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Latest News: Training and recruitment is ongoing - Wednesday, 02 March 2011 22:54

week 45

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Six Oil Workers, Four Policemen Kidnapped in Bayelsa

Fear has heightened along the creeks of along Santa Barbara and Nembe waterways of Bayelsa State as suspected sea pirates have reportedly abducted six oil workers and four policemen in Nembe council area of the state. The attacks, it was learnt, were carried out separately in the troubled creeks. The gunmen, according to report, seized a gunboat on Friday belonging to the marine component of the Nigeria Police Force at about 1.30pm. The gunboat, it was learnt, was escorting a barge owned by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) when it came under attack. The hoodlums, who were operating in a speedboat, were said to have laid ambush for the gunboat and opened fire on the policemen.

Wife Arrested over Beheading of Husband

A woman, Ijeoma Nwogbaga, is alleged to have killed her husband, Onwe Nwogbaga, in Abakaliki Ebony State. She was alleged to have beheaded him and fled after the act. She was later apprehended by a search party organized by friends and neighbours in the community. His lifeless body was discovered by his brother-in-law, Simon Nwunna, who went to the home of the victim in the early hours of the morning. He promptly raised alarm and called on neighbours. A police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the woman had confessed to the crime and that investigation was on-going to get to the root of the matter.

Police Raid Aba Market, Arrest 14 over Fake Drug

Over 14 suspected dealers in adulterated drinks and other products were quizzed by the operatives of the Abia State Police Command when they raided some shops at the popular Cemetery market in Aba, Abia State. Police spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the raid conducted in partnership with the Consumer Protection Agency of Nigeria, followed a tip-off that some persons were pushing out fake and adulterated products through the market. He said besides the suspects, 58 cartons of assorted brands of adulterated hot drinks, some quantities of antiseptic soaps, baby creams, and beverages were seized during the raid. Ogbonna said investigations were on to unravel the sources of the drinks and to track down the masterminds, after which those found culpable would be arraigned in court to serve as a deterrent to others who intend to engage in such criminal acts.

Rivers Police Rescue Abducted Woman, Arrest Two Suspects

The police on Wednesday rescued the Minister of Petroleum’s sister, Madam Osiya Agama, who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State. Diezani Alison-Madueke’s sister was abducted on her way back from an evening church service on October 21, 2014. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Mohammad, confirmed that the septuagenarian was rescued during a joint operation by the police, military and operatives of the State Security Service. He disclosed that two suspects were arrested during the operation.

Villagers Battle Police over Killing of Man

Elders and youths from Umunze, Orumba South LGA of Anambra state, besieged the state police headquarters to protest the alleged killing of one of their sons, Emmanuel Eze, 45, by a stray bullet fired by an officer of the command. Eze was killed by a trigger-happy police officer during a protest staged last week by Ndikpa village youths who were protesting the attempt by a certain land speculator to take their communal land. The aggrieved villagers were at the state police headquarters to demand for the release of the corpse of their killed son to them and adequate compensation to be paid to them.

Man, 32, Drowns Self over N1,000 Theft

A 32-year-old man, Simon Mbam, has committed suicide after he was tortured by some villagers in Ebonyi State for stealing N1,000 from a shop. An alarm raised by the shop owner attracted villagers who stormed the scene. It was learned that the said missing money was found at the door step of the shop, but the owner of the shop insisted on knowing the person behind the act. The suspect, who later confessed to the crime, was tortured by the irate villagers and fined two goats, two crates of beer and N5,000, which were immediately provided by his mother. The suspect later broke free from the mob and jumped into the Pond. Efforts to rescue him on time proved abortive as he drowned before his body was retrieved by the villagers. Meanwhile, four persons including the village head were arrested by the police after the mother of the victim reported the matter.

Suspected Burglar Mobbed, Gravely Wounded in Calabar

A suspected burglar was in the early hours of Sunday mobbed and seriously wounded after he was caught carting away bottles of wine and alcoholic beverages from the shop he and his accomplices burgled. The incident, according to an eyewitness, occurred at about 5am when the burglar and three other accomplices broke into a wine shop at the popular road intersection, Atu, by Goldie Street. It was learned that someone who noticed as the burglars broke the iron bars on the door of the shop phoned the owner that his shop was being burgled. The shop owner, Vanguard gathered, immediately mobilised some of his friends and neighbours who stormed the scene with machetes and sticks. Three of the burglars managed to escape, leaving the one inside the shop to his fate. He was later taken to the Hospital by the police at about 8.30 am.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Police Arrest Three for Armed Robbery in Delta

The police in Delta State on Tuesday said they arrested three people in connection with an armed robbery that took place at Jeddo, near Warri. The police from Ugborikoko Police Station had arrested the suspects in a hotel in Warri, where properties robbed from victims of the robbery attack were recovered. Meanwhile, the suspects are reportedly undergoing preliminary investigation at Orerokpe Division. In another development, the command said they have arrested one person for violent conduct in the recent local government election in the state.

Woman Accuses Police of Aiding Husband’s Death by Colleagues

The wife of a vigilante has accused policemen in Sapele of aiding the thugs who killed her 36-year-old husband, Jimoh Ifi. The widow, Esther, said the six-man gang had tortured her husband to a coma in the presence of the policemen around 8pm on July 16, 2014. It was learnt that the gang had attacked the deceased for failing to remit a sum of N500 to the head of the vigilante group, Felix Ipemu. The sum, it was learnt, was given to the victim by a man who visited their joint in the Igbeku Community when the chairman was not around. It was gathered that the leader of the group, who also doubled as the youth leader in the community, reportedly ordered his boys to unleash terror on Jimoh for being disloyal to the group. Jimoh died in police custody the following night. The spokesperson for the Delta State Police command, Celestina Kalu, confirmed Jimoh’s murder. She, however, debunked the claim that policemen watched the thugs kill her late husband.

Soldiers Occupy Delta Community

There were indications that no fewer than four persons were killed early Sunday at Aruton village in Ugborodo area of Warri South West council in Delta State. It was gathered that a combined team of soldiers and naval personnel who were deployed to the community came under attack by the indigenes, who resisted the deployment.  Ugborodo for several years has been enmeshed in a bloody leadership tussle between two factions, which has claimed several lives. However, the Naval Commander in charge of the Escravos area, Captain Okeniyi, disclosed that nobody was killed. Okeniyi said the soldiers later moved into the community without harming anyone.

Cultists Kill Undergraduate in Benin

There was tension at the University of Benin, UNIBEN, last weekend after the gruesome murder of a 300-level student of the Department of Chemistry, Gendedio Ejiroghene. It was learned that the deceased was gunned down at about 7pm Friday night by suspected cultists. The University Deputy Registrar/Public Relations Officer, Harris Osaze Osarenren, confirmed the killing of the student in a statement, while disclosing that the university authorities and the police were investigating the incident.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Crew Members Arrested over Captain’s Murder in Lagos

The police are investigating the brutal murder of a senior captain of ORC Fishing and Food Processing Limited, Lagos. The deceased, Captain Aiyenumelo Felix of Nigeria Marine Navy, was allegedly killed by his crew members on board the vessel, on Wednesday, October 22, 2014. It was gathered that the mutilated body of the captain was found by another vessel two days after he was declared missing by crew members, with an iron anchor tied on his neck. His bloated body had several deep cuts on the head and hands, suggesting that he must have been murdered before he was thrown into the waters.

7 Burnt to Death in Highway Bus Fire

Seven people were, last weekend, burnt to death, while five officials of Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), and a number of policemen were injured by hoodlums at Kara, along Lagos/Ibadan expressway. The accident, which involved an 18-seat bus, occurred at about 3.30pm when the vehicle, which took off in Lagos, went up flames after it developed leakages on the fuel tank, spilling its contents. Eye witness account said most of the passengers scampered for safety, but seven of the passengers, including a pregnant woman and a baby, were trapped in the vehicle. Sympathisers were said to have put a call across to the fire fighters in Ogun State but none arrived the scene until the situation degenerated, while TRACE officials who rushed to the scene were prevented from rendering any assistance as hoodlums attacked them, venting their anger.

LASTMA Officials, Policemen Arrested over Death of Conductor

About seven policemen and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were on Tuesday arrested for the part they allegedly played in the death of a bus conductor, identified as Ikechukwu Abasirim. Abasirim had died on Monday at Cele bus stop along the Oshodi Apapa expressway, after he was pushed down by a LASTMA official from a bus, driven by a LASTMA official. The same bus promptly ran over his head, killing him instantly. It was gathered that the suspects included three policemen, who were attached to the traffic agency. The death of the conductor had provoked some protests on Monday as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) disrupted traffic flow on the expressway.

NDLEA Arrests Woman with Cocaine, Heroin

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, have apprehended a 51-year-old mother of four children with 3.44kg of cocaine and heroin hidden inside body cream. The drugs were found in her possession during the outward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight to China. NDLEA Airport commander, Hamza Umar, who confirmed the arrest, gave the name of the suspect as Alade Muyinotu Alade. According to Hamza, Muyinotu was caught with drugs at the central screening area on her way to China. During a search, 150 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.725kg and 150 wraps of heroin weighing 1.715kg concealed inside body cream were found inside her luggage.

Herdsman Kills Friend over Adultery with Wife

A Magistrate’s Court sitting at Isabo, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Wednesday, remanded a herdsman, Mohammed Ibrahim, in prison custody for allegedly killing his friend, Abdullahi Saliu, for alleged adultery with his wife. The prosecutor, Moshood Hammed, told the court that the accused committed the alleged offence on October 11 at Ojubu Village in Abeokuta. The accused and the deceased were close friends and reportedly lived together in the same apartment. The accused learned that the deceased had slept with his wife while he was away from home, leading to a fight, which led to the murder of Saliu. The accused, who had no legal representation and whose plea was not taken by the court, is facing a charge of murder. The magistrate, Martins Akinyemi, ordered that the accused be remanded in Oba Prison, while awaiting Director of Public Prosecution’s advice.

Ondo Residents Protest Boy’s Murder

Three persons, including a 14-year-old boy, were on Saturday killed at Igbotako, Okitipupa LGA of Ondo, during a riot in the town. The police station was torched by the mob who violently protested the killing of two persons by the officials of the LGA, who were enforcing the no-movement order during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise. It was gathered that trouble started when the chairman of the LGA, Shola Piri, tried to stop a market session at Igbotako, but met with a stiff resistance from the people. The Ondo State Police Command has confirmed that it has arrested four persons in connection with the mayhem. Police spokesman, Wole Ogodo, disclosed that the police made the arrest shortly after the conflict, but further investigations were still on.

Man Jailed 10 Years with Hard Labour for Drug Trafficking

A 31-year-old businessman, Onyemaechi Chibuzor, has been sentenced by a Federal High Court, Lagos to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for drug trafficking. The convict, according to the prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, was arrested on December 20, 2011 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja-Lagos, with 600 grammar of methamphetamine, during an outward clearance of Emirates Airline flight to Malaysia, by the men of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Meanwhile, the NDLEA at MMIA on Thursday said it had arrested three suspects and seized 14.6kg of cocaine. The high grade hard drug from Brazil, with estimated street value of about N131 million, was hidden in foot wears and laptop bags, according to reports.

Court Remands Woman for Killing Husband in Ilorin

An Ilorin Magistrate Court has remanded a woman, Jumai Bamaiyi, at the federal prison, Oke-Kura, Ilorin, for allegedly striking her husband to death with a pestle. The 30-year-old woman was said to have had a misunderstanding with her husband, Bamaiyi Aiki, as a result of which she hit him on the head with a pestle. Police arrested the accused on October 17, 2014, after one Garuba Dauda reported the incident to the Police. The prosecutor, Zaccheus Folorunsho, told the court that investigation into the matter was yet to be completed. The judge, Mr. A. Bello ordered that the accused be remanded at the federal prison, Oke-Kura, Ilorin, pending the determination of investigation and adjourned the case till November 6, 2014.

Police Arrest Robbers, Kidnapper, Cultists in Ondo

The Ondo State Police Command has paraded nine armed robbery suspects belonging to different gangs in different parts of the state. It also arrested a kidnapper and four members of different secret cult groups. Parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Isaac Eke, said the suspects robbed their victims of cash, vehicles, laptops, phones and other valuables between the period of September and October this year. Also paraded was a suspected kidnapper who was arrested in Benin through the help of service providers after they successfully kidnapped one Ikenna Epueme and collected N2m as ransom. Godday Geduro, 35, was arrested on the October 16, and was identified by his victim as the leader of the kidnapping gang.

Ekiti Police Parade Robbers, Rapists

The Ekiti State Police Command has recovered a cache of recharge cards worth N2.2m from a gang of armed robbers, who invaded a telecommunication company recently. The men of the underworld were paraded by the Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu. Lakanu said the suspects had invaded a company named Card Mega System Limited in Ilawe Ekiti on August 22, where they made away with recharge cards worth N4.1m. He said upon receiving a distress call, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) pursued the robbers, engaged them in gun battle and recovered parts of the stolen goods. The Police boss said items like Toshiba Laptop Computer, and a variety of GSM Phones valued at N178,000, were also stolen during the midnight operation. Lakanu said the command had also arrested and detained one Abraham Kayode, 35 for allegedly defiling an eight-year old girl in September. He said investigation revealed that the suspect is a serial pedophile.

Security Guard Docked for Failed Kidnapping

A prosecution witness and an Inspector of Police, Sunday Idowu, on Monday, told a Lagos High Court how a security guard, David Iremi, and others still at large, kidnapped one Ayodele Ahmed and demanded one million Naira ransom before he was apprehended. Idowu said the defendant and five others, some of who are still at large, while armed, kidnapped and kept the complainant in his house for 18 days. According to him, after the kidnap was reported, by one Ayodele Ahmed, he was given a ransom of N1 million and the phone number of the kidnappers. He was directed on phone by one Jonathan to bring the money to Nasco Field, Abule-Osun. One Abu Danjuma, who was sent to collect the money from the police detective, was immediately arrested, while others ran away. During investigation, they got to the house of David Iremi, a security guard, where the victim was kept. David had allegedly admitted that his house was used by the syndicate.

Customs Impounds Truckloads of Smuggled Rice, Groundnut Oil

The Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, of the Nigeria Customs Service, said on Monday that it has impounded 19 trucks laden with smuggled rice and groundnut oil with a duty paid value of N70.37 million. The Acting Controller of the unit, Mr Usman Turaki, said the trucks were intercepted on October 24 in Saki, Oyo State by his men. He said his officers and men, acting on a tipoff, swooped on two private warehouses in the town at about 6.00 a.m. where a large consignment of 50kg bags of rice and groundnut oil were stored.

Man, Son to Death for Murder

An Ado-Ekiti High Court, on Monday, sentenced a 55-year-old man, Jimoh Ayeni and his son, Haruna, to death by hanging, for the murder of a farmer. Justice Mosun Bodunde found the man and his son guilty of murder of Chief Clement Ayeni, while he was working in his farm. Bodunde said the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubts that the duo committed the murder on June 27, 2012. “The sentence of the court upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you will be dead. May the Lord have mercy on your souls,” the judge held. It was reported that Ekiti State counsel, Familoni Adeniyi, had submitted that the convicts murdered the deceased at Ose Egbeda Camp in Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti East LGA.

Liberian Refugee Leads Robbery Gang in Lagos, Snatches 15 Vehicles

A 25-year-old Liberian refugee, Mr. Moses Andrel, and four others have been arrested by the police in Lagos for allegedly snatching 15 vehicles in different parts of the country. It was learnt that the robbery syndicate was arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Lagos State Police Command on October 19. Andrel disclosed that that his modus operandi was first to get employed as a driver only to steal his employer’s vehicle. He added that the gang members were his links to getting the vehicles sold. Andrel added that he was, however, arrested inside a banking hall in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State by SARS operatives through a tracking device. Meanwhile another gang member, 53-year-old Adebayo, said his role in the operation was to change the engine numbers of the stolen vehicles. The Commissioner of Police, Cornelius Aderanti, while restating the command’s resolve to tackle crimes in the state, said owners of the recovered vehicles should show up with evidence to regain their property.

Kidnappers Release Abducted Julius Berger Employee in Ogun

An expatriate with German construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria, who was kidnapped by four gunmen last Friday, has been released. The expatriate’s colleague was shot when they were ambushed by their abductors and he later died in a hospital. They were on their way to the company’s quarry at Ogbere, in the Ijebu East LGA of Ogun State when the incident occurred. The deputy spokesman for the police in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said he was released in the early hours of Thursday, and he had been reunited with the officials of the company in Lagos. Oyeyemi, who did not disclose if any ransom was paid, restated the command’s resolve to make the state safe and conducive for socio-economic activities.

Saleswoman, 21, Jailed One Year for N3.7m Theft of Employer’s Funds

A Somolu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, on Tuesday, sentenced a 21-year-old sales woman, Chinyere Eze, to one year imprisonment without an option of fine for stealing N3.7million belonging to her employer. The Magistrate, Mrs Bola Osunsanmi, handed down the sentence following a guilty plea by Eze. Earlier, the prosecutor, Akinlabi Adegoke, told the court that the accused committed the offence between February 5 and July 29. The accused within the said period was delegated to make daily deposit of sales to the company account of her employer, Mr Raymond Okafor. “She would fill two deposit slips at Diamond Bank where she also had her personal account, one with her personal details and the other with that of her employer. “She would then swap the original slips the original slip containing her personal bank details will then be attached to the duplicate and triplicate copies of her employer, ’’Adegoke said.

GENERAL

Several Killed, 3 Arrested as Bomb Explosion Rocks Gombe Motor Park

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with an early morning bomb explosion at the Gombe Motor Park which left an unconfirmed number of persons dead and several others injured. The State Commissioner of Police, Kudu Nma, disclosed that a vehicle with an inscription “Yobe Line” was reported to have brought the suspected bombers to the park. A vehicle, which was suspected to have carried the bombers who came in with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), was recovered. Unfortunately for them, they were caught when they were about to run away, he said. The explosion had gone off around 9.30am at the park, leaving many dead and several others with various degrees of injuries. Report that there was pandemonium around the area immediately after the incident as hundreds of youths from different directions descended on the park. They threw stones at security personnel and other rescue workers who were evacuating corpses and the injured. The security operatives had to shoot into the air to disperse the rampaging youths.

Mutiny: Court Orders Stay of Execution on 12 Soldiers

Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Army to stay the execution of the death sentence passed by an Army General Court Martial against 12 soldiers. The judge, in a fundamental rights case filed by a former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, against the Chief of Army Staff, the Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Mogadishu Cantonment, Asokoro, Abuja, and the Attorney General of the Federation, ordered that the execution of the soldiers be put on hold pending the determination of the suit. The Brigadier-General B.T. Ndiomu-led nine-man General Court-Martial had recently tried 18 soldiers for mutiny, insubordination and other military offences. The court-martial convicted and sentenced 12 soldiers to death by firing squad. Agbakoba had approached the Court to set aside the death sentence, on grounds that the trial violated the fundamental rights of the soldiers and inconsistency with the 1999 Constitution.

Military Ramps up Counter-Attack as Battle for Mubi Rages

The fighting between Nigerian troops and suspected members of Boko Haram in Mubi, Adamawa State, entered the second day with the Nigerian Air Force launching a ferocious aerial bombardment against the terrorists who attacked the town and its environs on Wednesday. A resident disclosed that the Mubi market was burnt down and many vehicles were also set ablaze by the insurgents who went about destroying houses and killing innocent people. A source, who confirmed the incident, said following the capture of Vimtim on Thursday, the insurgents had a field day looting and burning properties in the village. The Nigerian Air Force launched aerial bombardment against the insurgents who had taken over Mubi.

Boko Haram Kills 5 in Borno Market Invasion

Miringa, a village in Biu LGA of Borno State, came under attack last Sunday when gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram, attacked the village market, killing five people and injuring several others. A ward councillor in Biu town disclosed that the gunmen came in two Hilux vans with Islamic inscription and flags, and began shooting sporadically at people. He said five have been confirmed dead, while others were taken to the Hospital. Another resident of Miringa, Abdu Usman, disclosed that many people had fled to the mountain area and into the bush to seek refuge. He said normalcy is being returned gradually as security operatives were detailed to the area.

Boko Haram Invades Borno Town, Razes 300 Vehicles

Suspected Boko Haram members, on Monday, invaded Kukawa, a historical town in Borno State. Three persons were said to have been killed while some public buildings were reportedly burnt in Kukawa. Among the buildings set ablaze include the headquarters of Kukawa LGA, a police station, government lodge, among others. A resident of the town, Mallam Modu, disclosed that the insurgents stormed the town in several Hilux vehicles and motorcycles, where they attacked the police station with Rocket Propelled Grenade and guns. Confirming the incident, the Caretaker Chairman of Kukawa LGA, Alhaji Modu Musa, said the insurgents invaded the town, killing many people and burnt down the town, including over 300 vehicles.

Gunmen Kidnap Two Construction Worker, Demand N50m Ransom in Nasarawa

A foreigner, Iqbal Qamarh, 57, alongside a Nigerian, Iliya Makeri, from Bauchi State, have been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Nasarawa State, while a sum of N50 million as ransom has been placed on them. The victims were manager and worker of Ricks Rocks Construction Company (RRCC), one of the construction companies handling road projects in the state. It was learnt further that the kidnappers invaded the site in Wamba LGA of the state around 8.30pm and started shooting sporadically. An eye-witness disclosed that the abductors were initially demanding for foreign currency from the victims, and when they were unable to get anything, they decided to go with the victims. Police spokesman, Ismail Numan, who confirmed the incident, said the police had begun manhunt for the culprits, while the victims would soon be rescued.

Father Nabbed for Defiling 3 Daughters in Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Police command has paraded one Ikechukwu Desmond Okonkwo who was alleged to have defiled his three daughters. The command also paraded a notorious cultist cum rapist, Okechukwu Oyenbushi popularly known as major, who was said to have brought cultism to the state. While parading the suspects at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) on Lafia-Jos road in the state capital, Police Spokesman, Ismaila Numan, disclosed the wife of Okonkwo, Comfort Okonkwo and the victims confirmed the incident. Numan further disclosed the arrest of eight other suspected rapists and five other armed robbery suspects. One AK 49 rifle and eight locally made pistols were recovered from the robbery suspects. He added that investigation was still on going and all the suspects would soon be charged to court.

Mechanic Abducts, Rapes 13-Year-Old for 5 Days

A Lokoja senior magistrate’s court has remanded a 28-year-old mechanic, Abdulkadir Salihu, in prison custody for allegedly abducting and raping a teenage girl for five days. Police Prosecutor, Ubi Ubana, told the court that one Adama Ibrahim had reported that on October 16, at about 1:25pm, his niece, aged 13, was sent on an errand when the accused “enticed her into his house, had carnal knowledge of her and further locked her up in his room from October 16 to 20 to enable him have unfettered access to her. Ubana who told the court that investigation into the case was ongoing, and urged it to remand the accused in prison. The Magistrate, Joyce Abdulmalik, upheld the submission of the prosecution and ordered that the accused be remanded at the Medium Security Federal Prisons and adjourned the case to November 10.

Driver Remanded in Prison for Raping 15-Year-Old Girl

A 21-year-old driver, Daniel Ushana, was on Thursday remanded in prison custody by a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl. The accused confessed to the offence after he was arrested by the police. The Magistrate, Mrs Theresa Wergba, refused to take the plea of the accused for want of jurisdiction and adjourned the case to November 10 for mention. The Prosecutor, Michael Orhundu, told the court that the case was reported by one Agundo Tersoo at Gbajimba Divisional Police Headquarters in September. The complainant said that the accused person forcefully had sexual intercourse with his niece. The prosecutor said that investigation into the matter was ongoing and therefore asked the court for adjournment.

Five Killed in Renewed Plateau Communal Clash

At least five persons were killed on Tuesday and several houses burnt at Funturu village in Bassa LGA of Plateau State when youths, suspected to be from Irigwe, attacked their Rukuba neighbours. The two communities have been at war over a land dispute. The police had recently averted a bloody communal clash between the two communities. Some Irigwe youths were said to have attacked the Rukuba community as a form of reprisal, after an old woman was allegedly killed by some youths perceived to be from Rukuba. No fewer than 50 people have been killed in the lingering clashes between the two communities in recent times. Police spokesman, Emmanuel Abuh, who confirmed the incident, said that only two people were killed and three others wounded. He said that a detachment of mobile policemen had been drafted to the area to restore normalcy.

CSP, 3 Others Arrested for Killing Bike Rider, Passenger

Four police officers, led by a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) in Nguroje, Taraba State have been arrested for crushing a commercial bike rider and his passenger to death for allegedly refusing to “settle” them at a checking point. The incident led to a revolt by the locals, who burnt down the Police station, attacking any Policemen within sight. The Taraba State Commissioner of Police, Ademola Omole, said that the Police asked the duo to stop at a check point but they refused and the policemen took their van and followed them. It was in the course of pursuing them that they were crushed. He noted that the officers involved are already arrested and are being investigated. The Police also paraded a father and his six sons alongside three others for “illegal possession of arms and live ammunition and attempt to commit offence”.

Kaduna Court Remands 2 in Prison over Assault and Rape of Widow

Two suspects, Yaro Juham (25) and Anthony Danjuma (40), have been remanded in Kaduna Central Prison by a Chief Magistrates’ Court for criminal trespassing, intention to commit crime and rape of a 32-year-old widow. Police spokesman, Aminu Lawan, disclosed that the two suspects at about 2am on October 16, forced their way into her house and asked the widow to bring out all her valuables. But she only had in her possession N850.00 which they collected and later brought out a knife with which they cut her fingers and asked her to lie down. Both suspects took turns raping the woman in the presence of her 10-year-old son, while threatening her with a knife. The first suspect, Yaro Juham, is a relative of the late husband of the widow who died some months ago.

Aunt Remanded in Abuja Prison for Assaulting 9-Year-Old Niece Hot Knife

An Upper Area Court sitting in Zuba, Abuja, on Friday remanded a woman, Anso Comfort, in prison for assaulting her nine-year-old niece with a red-hot knife in her private part. Comfort, 32, a fashion designer, who resides in Dutse Makaranta, is facing a charge of cruelty to children and causing grievous hurt. Comfort has already pleaded guilty to the charges. The prosecution told the court that the accused had on October 27 placed a hot knife on the private part of the minor for coming home late. A kitchen knife heated on a stove was placed on the private part of the nine-year-old niece by Comfort, who is living with her.

INTERNATIONAL

60 Children Killed in Syrian Air Raids

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian regime airstrikes have killed 182 people, including 60 children under the age of 18, over the past week. Rami Abdel-Rahman, Observatory Director, said, on Monday, that they have been able to document the martyrdom of 182 civilians, including 60 children, 38 women and 84 men, as a result of strikes by warplanes and helicopters. He added that 300 other civilians were also wounded. Abdel-Rahman said Syrian government forces have carried out 602 air raids on rebel-held areas since last Sunday. He said elsewhere, members of the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra Front launched a major assault on the northern city of Idlib. Abdel-Rahman said four suicide bombers blew themselves up at on army checkpoint at the outskirts of the city, a regime hold-out in the rebel-dominated north-western province, killing at least 10 troops.

Mexican Drug Cartel Kills Journalist, Tweets of Murder

A citizen journalist who spoke out against organised crime in her city has been killed by drug traffickers who used her own Twitter account to announce her death, according to reports. Dr. María del Rosario Fuentes Rubio from Reynosa, Mexico, was brutally killed and her killers posted a photo of her bloody, lifeless body on Twitter through her account. This was accompanied by a series of tweets. The Tamaulipas state prosecutor’s office says it is investigating whether Dr. Fuentes Rubio has been killed after being reported kidnapped.

Police Hunt for Killers of South Africa Football Captain

Captain of the South African Police national football team, Senzo Meyiwa, was shot dead on Sunday after robbers attacked the home of his girlfriend. Police said the 27-year-old goalkeeper, was killed after burglars broke into the house of his pop-star girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, making off with a cell phone. South Africa’s president, Jacob Zuma, said police must “leave no stone unturned in finding his killers” and bringing them to justice. National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega said a manhunt was now under way. Police have offered an increased reward of 250,000 rand ($23,000) for any information leading to his killer’s arrest. Meyiwa is due to be buried near Durban on Saturday November 1. More than 17,000 people were killed in South Africa last year.

Woman Killed in India for over Accusations of Witchcraft

Indian Police on Monday said a 55-year-old woman was tortured and beaten to death by her relatives who suspected her of practicing witchcraft. The District police chief, Narendra Khare, said that Dukalheen Bai died on Saturday night and 12 family members, including her brother-in-law Nakul Patel, had been arrested. Patel and his family blamed her for making his son ill by practicing witchcraft, so they dragged the woman out of the house, punched her and beat her with sticks, until she died at the scene, Khare said. Report says India has no specific law against witch hunting and incidents of torture and murders of women branded as witches are reported at regular intervals from around the country. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, at least 2,100 people, mostly women, were murdered between 2000 and 2012 for allegedly practicing witchcraft.

Burkina Faso Leader Adamant despite Protest, Violence, Coup

Burkina Faso’s President, Blaise Compaore, on Thursday refused to give up power but called off a state of emergency imposed after a violent uprising against his 27-year rule that saw parliament set ablaze. It remained unclear who was in charge of the country after an earlier announcement by the army that it had taken control, dissolved parliament and would put in place a transitional government. Opposition figures said around 30 people had been killed and 100 injured as tens of thousands took to the streets in protest against plans to allow Compaore to extend his long reign. Hundreds stormed parliament and other public buildings including the national television headquarters in the capital Ouagadougou. A leading opposition member, Benewende Sankara, described the army’s move as a “coup” and said protesters would accept nothing less than the president’s immediate resignation.

Saudi Lawyers Jailed over Tweets

Three lawyers in Saudi Arabia were jailed on Monday for up to eight years and banned from using social media over Tweets that undermined the judiciary, reports say. The lawyers were convicted, among other charges, of “disobeying the ruler” as well as undermining and slandering the judicial system which they described as “retarded,” it said. They used “Tweets on social media” to carry out the offences, said SPA. “All this is to undermine public order,” the agency reported, without identifying the accused or giving further details about what they wrote.

Suicide Bomber Kills 14 in Baghdad

A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged Humvee armoured vehicle near security forces and allied militiamen south of Baghdad, killing at least 14, and injuring over 25 others. The blast took place on the northern edge of Jurf al-Sakhr, a large area south of the capital, where the government announced it retook the strategic town of the same name from the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group last weekend. Security forces and militia allies have fought for months to regain ground in Jurf al-Sakhr from IS, which spearheaded a major militant offensive that has overrun large areas since June. The jihadists seized significant quantities of military equipment, including Humvees that have been used in suicide attacks on several occasions, as they swept security forces aside.

Zambian President Michael Sata Dies in London

Zambian President Michael Sata has died at the age of 77 after receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness, the government says. President Sata, who was being treated in the UK, died in London's King Edward VII hospital on Tuesday night. It is not immediately clear who will succeed the president. The issue may be decided by the Zambian cabinet which meets on Wednesday morning. Cabinet secretary, Roland Msiska, announced the death of the president on national TV. He said that Mr Sata's wife and son were at his bedside. The president's death comes just days after Zambia celebrated the 50th anniversary of independence from the UK. He is the second Zambian leader to die in office after Levy Mwanawasa in 2008.

China, Norway Donate to Fight Ebola

The Chinese government said Nigeria, Mali, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Cote D’Ivoire and Democratic Republic of the Congo are to benefit from Ebola relief materials. The country’s Ministry of Commerce said on Monday in Hong Kong that it had sent a new round of relief materials to the seven African countries to help prevent the spread of Ebola. President Xi Jinping said that China would give another $82 million in aid to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and international organisations to fight the Ebola virus. The Government of Norway on Wednesday also announced a grant of $2.7m assistance to the African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA). The Norwegian contribution brings to 20.7 million dollars the amount so far collected from pledges made to the 35 million-dollar AU budget for the Ebola control programme. The Norwegian government said it was impressed with effort of the African Union Commission in its strategy to tackle the Ebola outbreak.

Italian Sex Abuse Priest Hangs Himself

An Italian priest who admitted to sexually abusing a young teenage girl hanged himself in the sacristy — the cleric’s changing room in his church — the diocese of Santa Croce in northern Italy said Wednesday. The priest, 48, who belonged to the Slovenian community in Trieste, had been accused of committing “grave acts” years earlier with a then 13-year-old girl. He confessed to his bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi that the reports were true and asked for two days to prepare a letter asking for the forgiveness of God, the Church and the victim. But when Crepaldi arrived Tuesday afternoon to officially strip him of his priestly duties and inform him an enquiry would be launched into his actions, he found the priest hanging in the sacristy.

FSA Reinforcements Boost Kobane Defence against IS

About 200 Syrian rebels have arrived in Kobane to help Kurdish fighters defending the northern border town against Islamic State (IS) militants. All were fighting under the flag of the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, an FSA commander in Kobane disclosed. The news came as about 150 Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters arrived in Turkey on their way to the town. After coming under considerable international pressure to do more to prevent Kobane falling into IS hands, the Turkish government agreed to the deployments last week. It has refused to allow Turkish Kurds from the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it considers a terrorist group, to cross the border to fight since the assault on Kobane began six weeks ago.

Islamist Leader, Motiur Rahman Nizami, Sentenced to Death in Bangladesh

The head of Bangladesh's largest Islamist party has been sentenced to death for war crimes committed during the independence war against Pakistan in 1971. Motiur Rahman Nizami (71) faced 16 charges including genocide, murder, torture and rape. A state prosecutor said the sentence reflected the "gravity of the crimes". Government figures suggest as many as three million people died. Nizami, who was head of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was accused of acting as supreme commander of a militia, al-Badr, an auxiliary force that helped the Pakistani army identify and kill pro-independence activists in Bangladesh. The prosecution said the group carried out systematic torture and executions during the war.

Ten Dead, 300 Missing in Sri Lanka Landslide

At least 10 people are dead and hundreds are missing following a landslide in central Sri Lanka, disaster officials say. The landslide, which came after heavy monsoon rains, engulfed about 140 houses in Badulla district, officials said. Security forces have been mobilised in search and rescue operations. Mudslide warnings were issued after much of Sri Lanka was lashed by heavy rain in the past few weeks. The mudslide hit the Meeriyabedda tea plantation near the town of Haldummulla, about 200 km (120 miles) east of the capital Colombo, on Wednesday. Ten people have been confirmed dead and more than 300 are missing, Disaster Management Centre spokesman, Sarath Kumara, disclosed. Military officials say rescue efforts are being hampered by fog in the area.

Nusra Front Rebels Attack Idlib

Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants and other Syrian rebel groups have attacked the government-held city of Idlib, briefly seizing several official buildings. The Nusra Front said its fighters killed dozens of government soldiers before being pushed back. The Syrian government has maintained control of Idlib city in the country's north-west since it was briefly taken over by rebel groups in 2012. Syria's civil war, in its fourth year, has claimed more than 200,000 lives. Monday's attack on Idlib began at dawn with rebel fighters attacking the town from all sides, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based group that gathers reports from a network of activists in Syria.

Jihadists Flock to Libya’s South to Train

Libya’s remote desert south has become a haven for North African jihadists who have set up training camps in what has traditionally been a hotbed of arms smuggling, experts say. Libya slid into chaos after dictator, Muammer Gadhafi, was toppled and killed in an uprising three years ago. Weapons looted from his arsenal have made their way to the so-called “Salvador Triangle”, a no-man’s land formed by the porous borders of Libya, Algeria and Niger, experts say. Since the uprising, the activity of jihadists with links to Al-Qaeda has flourished in the region, buoyed by the inability of the Libyan authorities to tame the armed groups. On October 10, France said its forces had destroyed a convoy belonging to Al-Qaeda’s North African branch in Niger that was carrying arms from Libya to Mali as part of a counter-terrorism campaign to flush out jihadists.

Gunmen Kill Yemeni Police Officer, Soldier

Suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen killed a Yemeni police officer and a soldier in two separate attacks in the south of the strife-torn country, security sources said Friday. “Two Al-Qaeda gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed commander Fadl al-Majidi on Thursday night in downtown Huta,” capital of Lahij province, a security source disclosed. The assailants were able to flee the scene. Farther south in Mahfad, a town in Abyan province, gunmen fatally wounded a soldier in his barracks on Thursday night, in an attack blamed on Al-Qaeda. Yemen has fallen deeper into turmoil since an uprising forced out autocratic president Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2012 after a year of unrest, with rivals, including Shiite rebels and Al-Qaeda, battling each other.

Child Trafficking Rises in Kenya – Report

Trafficking of Kenyan children from impoverished villages to towns and cities for domestic labour, sex work and to beg is on the rise, experts said, with most victims being adolescent girls. The Country Director, Child Rights Organisation, Terre des Hommes, Angela Nyamu, said at the launch of a project to combat child trafficking in Nairobi on Friday. Report says poverty, dysfunctional families and a lack of access to secondary education force children to seek work in urban areas, where they were often exploited by traffickers. According to the World Bank, which predicts that the majority of Kenyans will live in urban areas by 2033 because of high fertility rates, coupled with rural poverty and land scarcity, will drive over 250,000 Kenyans into cities every year. Kenya is a source, destination and transit country for trafficking; it has been in the US Department of State’s Tier 2 watch list for three years, indicating that it is not doing enough to combat trafficking.