21 at the MMI Airport, Lagos, during the outward clearance of passengers on a flight to China.

Man, Remanded in Prison for Allegedly over Brutal Killing

An Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun on Monday remanded a 32-year-old man, Umaru Mustapha, in prison for allegedly killing a man with a shovel. Mustapha is being tried for allegedly killing Idemudia Christopher by hitting him on the head with a shovel. The Chief Magistrate, A.O. Abimbola, said the accused should be kept behind bars pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on the murder charge. The accused is facing a charge of murder. Earlier, the prosecutor, Olumide Awoleke, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 15 at Isheri-Olofin area of Sango-Ota at 10.30am. The case was adjourned to December 10 for hearing. In another development, the Osun State police command has disclosed that a man accused of killing a fellow guest with poison at a naming ceremony in Ile-Ife, would soon be dragged to court. Osun State Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Marafa, said the suspect had confessed to the crime and advised people to be careful of the kind of company they kept.

Cop Dismissed for Shooting Death of Man

The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed a sergeant whose stray bullet allegedly killed a man on Monday in Shomolu area of Lagos. The erring sergeant, Sunday Ajide, who was attached to Shomolu division, was said to have led a team of policemen in response to a distress call at about 4.30pm around Shomolu. On the way, the policemen reportedly saw a Honda Accord vehicle which was driving recklessly. The motorist was said to have shunned the policemen’s order to stop. Apparently thinking the motorist was a fleeing robbery suspect, Ajide was alleged to have fired several shots at the vehicle’s tyres, with the driver still moving on top speed. Eventually, the motorist was forced to stop on reaching a gridlock, during which the policemen conducted a search without finding any incriminating thing on him. Unknown to the policemen, a stray bullet from Ajide’s earlier shots had allegedly hit an unidentified man who was repairing his tyres at a vulcaniser shop, killing him on the spot.

Man, 35, Defiles 13-Year-Old Boy

A man, Ilesanmi Omojuyigbe, 35, has been arrested for allegedly defiling a 13-year-old boy, Babatunde Adebayo, at Iju area of Ondo State. It was gathered that the victim was lured to the suspect’s room on the pretext that he wanted to buy frozen fish from the boy. The victim, on entering the room, was said to have been held down and his trouser forcefully torn before the suspect defiled him. After the indecent act, the suspect appealed to the victim and promised to buy him whatever he wanted. The matter was said to have been reported to the police, while the suspect was later arrested. Police image maker, Wole Ogodo, pointed out that the suspect had confessed to the crime and would soon be charged to court. In another development, Ogodo said four persons had been arrested for cultism in Okitipupa area of the state.

Eight Men Gang Rape Lady in Ilorin

The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Mr. Salihu Garba on Wednesday said that three out of eight young men, suspected to have gang-raped a young lady in Ilorin had been arrested, while the police remained on the trail of the fleeing five. Parading the alleged rapists and other suspects in Ilorin, he said the suspected rapists include disclosed that in the cause of investigation, three of the suspects were arrested after the lady reported to the police. He said the police had arrested no fewer than 12 other suspects for various crimes such as criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms; criminal conspiracy and armed robbery; illegal possession of firearms; criminal conspiracy and being in possession of stolen vehicle; criminal conspiracy, being member of secret cult and being in possession of criminal charms; theft of vehicle and theft.

Varsity Don Abducted in Ogun State

The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, Professor Olusoga Olusanya, has been kidnapped. Olusanya was on his way from the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAB) where he had gone on official assignment when he was abducted by unknown gunmen. He was said to have visited FUNAB where he served as an external invigilator at the ongoing postgraduate examination and was returning late Monday evening before he was waylaid at the bad portion of the Odogbolu-Ijebu- Ode-Ore- Benin expressway. He was picked alongside his driver who was later dropped by the road side at Odogbolu. Investigations at the TASUED main campus revealed that many of the principal officers were in distress over the development.

Fuel Tanker Explosion Claims 15 in Ibadan

No fewer than 15 persons were roasted late Saturday night as a fully loaded petrol tanker exploded at Molete in Ibadan, Oyo State. The petrol tanker fell while trying to negotiate a bend. Properties worth millions of naira were also destroyed by the inferno which, according to an eye witness, consumed 45 shops, 13 vehicles, three houses, seven commercial motorcycles, three commercial tricycles and several other items. It was gathered that the accident happened when a fully loaded tanker lost control and emptied its contents on the road which later led to a deafening explosion. The Iyaloja of Molete Market, Alhaja Iswat Oyinlola, who hinted that Governor Abiola Ajimobi had visited the scene, said the casualty figure would have been more but for the river that checkmated it.

Security Men Shoot Inmates as Riots Breakout in Kirikiri

A major jail break was averted in Lagos when inmates of Kirikiri Medium prison allegedly embarked on a wild protest against the outgoing Deputy Controller of the prison after he assembled all of them to formally introduce his successor. During the protest, scores of the inmates were seriously wounded while the office of the Chief Warder was looted and razed down. It was learnt that five inmates of the prison who managed to escape through the fence were killed. Trouble started after the Deputy Controller of the Medium Prison, Kayode Adeyemi, who was to proceed on a course, assembled all the inmates for a formal introduction of a new Deputy Controller Mr. Okocha that would replace him. Events took a dangerous turn when the aggrieved inmates started agitating against the way the outgoing Deputy Controller managed their affairs. The inmates started hauling stones the officials, leading to pandemonium. A detachment of heavily armed soldiers and other security agents were drafted to quell the riot after the inmates reportedly overpowered prison officials and were proceeding towards the main gate.

30 Illegal Immigrants Arrested in Lagos

No fewer than 30 people-mostly citizens of Niger Republic- have been arrested by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). The men were said to have been arrested on Monday morning at Mile 12 and Ojodu-Berger areas of Lagos State. The illegal immigrants were arrested after they could not provide any valid immigration document. The Comptroller of Immigration, Lagos State Command, Mrs Justina Ahmadu, commended her men for the job, adding that the NIS would continue to rid the state of illegal immigrants. She said some Nigerians usually prevented the officials from carrying out their duties by protecting the illegal immigrants because they worked for them. Ahmadu, who assumed office two months ago, appealed for support from residents, including information that could help the service improve on its responsibilities.

8 Suspected Armed Robbers Nabbed in Lagos

Lagos State Police Command has arrested eight suspected armed robbers who terrorized motorists in the metropolis. The commissioner for Police in charge of the state command, Mr Cornelius Aderanti, who paraded the suspects before journalists at the command headquarters, Ikeja, disclosed that the police also recovered two AK- 47 rifles and one Toyota Land cruiser Prado Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with registration number, AAA 690 BH from the suspects. Aderanti said the receiver of the stolen vehicle and the items in it, was also arrested. Aderanti gave the names of the suspected bandits as Obinna Enyinna, 35, Bernard Bongy, 30, Emeka Uche, 27, Chukwuma Akubueze, 37, David Joshua, 22, Ifeanyi Okafor, 35, Kichito Nwachukwu, 30, and Moses ogbu,36. The police boss named the receiver as Aminu Bobbo. According to him, the robbers attacked one Albert Omisore at his residence in Eletu Ogabi area of Victoria Island, in Lagos State, on October 9, 2014 and dispossessed him of his car and escaped. He said the Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, led by the officer in charge, SP Abba Kyari, swung into action, using diligent investigation and the use of advanced technology to arrest Eyinna at Jakande Beach, Ajah.

Oyo State Police Parade 18 Suspects, Recover 38 Stolen Vehicles

The Oyo State Police Command on Monday showcased its success in curbing the activities of armed robbers when it paraded 18 suspected armed robbers and displayed 38 posh vehicles stolen. The state Commissioner of Police, Kola Shodipo, said that 21 of the vehicles were recovered as a follow-up to the case of pastor whose daughter was raped and who was dispossessed of his two vehicles and other valuables a couple of months ago. The suspects included a wanted notorious armed robber, Tosin George a.k.a. Olorunwa. Also recovered from them were one cut-to-size single barrel gun, 10 Toyota Camry, one Toyota Highlander, one Nissan Altima, one Nissan Primera, two Honda CRV, one Toyota Corolla belonging to the robbed pastor, among other items. Also, six vehicles, arms and ammunition were recovered from another set of armed robbery gang which invaded the residence of one Alhaji Tajudeen in Ibadan on September 29, 2014. The police commissioner said that the armed men accosted their victim at the entrance to his house and dispossessed him of his car. Unfortunately for them, while escaping, the hoodlums rammed into a shop and the vehicle got stuck, making them to start shooting to escape from the scene. This was said to have attracted youths in the neighbourhood who pursued and apprehended one of the suspects.

Police Arrest ‘Pastor’ For Rape

Men of Ekiti State Police Command have arrested a self-acclaimed Pastor in Ikere Ekiti for allegedly having a carnal knowledge of a 19-year-old girl under the pretense of giving her spiritual cleansing. According to the statement by the Public Relations Officer, Victor Babayemi, the 29-year-old suspect, had confessed to the crime. The pastor was said to have lured the girl to his house to perform the spiritual cleansing having told the girl that she was under a spiritual spell. On getting to his room, according to the police image maker, the victim was threatened and put under fear of harm before he eventually raped her. Medical reports confirmed that the victim was actually raped by the suspect while preliminary investigation revealed that the pastor is a serial rapist.

20 Nabbed over Stolen Cables

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 20 suspects, including a staff of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Centre (IBDEC), Olanrewaju Isaiah, for selling stolen cables and other electrical materials. Although the IBDEC staff claimed it was his first time of selling the company’s property, there were indications that he had been vandalizing same for some time. The Commissioner of Police, Kola Shodipo, said of the arrest: “On October 6, the patrol team attached to Ile-Ido division, while on visibility patrol at Akinbiyi village, along Ido-Eruwa Road, intercepted a Passat saloon car with number plate AV 577 KWL, conveying some cables and other electrical appliances. “When the driver of the said vehicle, one Amaechi Obi of Salvation Army, Oke Padre, Ibadan, was questioned about the items, he claimed to have bought them from a contractor.

GENERAL

Military Arrests Soldiers Spying for Boko Haram

Military authorities prosecuting the war against terrorism in the North East states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe have arrested several soldiers, who were discovered to have leaked vital security information on the troops’ strategies and tactics to Boko Haram that led to a series of ambush and killing of over 30 Nigerian soldiers in recent times. Most of the arrested soldiers serve as orderlies or aide-de-camps (ADCs) to Commanders of Troops on the field. It was gathered that the alleged moles among the soldiers leaked the information on the deployment of soldiers from Maimalari Barracks in April this year to the terrorists which led to an ambush and killing of so many soldiers of the 101 Battalion that consequently led to soldiers’ mutiny and the shooting at the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Major General Ahmed Mohammed. His armoured official car saved his life.

Army Col, 10 Officers Set Nigerian Tankers Ablaze, Pave Way For Boko Haram

There were shocking revelations at the weekend that an Army Colonel, some junior officers and soldiers who were taking part in the military offensive to reclaim communities taken over by the Boko Haram terrorists in Adamawa State, have been arrested for sabotage. Top military sources said that the colonel, who was Commanding a team of three Armoured Personnel Carriers, APC’s, with the capability to fire up to a range of 1.5kilometres or even more, had instead of pursuing the terrorists, deliberately set the APCs on fire between Gulak and Madagali, before running away with his team of soldiers into the bush. It was gathered that the Army authorities were outraged over the development and ordered the arrest of commander, the junior officers as well as the soldiers under his command. Military sources said that the action of the Colonel and soldiers under his command had given vent to the disclosure by the top hierarchy of the military that there were so many fifth columnists in the military working against the country’s determination to flush out Boko Haram terrorists in the land.

Police Inspector, 3 Others Killed in Nasarawa

A police inspector, attached to Keana Divisional Police Headquarters (DPH), Ibrahim Adamu and three other persons were, on Monday morning, ambushed by yet to be identified gunmen at Agwan-Mamman community in Obi LGA of Nasarawa State. The victims were travelling in a commercial bus when the attackers ambushed them and set them, alongside the vehicle ablaze. Investigations further revealed that two of the victims were burnt beyond recognition, while one Mohammed Ozawose (Moye Alushi) who was rushed to Obi Hospital died while receiving treatment. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ismaila Numan, confirmed the incident, saying investigation has commenced to bring the culprits to justice.

Gunmen Kill 27 in Attack on Plateau Community

The Chairman of Riyom LGA in Plateau State, Mrs Josephine Piyo, has said that 27 people died in an attack by gunmen on Bachi District of the area on Thursday. She disclosed that the attackers torched 70 houses and left them in rubbles leading to the displacement of no fewer than 3,520 people from their homes. Piyo described the situation as pathetic and that urgent national attention was needed to address the situation as the attacks on Riyom people had become recurrent. The chairman appealed to the Federal Government to design a strategy to check the attacks in the manner it had tackled the Boko Haram insurgency. Mr Eugene Melong, a senior official who led the NEMA North Central team on the assessment visit, expressed sadness over the incident.

Gunmen Kill Business Woman in Bauchi

A popular business woman and nursing mother in the Igbo community in Bauchi State was murdered on Monday night by gunmen. The deceased, Loricia Onukwu, was shot dead by gunmen in front of her house. It was gathered that the gunmen, who were two in number, accosted Loricia, a nursing mother of four just as she arrived her house after closing from her business at about 7pm on Monday evening. Her second son, a 10-year-old boy, had just opened the gate for her to drive inside the compound when he saw two men carrying gun walking towards his mother’s car. They shot her twice through the windscreen and made way with her handbag after demanding for money. The case has been reported to the police.

Boat Mishap Kills 15 in Kano

Tragedy struck Wednesday in Kano State when a boat mishap occurred at Jobawa village in Garun Mallam LGA, killing 15 teenagers most of whom were girls. The incident occurred when the boat carrying them to a village to buy cassava capsized in the middle of the river. The girls boarded the boat to cross the river from a suburb called Lanjan to the Jobawa village, to supply cassava, which they sell in the Garin Mallam town. Community leader of Jobawa village, Mallam Utubatu Yaro, disclosed that the incident happened on Monday evening when a violent rainstorm struck the boat, causing the operator to lose control of the engine which subsequently led the boat to capsize with all the teen girls on board. The bodies of nine of them had been recovered and the search continued for the others. Acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mustapha Abubakar, confirmed the incident.

65,000 Litres of Petroleum Products Impounded in Kogi

Commander, NNS Luguard Lokoja of the Nigerian Navy Commodore, Shuwa Muhammed, on Thursday said the Navy had impounded a 40-meter-length wooden boat conveying about 65,000 liters of petroleum products said to be diesel or crude oil from bunkerers on the River Niger. He said the boat was discovered at a marshy area on River Niger around Lokoja on Monday by the command while on patrol from Baro Niger State to Lokoja and Idah in Kogi State. The commander said the petroleum products were stored in nine Geepee tanks of 500 liters each. He added that the command also recovered from the boat, three Yamaha boat engines, two pumping machines, 150 liters of PMS, three hoses, rubber bucket, a machete, one bag containing machine tools and five empty 25 liters of jerry cans. Muhammed said the command had intensified patrol around the area, adding that this must have made the bunkerers to abandon the products and fled for their lives while his officials later discovered and impounded the boat and the petroleum products.

2 Killed, 5 Injured In Nasarawa Shootout

Gunmen numbering over 50 stormed Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, Tuesday, caused pandemonium when they shot sporadically in the air as they tried to capture a truck and its occupants from neighbouring Plateau State. Trouble started at about along Shendam road in Lafia as the gunmen, who were in hot trail of the truck conveying cattle and humans, refused to stop for searching by the youths in Ashangwa village, about 15 kilometers from Lafia. Upon trailing the truck to Lafia, the armed youths intercepted the truck and unleashed their weapons on the occupants of the truck, shooting one on the leg and inflicting machete cuts on four others. At this point soldiers were promptly mobilized to contain the situation and a gun duel that lasted over 30 minutes ensued, resulting in the death of two of the gunmen and causing the others to flee.

Corpse of slain WHO Worker Found in Zamfara

The decomposed body of a staff of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Zamfara State office, Bello Abdullahi Kaura, who was allegedly killed by a soldier and a police Inspector about three months ago, has been discovered. The deceased was murdered after he was dispossessed of N2.8 million which was meant to cover the expenses of the July immunisation exercise in Anka LGA of the state. The deceased had collected the money, and informed his co-tenants (the soldier and a police inspector) about it. Findings revealed that the deceased was taken to a bush along Anka-Gummi Road by his murderers where he was killed. His car and phone were sold. Nemesis caught up with the alleged murderers, when one of the relations of the deceased discovered that someone was still using the cell phone of the deceased. Security operatives were then alerted and subsequently, the user of the phone, the soldier and the police officer, were all apprehended. In the cause of investigation, the embattled soldier and the police took the security operatives to the scene of the incident and the decomposed body of the deceased was discovered.

Army Parades Two Fake Generals In Jos

Authorities of the 3 Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday arrested two fake soldiers who specialised in impersonating army generals to dupe government agencies and parastatal. They were paraded by the army in Jos, Maxwell Khobe cantonment, Rukuba barracks by the Division’s Army Public Relations Officer and the Commander, Provost Group, Colonel Texas Chukwu and Colonel Arnold Okoro. The suspects were identified as Aliyu Haussaini and Ibrahim Mohammed. According to Chukwu, the suspects were arrested on September 17, 2014 in Bauchi State after a tip off adding that while Aliyu, a 46-year-old Fulani from Adamawa State posed as an officer of the rank of Brigadier General, Ibrahim, 40 and Kanuri by tribe served as his assistant. Chukwu said Nigerian Army uniforms and various ranks including a 406 saloon car were discovered during a search at Aliyu’s house in Kaduna. He said the suspects confessed that the reason for impersonating the military officers was to give them easy access to the corridors of power to secure contracts.

Gunmen Invade Teaching Hospital, Kill Guard

Hundreds of patients ran for dear life in the early hours of Wednesday, when gunmen invaded the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State. It was gathered that the gunmen who came in through the Laminga end of the hospital gate in a Vectra car, tried to force their way in without being checked by the security guards. However the guards insisted on searching the booth of the car and a scuffle ensued. The guards succeeded in opening and boot and to their amazement discovered a cache of arms inside. Though the mission of the gunmen was not clear, the guards immediately raised the alarm. The gunmen then shot one of them and immediately sped off. The security man was immediately rushed to the emergency unit of the hospital where attempts to save his life failed. Police Public Relations officer, DSP Emmanuel Abuh, confirmed the attack.

Man Rapes, Infects Lover’s Children with HIV

A 32-year-old man, Mr. Terkura Iorpuu, was on Thursday arraigned before a chief magistrate’s court in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, for raping and infecting two young girls with HIV. It was learnt that the two victims, aged eight and six, were the daughters of his lover, Mson Tor. It was learnt that both the rapist and the mother of the two minors had been HIV positive for over a year and had been using anti-retroviral drugs. It was learnt that the bubble burst after the kids started walking in an unusual manner and were subsequently taken to Hemko Hospital, Makurdi for medical examination. After the test, it was discovered that the girls had been defiled through “forceful penetration”. Medical examination also showed that the two sisters were HIV positive. The victims, when interviewed, revealed that it was their mother’s boyfriend that raped them. Similarly, the police in Bauchi State, Tuesday, arrested a man, 35, for infecting a 12-year-old girl with HIV. The man is reported to have been HIV positive and on medication since 2004. According to him, the suspect had been sleeping with the girl, who is a groundnut hawker, since 2012. He added that the girl was diagnosed with the disease when she started having strange symptoms.

18-Year-Old Wife Kills Husband in Bauchi

An 18-year-old housewife in Bauchi State has been arraigned at the Chief Magistrate’s Court 7, Bauchi, for allegedly killing her husband with hot water. Aisha Jibrin was said to have lost one of her front teeth as a result of beatings received from her husband, who accused her of going for an abortion without his consent. It was not certain at press time if the quarrel was over the issue of the paternity of the aborted baby or the abortion itself. She was said to have poured hot water on Ladan who was taking his bath, which led to his death in a hospital. The incident happened on Wednesday, October 8, at the couple’s residence at Jahun Ward, Bauchi Metropolis, at about 5p.m. According to a close family friend, problem started for the newly-wedded Aisha when news of the abortion reached her husband. The deceased brother, Nasiru Mohammed, reported the matter at Dutse Tanshi Police Station and Aisha was arrested and charged to court.

INTERNATIONAL

Typhoon Hits Japan

Two men were killed and another remains missing, officials said Tuesday, after Typhoon Vongfong smashed through Japan leaving the country counting the cost of the latest natural disaster.  The typhoon churned through eastern Japan early Tuesday after hitting Okinawa over the weekend and making landfall on the nation’s southern main island of Kyushu on Monday, the meteorological agency said.  At least 96 people were injured in typhoon-related accidents in 23 prefectures, nearly half of Japan’s provinces. The storm was downgraded to an extra-tropical depression by mid-morning and was moving away from Japan. It was located off the coast of northeastern Japan at 0300 GMT.  Heavy rain hit the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on the north-eastern Pacific coast.

Brazil Inmates in New Prison Riot

Inmates at a Brazilian prison took 12 guards and several fellow inmates hostage in the latest of a series of uprisings. Police and a judge negotiated with the inmates Monday evening at the prison in southern Parana state, and later suspended the talks until Tuesday morning, according to the regional secretary of state for justice, Elson Faxina. He said the reasons for the riot were not immediately known. Reports said the inmates at the Guarapuava prison want better living conditions, and the transfer of prisoners doing time for sexual offenses to other jails. They were tied up, and watched over by inmates who covered their faces with T-shirts. The riot is the fifth in jails in Parana in barely a month and the 21st this year, according to the regional prison officer’s union, Sindarspen. In this uprising, one guard was hurt and sent to a hospital when prisoners hurled hot glue at him, the union said.

12 Sentences to Death over Killings in China

China has sentenced 12 people to death for involvement in an attack that left 96 people dead in July, as part of a “strike hard” campaign against violence in the mostly Muslim Xinjiang province. Reports on Monday said that 12 people had been condemned to death and 15 others handed suspended death sentences, for their role in the attacks on a police station and government offices that killed 37 civilians. Fifty-nine of the attackers who had stormed the buildings wielding knives and axes were also killed. The sentences are the latest in a series of harsh punishments by Chinese authorities, who are in the midst of a “strike hard” campaign against violence in Xinjiang. The latest sentences bring the number of death sentences passed for Xinjiang-related violence to almost 40 since June, with 21 executions publicly announced. Rights groups accuse China’s government of cultural and religious repression which they say fuels unrest in the region bordering Central Asia.

Police Officers ‘Assault’ Protester in Hong Kong

Six Hong Kong police officers have been suspended after a video appearing to show a protester being taken to a dark corner and beaten was aired on a local news channel. According to reports, the apparent attack came as police arrested 45 people during a night of clashes between authorities and pro-democracy protesters. Trouble broke out on Hong Kong Island at 3am after dozens of protesters had occupied an underpass near the government headquarters. Police in riot gear used pepper spray to move the crowds. The man the man in the video, which was first shown on TVB but quickly spread on social media, was identified as Ken Tsang Kin-Chiu, a member of the Civic Party in Hong Kong. The footage appears to show officers repeatedly kicking and punching Tsang as he curls up in a ball. The Civic Party released a photograph of Tsang with a bruised face and circular marks on his back. The Civic Party leader, Alan Leong, disclosed that Tsang was handcuffed with plastic handcuffs, taken to a dark corner and beaten up. A police spokesperson said the arrests were made for “illegal assembly” and that force was only used after repeated warnings that the road must be cleared.

Attacks in Baghdad Claim 36 Lives

Four car bomb attacks and a mortar strike on Shi'ite Muslim parts of Baghdad killed 36 people and wounded 98 within a span of two hours on Thursday afternoon, police and medical officials said.  An Iraqi Shi'ite political figure said the assaults, part of a surge of violence in Shi'ite neighbourhoods in recent weeks, were revenge attacks by Sunni Muslim militants Islamic State. The al Qaeda offshoot has been battling Shi'ite militias and soldiers loyal to the country's Shi'ite-led government as it attempts to establish a cross-border caliphate covering land seized in Iraq and neighbouring Syria. A suicide car bomb hit an army checkpoint near a restaurant in the northern district of Talibiya at 2:30pm, killing nine people, said officials. Forty-five minutes later, a pair of car bombs exploded in the district of al-Dawlai in western Baghdad, killing 16 people and wounding 35. Minutes after, five mortar rounds hit the neighbouring Shi'ite district of al-Shaoula, killing another five and wounding 21 others. A car bomb then exploded in the nearby Hurriya district, leaving six dead and wounding 14 others.

17 New Charges Preferred against Suspected Benghazi Ringleader

Federal authorities filed 17 new charges against Ahmed Abu Khatallah, alleging that he was the ringleader of twin 2012 attacks on U.S. diplomatic and CIA compounds in Benghazi that killed four Americans. A new indictment against Khatallah, 43, provides new details of the attack and what federal prosecutors say was his role in leading 20 armed men in the attacks carried out over more than seven hours. Previously, prosecutors charged him with a single count of providing material support to terrorists. According to the indictment, Khatallah conspired with others "on or before September 11, 2012" to attack the U.S. diplomatic post. "These additional charges reflect Ahmed Abu Khattalah's integral role in the attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, which led to the deaths of four brave Americans," said Attorney General Eric Holder. Khatallah has pleaded not guilty to one count of providing material support to terrorists and will remain jailed until his trial, a federal magistrate ruled in July. He will be arraigned on the new charges on October 20. Ten of those charges, including murder, could carry the death penalty.

Ebola Cases Could Soar to 10,000 a Week -WHO

There could be up to 10,000 new Ebola cases per week in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone by the end of this year as the outbreak spreads, the World Health Organization warned Tuesday.

US Airdrops Weapons, Supplies to Fighters in Kobani

The U.S. military has airdropped weapons, ammunition and medical supplies to Kurdish fighters in the Syrian city of Kobani to beef up the defense against ISIS forces, the Pentagon said. "The aircraft delivered (items) that were provided by Kurdish authorities in Iraq and intended to enable continued resistance against ISIL's attempts to overtake Kobani," the U.S. Central Command said Sunday. The move was partly humanitarian but also aimed at shoring up the Kurdish defenders of Kobani, senior Obama administration officials said. There have been reports that ISIS may have anti-aircraft missiles, but the officials said they had no evidence to back those reports and that the cargo planes flew in unescorted. Kobani, a Kurdish town on the Syrian-Turkish border, now is the scene of an unrelenting battle. ISIS has shelled the city at least 16 times, sources say, while coalition planes fly low overhead.

21 Killed in Baghdad Suicide Attack

A suicide bombing in a predominately Shia area of Baghdad has left 21 people dead and 25 people injured, according to a police source. The bomber targeted a Shia mosque in the city's northeast al Harithyia neighborhood, the source said. As of Sunday, there has been no claim of responsibility. The past few weeks have seen a series of car and suicide attacks on Shia targets, some of which have been claimed by ISIS. Although Baghdad's perimeter has appeared to hold firm against ISIS encroachment, the militant Sunni group has made strategically valuable gains in the country's Anbar province, west of the capital. ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State, has been accused of massacring Shiites in areas it controls.

70 ISIS Bodies Dropped Off at Syrian Hospital –Opposition

ISIS has apparently taken a heavy hit over the past several days. The bodies of at least 70 fighters for the terror group have been dropped off over four days at a hospital in the Syrian town of Tal Abyad, a Syrian opposition group disclosed. Tal Abyad is on the Turkish border and about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Raqqa. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria took control of Raqqa last year. ISIS uses the once-liberal city as a kind of headquarters where it applies its hardline interpretation of Islamic law, terrorizing the population. Kurdish and Iraqi forces have been battling ISIS on the ground. With the help of airstrikes from an international coalition led by the United States, the foot soldiers are now focused on pushing ISIS back from its relentless attempt to take Kobani, a Kurdish town on the Syrian-Turkish border. It's unclear who dropped the bodies of the ISIS fighters off at the hospital, but it was likely other fighters from the militant group, because they control Tal Abyad.