Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 2

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

SSPA Urges FG Take Boko Haram’s Ultimatum serious

…as Northerners Flee Anambra over Fear of Reprisal
South- South People’s Assembly (SSPA) has enjoined the Federal Government to take seriously, the recent ultimatum handed Christians to vacate the North by the Boko Haram sect. National secretary of the body, Dr Kalada Iruenabere, charged security operatives to be vigilant and watch out for any sign of pogrom so as to nip them in the bud. Following the threat by Boko Haram, many northerners residing in various parts of Anambra State,have been deserting their places of business for fears of reprisals. Though there was no threat to their lives whatsoever in any part of the state, some of them said they did not want to take chances, in view of the warning by the Boko Haram sect. The Chief of Defense Staff, Air Marshal Oluseye Petinrin, has assured Nigerians that the insurgence of Boko Haram would soon be a thing of the past.

Shell Shuts in 70,000bpd amidst Fresh Oil Leak in Nembe

As Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) battles to ensure complete clean-up of the oil spill from the Bonga deep-water field, its sister company, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has shut down the Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL) following a fresh oil leak. SPDC confirmed that the leak on the 90-kilometre line, which resulted in the shut-in of some producing flow stations, affected the production of 70,000 barrels of oil per day. Shell’s Vice-President for Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), as well as Corporate Affairs, for Sub-Saharan Africa, Tony Attah, said the leak was caused by crude oil thieves.

Asari Warns Boko Haram of Southern Backlash

Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF),has warned that the threat and action of Boko Haram could provoke reprisals from the south. Asari said bomb attacks by Boko Haram could provoke retaliation by mostly Christian southerners. Asari's group, the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, managed to push oil prices to record highs in 2004 with its constant attacks and threats against oil production in the Niger Delta.

Groups Vow Protest, Disregard Police Warning

Civil society groups in Rivers State have said they will mobilise the people of the state for a protest against the removal of fuel subsidy by the FG, despite the warning by the Police against such move. The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Suleiman Abba, had on Monday, told labour unions to desist from any form of demonstration or procession over the removal of fuel subsidy. But the civil society groups, comprising the United Action for Democracy, the Center for Environment, Human Rights and Development and the Ogoni Solidarity Forum, said on Tuesday that they would not be deterred by the police warning. The National General Secretary of UAD, Mr. Ken Henshaw, explained that the groups were yet to inform the police about protest that would hold on Monday.

Scores Missing After Ezillo Killings

Three days after the New Year Eve invasion of the Ezillo community in Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi state by unknown gunmen, leading to the killing of over 66 indigenes of the area, scores of people mostly women and children are still missing. The traditional ruler of the Ezillo community, Eze Chima Onyibe, said that after the Saturday’s massacre of his subjects by the gunmen, several residents were still missing noting that the number assumed to have been killed were only those whose remains were found.

A’Ibom Fishermen Lament Withdrawal from Sea over Bonga Oil Spill

Fishermen in Akwa Ibom State are complaining about the directive by the Nigerian Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) that fishing be suspended because of the recent Bonga Oil field spillage, which has been described as the biggest in the country and is spreading fast and impacting several communities along the coast. The fishermen, who alleged that the order had affected their livelihood, said NOSDRA did not consider the negative economic implications of the directive to the people in the area. Chairman of Akwa Ibom chapter of Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (ARFAN),Rev. Samuel Ayadi, acknowledged that the order was sequel to the December 20 oil spill but said that the suspension of fishing had taken a negative toll on the people of the state, including short supply of fish and rise in price.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Police, Group Disagree over Crime Rate in Delta State

The Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change, on Tuesday, called for the immediate transfer of the Delta State Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Tsafe, over alleged rise in crimes in the state. The group claimed that in December last year alone, 25 Policemen and five soldiers were killed in Delta State by armed robbers. The group argued that the inability of the police to provide security in the state had further scared investors away from doing business in the state. The police, refuting the allegation, said that Delta state remained one of the most peaceful in the country. The Police spokesman, Charles Muka, noted that apart from two policemen and a couple who were killed by bandits in Warri, the state had not witnessed such peace during festivities in a long while.

Youths Attack Muslims in Sapele

Over 2000 youths in Sapele, Delta State went on rampage on Friday, violently attacking the Muslim community in the state. The youths were reportedly angered by the activities of Boko Haram fundamentalist sect that gave Christians and Southerners ultimatum to leave the north. The sect in recent days has attacked churches in the north, killing scores of persons. The police claimed the arrest of two of the rampaging youths. The youths in retaliation of the Boko Haram ultimatum, asked Muslims in Delta state to vacate the state. Over 50 Muslims were injured in the attack, while a Muslim security guard was killed on Thursday by suspected armed robbers. Police spokesman, Charles Muka confirmed the attack on Muslims and the killing of the security guard. He assured that normalcy had returned to the area.

Ex-Militants Block East West Road

Over 300 Ex-militants in the Niger Delta, on Tuesday, blocked the Bomadi Junction, a section of the East-West Road in Delta State to protest against President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to remove fuel subsidy. The ex-militants allegedly armed were said to have engaged the Joint Task Force (JTF) in a gun battle. About four ex-militants allegedly sustained bullet wounds. But the JTF claimed they were members of the Third Phase Amnesty, a group protesting at their exclusion from the amnesty programmer of the FG. The JTF’s Media Coordinator, Lt. Col. Timothy Antigha, denied there was a shootout.

Irate Youths Mob Suspected Robbers in Delta State

Two suspected armed robbers were, on Tuesday, set ablaze by irate youths in Ughonton community, Okpe LGA of Delta state, while three others escaped. The two suspected armed robbers met their waterloo, when they tried to rob a victim, who resisted them and raised alarm. The alarm alerted members of the community, who chased and caught two of them. Recovered from the armed robbers were one cut to size locally made pistol and a laptop, which was snatched from one of their victims. According to a community leader, Mr. Chris Akirinja, the group of five armed robbers had been terrorising the Ughoton and Jeddo communities for the past six months, forcing the community had to set up a vigilante group to curtail the incessant armed robbery cases in the community.

Uduaghan Laments Bonga Oil Spill

Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has lamented the impact of the recent Bonga oil spill in some communities in Delta State. Uduaghan called on Shell to give full disclosure of the impact and extent of damage of the spill. The governor expects Shell to take steps to ensure adequate clean-up and compensation for the communities affected. Uduaghan dismissed claims by Shell that the spill was contained before spreading as not being supported by hard evidence of what is happening in Ogulagha, Beniboye and Okuntu in Delta State and Oloibiri, Odiama and Aggeh communities in Bayelsa State. He called on the Federal Government through its agencies to ensure that full remedial measures are taken to restore the environment and mitigate further damage.

Itsekiri Communities Alleges Pollution by Bonga Spill

About 64 Itsekiri communities in Warri South West and Warri North LGAs of Delta State have been polluted by the crude oil spill from Bonga Oil Field belonging to Shell Nigeria Exploration Company (SNEPCO), legal adviser to the affected communities said on Thursday. In Delta state, following an alleged oil spillage in the area, Ogulagha Clan Youth Association, an Ijaw group in Burutu LGA, has enjoined the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and SNEPCO, operator of the Bonga oil Facility to embark on compensation and cleanup.

8 Killed in Renewed Benin Cult Clash

In the past six days, eight persons have been shot dead in a renewed cult fight that engulfed Benin City, Edo State Capital. To this end, the police in Benin-city have intensified effort to crack down the warring gangs as over five suspects have been arrested. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the suspects. Sources believe that the fight may be a fall-out from the death of a young man allegedly killed by a rival cult member recently. Spokesman of Edo Police Command, Peter Ogboi, said any cultist caught would be treated as an enemy of the state.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Police Battle Citizens as Protests Spread over Withdrawal of Fuel Subsidy

The police continued to battle to contain the protest over the removal of fuel subsidy. While the protests were peaceful in some places, a man in his mid-20s was killed on Tuesday in Ilorin, Kwara State, where protesters put up bonfires on several roads in the state capital, chanting anti-deregulation slogans. It was alleged that there were sporadic shootings by the law enforcement agents. A stray bullet allegedly hit one of the protesters on the chest. Kwara Police Public Relations Officer, Dabo Ezekiel, however, claimed that the dead man was hit by the protesters for refusing to join in the protest. The Kwara State government has ordered an investigation into the incident. The state government assured the people that adequate security measures were being taken to forestall a recurrence of such incident.

OPC Members in Court over Killing

Four members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) have been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrates over the alleged killing of a suspected cult member, Ahmed Balogun in Lagos. The police alleged that the four suspects conspired and killed Balogun during a gun battle in April 2011. The Investigating Police Officer (IPO), said that the police recovered two empty cartridges from the scene of the incident. The accused all pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Magistrate, Joy Ugbomoiko, ordered them to be remanded in Prison custody and adjourned the case to February.

Fire Guts Shops at Ogunpa Market

The New Year Eve’s disaster at Ogunpa Market in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, worsened on Tuesday. The fire incident that occurred at the South-West section of the market, on Saturday, started around 10p.m and destroyed goods and property. According to traders, the fire reignited and burnt more shops before dawn on Tuesday. It was gathered that nobody suspected that the heavy flames which firefighters battled to put out on the New Year Day and Monday were still smoldering under the rubble and this caused further loss of shops and goods worth billions of naira by Tuesday morning.

GENERAL

Travelers Stranded Across the Country as FG Removes Subsidy on PMS

The removal of fuel subsidy as announced by the Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) took its toll on travelers in around the country as prices of transportation increased by over 300 per cent. Most of the travelers, some of whom were trying to return to their base in order to be at work could not afford the high fares, provoking riots in several areas. Police were forced to use tear gas to dispel protesters in Abuja on Monday. The removal of the subsidy on PMS saw prices rocket to about N140 per liter from N65. Police fired tear gas to break up a protest in Abuja, which was led by former House of Representatives member, Dino Melaye. Melaye had earlier organized the signing of a petition near, Eagle Square, which armed soldiers and policemen had cordoned off to bar more people from joining the early protest arrivals.

Reps Ask FG to Suspend Fuel Subsidy Removal

Members of the Federal House of Representatives, on Sunday, asked the Federal Government to suspend the removal of subsidy on PMS and go back to the drawing board. After a heated debate during an emergency meeting called to discuss the burning issue, majority of the members described the removal as ill-timed and voted against its removal. The house also asked Labour to stay action on its proposed strike action scheduled to begin January 9th. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) commended the move and asked the FG to reverse fuel price back to N65 or face mass revolt. But the presidency in a quick reaction said the removal of the subsidy is final.

Boko Haram Kills 42 in Northern Attacks

In different attacks in parts of the north last weekend, fundamentalist sect killed at least 42 people and injured several others. In Mubi, Adamawa state, at least 20 Igbo persons were killed on Friday when the group attacked a town hall meeting of Igbo traders who were meeting on how to convey the corpse of a dead colleague back to the east. The group also attacked churches in Adamawa killing about 12 persons, after which they shot and killed 4 others near the state capital, Yola. In Yobe state, they killed 2 persons and attacked 4 banks. While in Borno state, they shot dead 2 university students. The sect also attacked a church in Gome state on Thursday, killing six people. President Goodluck Jonathan has assured that efforts are on to tackle the threat and called on Nigerians to cooperate with security agencies to flush out the menace. The House of Representatives, during also endorsed the declaration of state of emergency in some states in the north.

CAN, NIREC Dismiss Boko Haram’s Ultimatum to Southerners

Secretary General of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the FCT, Saidu Dogo, Tuesday dismissed the three-day ultimatum reportedly issued to Southern Christians to leave the north by Boko Haram, declaring that no group or section had the power to order Nigerians to leave a particular part of the country. Former NBA Chairman, Olisa Agbakoba, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) also urged Igbos living in the northern part of the country to remain calm and not be disturbed by the threat which they described as “empty”. The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) also advised Nigerians to disregard any threat from any group asking them to relocate from where they are currently resident.

Labour Begins Indefinite Strike on Monday

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have threatened an indefinite nationwide strike effective Monday, January 9, if the FG fails to return fuel price back to N65 per liter. The labour unions ruled out the possibility of negotiation with the Federal Government. The NLC and TUC vowed that all offices, oil production centers, air and seaports, fuel stations, markets, banks among others, will be shut down during the strike. The Labour centers, however, stressed that they arrived at the option of strike after exhaustive deliberations and consultations with all sections of the populace, stressing that the NLC, TUC and their pro-people allies demand that the Presidency immediately reverses fuel price to N65.

Blasts Rock Maiduguri, Damaturu

…STF Prohibits Protest in Jos
Officials have confirmed that two explosions rocked Maiduguri and Damaturu on Wednesday as a Boko Haram ultimatum for Christians living in the North to leave expired. Both cities, which are the state capitals of Borno and Yobe States, are those which are under the partial state of emergency declared last week by President Goodluck Jonathan. However, no casualties were reported after the attacks claimed by the Islamist group. The Special Task Force (STF) in Plateau State has prohibited any unlawful processions in four LGAs under emergency rule in the state. The reminder came as some residents were reportedly poised to protest the fuel subsidy removal announced by President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday, December 31.

Emir of Suleja Indicted, Queried over Boko Haram

Indications have emerged that security reports indicted the Emir of Suleja, Alhaji Awal Ibrahim in whose domain the Boko Haram sect had detonated bomb five times last year alone. As a prelude, the Niger State Government has issued the Emir a query, asking him to defend his non-chalant attitude to the issues of bomb blast in his domain, especially the ones that affected churches. Not less than five bomb blasts took place in the emirate within the period, the last being that at the St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla on Christmas Day which left over 38 people dead, 80 injured 36 houses and 4 churches burnt in addition to the destruction of 7 vehicles.

Army Kills Two Suspected Boko Haram Members

An army official says soldiers have killed two armed men suspected to be members of Boko Haram. Lt. Col. Hassan Mohammed disclosed that two suspected Boko Haram members were killed on Thursday morning after resisting arrest in Maiduguri. He said the army believes the gunmen were responsible for an attack on Wednesday evening that left two people dead. President Goodluck Jonathan imposed a state of emergency on Saturday in Maiduguri and other parts of the country most affected by Boko Haram attacks. Two civilians were shot dead on the outskirts of Damaturu. The attacks were the first in the area since Jonathan declared a state of emergency last weekend.

Six Marketers Probed over Alleged Funding of Protests

Security agents have suspected covert attempts to fuel the workers’ strike due to begin on Monday. Some marketers and labour leaders, who are believed to be planning to cause chaos, are under watch. Six marketers, who are said to be under probe for alleged covert financial support for some trade union leaders for the impending strike, may be arrested for interrogation, sources disclosed. Commercial banks have been under surveillance following reports of likely huge cash withdrawals by some marketers to back the labour movement against the FG. Security agents are said to have uncovered plans by some aggrieved marketers to bankroll the action with over N1billion.

3 Killed in Gombe Church Attack

Gunmen, on Thursday, attacked a church in Gombe State, during a prayer service night, killing at least three people and wounding others. The attack came on the heels of reports by the Joint Task Force (JTF) that it had shot two suspected killers, who were trying to evade arrest in Dala, Maiduguri. Pastor Johnson Jauro, while reacting to the attack, said the gunfire sprayed at the Deeper Life Bible Church (DLBC) in Gombe, injured several worshipers and killed his wife and two others. Police spokesman, Ahmed Muhammad, confirmed the attack, but declined to say how many people the gunmen killed and wounded. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Nigeria Urged to End Police Attacks on Protesters

The Nigerian authorities must immediately end excessive use of force against protesters, Amnesty International said, on Thursday, after at least one person was killed in Kwara State during protests over hike in the price of fuel. Policemen reportedly fired tear gas and beat protesters as demonstrations continued today. Thousands of Nigerians have taken part in protests against the removal of fuel subsidy. Civil society groups and labour unions have announced further protests on 9 and 11 January. A community leader, the Elerin 1 of Igbo-Elerin in Lagos, Alhaji Afiesi Sikiru Aina has called on the government, labour and civil societies to embrace dialogue on the issue. He called on all parties involved not to see violence as the only way out.

Minister Appeals to Labour for a Rethink over Planned Strike

…As FG Assures on Lower Fuel Prices
Ahead of the planned nationwide strike called by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) the Minister of Defense, Dr Bello Mohammed, on Thursday, appealed to Nigerians to have a rethink by giving the Federal Government opportunity to prove its transformation agenda. The Federal Ministry of Finance has assured Nigerians that the high prices of petrol following the January 1, 2012 full deregulation of the down-stream sector would come down drastically with the new fuel delivery arrangement. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Danladi Kifasi, said that “In less than two weeks, the prices of fuel will fall when the supplies by the new investors who are already attracted by the new development arrive. It was also learnt that modalities for the procurement and distribution of mass transit buses had commenced.

Gunmen Attack Jigawa Police Station

Gunmen attacked a police station in Jigawa State, killing a teenage girl and wounding an officer. The gunmen shot indiscriminately into the police station and engaged policemen in a shootout, Jigawa State Police Commissioner, Hashimu Argungu, confirmed on Tuesday. Argungu said an investigation was on-going and he could not yet say who was behind the attack.

Boko Haram Gives Christians, Southerners Ultimatum to Leave North

The police have described the threat by the fundamentalist group, Boko Haram, asking Southerners and Christians to leave the North within three days as baseless and designed to create panic. A spokesman for Boko Haram, Abdul Qaqa, penultimate Sunday, issued the ultimatum and threatened to confront troops after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in hard-hit areas. The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer (DFPRO), Yemi Ajayi, said the police and other security operatives are on hand to protect the lives and properties of all Nigerians, Northerners inclusive.

PEF to Continue Operating Downstream Petroleum Sector

The management board of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), established mainly to administer uniform prices of petroleum products, would continue to operate momentarily in the wake of government’s deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector. The Federal Government had on January 1, 2012 announced the commencement of its deregulation policy in the downstream oil and gas sector, thus, bringing an end to the regime of petrol subsidy.

Production Resumes at Shell’s Bonga, EA

Days after Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) completed the clean-up of the December 20, 2011 crude oil spill from its 200,000 barrels per day capacity Bonga offshore field, the company has resumed production at the facility. This is coming as Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC), SNEPCo’s sister company, resumed production at its 115,000 barrels per day capacity shallow offshore East Area (EA) field after a successful completion of the scheduled statutory inspection. The development will boost Nigeria's export capacity by 315,000bpd when production is fully ramped up in the two fields.

Reps Reverses Position on Subsidy Removal

The House of Representatives have adjusted its stance on the issue of fuel subsidy removal, claiming it had not taken a definite position on the issue. The House, on Tuesday, said its position on the policy would be guided by the majority opinions of members, according to the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Victor Ogene. The statement was contrary to the earlier position of the House on December 1 when it approved a report on the medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper on the 2012 budget. The report of the House Joint Committee on Appropriation, Finance and Legislative Budget, opposed the removal of the subsidy. Members endorsed the report, describing any move to remove subsidy as “premature.”

INTERNATIONAL

Over 12,000 in Mexico Drug Violence

About 12,000 people died in drug-related violence in 2011 in Mexico, bringing t number to about 50,000 since the start of President Felipe Calderon's crackdown on drug gangs in 2006, according to reports on Monday. Reforma daily counted 12,539 drug-related killings in 2011, which it said was a 6.3 percent increase on the previous year. It said the violence had become more brutal with increases in beheadings to almost 600 and more than 1,000 cases of torture. The government has said 15,273 people were killed in 2010, without offering specifics on its count, making it the deadliest year since Calderon launched his crackdown.

Argentine Governor Killed on New Year Day

A provincial governor in Argentina, Carlos Soria, was shot dead while celebrating the New Year with his wife. Police say the Rio Negro governor was at home when the incident happened. His vice-governor, Alberto Weretilneck, who will succeed Soria, described it as a "domestic accident". Soria's wife, Susana Freidos, is being questioned by police. The governor was only a few weeks into his tenure, having been sworn in on December 10, 2011. He was a member of Argentina's governing Peronist party and had been elected in Rio Negro by a wide margin. Emergency workers called to the house found him bleeding in bed and rushed him to hospital, where he died a short time later.

DRC Beefs Up Security after Attempted Jail Break

Democratic Republic of Congo’s has beefed up security at Bukavu central prison following an attempted jail break, penultimate Sunday. The incident left eight people dead and 44 wounded. Marcellin Cishambo, governor of Sud-Kivu province, said that the prison has heightened security measures and the police is also contributing to reinforcing security there. About eight people died on Sunday and 44 were wounded when a hand grenade exploded during an attempted jail break. Prison breaks and attempted escapes are frequent in DR Congo.

20 Feared Dead in Kenya’s Boat Mishap

Over 20 people were feared dead after a Kenyan ferry carrying more than 80 passengers capsized, penultimate Sunday night, following a collision with a cargo boat off the Island of Lamu, a tourist destination. Survivors confirmed that the small ferry was overloaded when the two vessels collided in the dark. Abdalla Miraj, regional head of the Kenya Red Cross, said about 16 people were still believed missing. Locals lamented the fact a new water ambulance equipped with first aid facilities and oxygen tanks, donated to Kenya by an international donor, had remained moored throughout the rescue.

Armed Groups Clash in Tripoli

Clashes between armed militias erupted in Tripoli on Tuesday, killing two, as gunmen traded anti-aircraft and heavy machinegun fire, witnesses said. The fighting broke out between Al-Zawiyah and Al-Saidi streets near at a building used as intelligence headquarters by the former regime of slain dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. Massud al-Khadar, a member of a local militia, said the violence started when a rival militia from Misrata attacked his group based near the former intelligence building. Former rebels, who remain organised in militia brigades, are visible in many parts of the Libyan capital, and some have taken control of former government buildings, using them as headquarters. But witnesses said that government forces may have tried to retake the intelligence building, provoking a clash with the militia group that is currently occupying it.

Afghan President, US Officials Meet Militant Group

…As Taliban Confirms Deal on Foreign Office
Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, and United States (U.S.) embassy officials in Kabul met with a delegation from Hezb-i-Islami, one of the country‘s top militant groups. This occurred as the Taliban announced that they had come to an “initial agreement” to open their first political overseas office possibly in Qatar, in the first public gesture towards peace talks with the U.S. With this development, it is the first time that the Taliban has publicly raised the prospect of a negotiated peace after more than 10 years of fighting the Kabul government, always previously insisting they would not talk until all foreign troops had left Afghan soil.

Prosecutor Seeks Death Penalty for Mubarak

Egyptian prosecutors have demanded the death sentence for former president Hosni Mubarak and other defendants including his two sons and the former interior minister for their role in the killing of protesters in the uprising that swept him from power. For the final hearing that took place this week, Mubarak appeared in a courtroom cage reserved for the accused along with his sons, former Interior Minister, Habib el-Adly and six senior police officers. Mubarak, who ruled for three decades before he was forced in February 2011 to step down after 18 days of public protests against his rule, is the first leader toppled by the wave of protests in the Arab world to stand trial in person. The 83-yearold former president and the other defendants deny responsibility for the deaths.

Bombs Attacks on Iraqi Shi'ites Kill over 70

Bomb attacks in mainly Shi'ite Muslim areas of Iraq killed at least 73 people and wounded scores on Thursday, police said. The biggest attack was beside a police checkpoint west of Nassiriya in the south, where a suicide bomber targeting Shi'ite pilgrims killed 44 people and wounded 81, Sajjad al-Asadi, head of the provincial security committee in Nassiriya, disclosed. Shi'ite Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, created the worst political crisis in a year on December 19 when he sought the removal of two senior Sunni politicians, a day after the last U.S. troops left Iraq. On December 22, bombs in predominately Shi'ite parts of Iraq's capital killed 72. Maliki asked parliament to have his Sunni deputy Saleh al-Mutlaq removed and sought the arrest of Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on charges he ran death squads.

Landslide Kills 25 in Philippines

A landslide hit the Island of Mindanao in southern Philippines, killing 25 people and leaving over 100 missing, the provincial governor said on Thursday. The weather again appears to have played a part in Thursday's disaster, which took place in an area where small-scale miners go in search of gold. The landslide happened around 3a.m., according to the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. In all, 16 people had been saved, officials said.

Libya Appoints Armed Forces Chief

A former Libyan military officer who fought against ex-leader Moammar Gadhafi's troops last year was picked to head the country's armed forces, a move that comes as tensions flare among rival militias. The interim National Transitional Council chose Youssef Mangoush to be chief of staff of the country's armed forces Tuesday. Mangoush was a member of Libya's Special Forces and had been retired for years. He worked as a field commander in the battles against Gadhafi's battalions in February.

South Sudan's State Declared 'Humanitarian Disaster Area'

South Sudan's Council of Ministers has declared Jonglei state a "humanitarian disaster area" and called on international aid agencies to provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance. The declaration came on Wednesday during a council meeting led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit. Government spokesman, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, said the council had resolved to deploy more forces to guarantee security. The council of ministers directed the two ethnic groups to return women and children from both sides who have been abducted and to reunite them with their communities. The United Nations sent a battalion of peacekeepers to Pibor last week amid reports that members of the Lou Nuer tribe were marching toward the town, which is home to the Murle tribe, after attacking the village of Lukangol.

31 Killed as Inmates Battle in Mexican Prison

Fighting between inmates left at least 31 dead and 13 wounded in a jail holding alleged drug gang members in Mexico. Police and soldiers surrounded the Santa Amalia jail, in Altamira on the Gulf of Mexico, and eventually regained control, a federal police spokesman said. Prisoners used makeshift weapons in the clash. Thirteen inmates suspected of involvement in the fight were detained, state authorities said. The jail was designed to hold 2,000 inmates but had a population of more than 3,000. Prison riots and jailbreaks are common in Mexico.

Taliban Kill 15 Kidnapped Pakistan Troops

The bodies of 15 members of Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Constabulary (FC) were found Thursday, about two weeks after they were kidnapped from a north-western town, officials said. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the killings. Senior FC commander, Ali Sher Mehsud, said that the FC men were killed in Shawa," a small town in the North Waziristan tribal region. All the corpses, which arrived in a military hospital in the north-western Tal town, had bullet wounds, he added. The FC personnel were kidnapped late last month during a night-time attack on a checkpoint. Taliban spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the killings.