Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 32

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

JTF Arrests Man for Oil Theft, Bribery

The Joint Military Task Force (JTF), on Monday arrested a 40-year-old-man, Joshua Orupere, for his alleged attempt to bribe the Chief of Staff of the team with $30,300. The amount is meant to influence the release of two vessels with stolen crude oil estimated at 600,000 metric tonnes each, seized by the JTF along the Sagana River in Akassa community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State, last weekend.

Court Sentences Man to Death over Death of Baby

An Owerri High Court presided over by Justice Nonyerem Okoronkwo, has sentenced Uchenna Uhuegbu, from Odunmara in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State, to death for the murder of an 18-month-old baby girl. Uhuegbu was charged for killing the baby, Chimuanya Iwuagwu, in May 17, 2009, in very bizarre circumstances. Justice Okoronkwo recalled that the deceased Chimuanya was heading to throw away refuse with an elder relation and was accosted by the accused on their way. The accused, being familiar with the family of the infant girl, was left with the baby by her relation, but one return, the girl was not to be found.

Rivers Laments Attack on Fire Service Personnel

Residents of Port Harcourt, Rivers State and its environs, have been enjoined to stop attacking men of the state fire service on social services. Commissioner for Special Duties in the state, Mr Emeka Nwogu, lamented the attitude of some residents to fire fighters from his ministry, when they responded to distress calls, pleading that men of the fire service should be given the necessary support at scenes of fire outbreak to achieve results. Some residents had recently destroyed two fire fighting vehicles and also beaten up men of the fire service at Igwuruta Roundabout, when they responded to the petrol tanker fire that consumed houses in the area.

Five Killed in Rivers Road Accident

At least five persons were killed on Wednesday in a ghastly road accident in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital when two cars collided. Two persons were also injured in the accident, which took place at Rukpokwu along Airport Road. An eyewitness blamed the accident on over-speeding and impatience on the part of the drivers of the vehicles. The State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Dr. Kayode Olagunju, confirmed the incident but did not say the reason for the crash.

UNEP Backs FG on Clean-up of Ogoniland

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has supported the Federal Government’s decision to proceed with the cleanup of Ogoniland in Rivers State, a threat by the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) notwithstanding. MOSOP threatened to occupy strategic economic installations in their locality except the government expeditiously implemented the UNEP recommendations without recourse to its (government’s) own Hydro-Carbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) as part of the implementation. UNEP had, 12 months ago, presented its scientific assessment of oil pollution in Ogoniland to President Goodluck Jonathan, underlining serious public health and environmental impacts.

57 Ex-Militants Graduate, 28 Deported from in Trinidad & Tobago

Twenty-eight out of the 100 ex-Niger Delta militants registered for training at the National Energy Skills Centre in Trinidad and Tobago were reportedly deported for offences against “national interest” while 15 dropped on health grounds. However, 57 who participated in the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme graduated on Wednesday. Out of the number, 10 were awarded scholarships for their master’s degrees at the Caribbean University for their exemplary performance. The awards were said to be the first since the establishment of the institution 64 years ago.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Policeman Killed in Rescue Operation

A Police Corporal was killed in Isele-Uku, Delta State, on Monday, during an operation to rescue a father and his son that were abducted a day earlier. The son of the abducted man, Duke Okeze, former Senior Special Assistant to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, also sustained bullets wounds. It was learnt that the kidnap gang opened fire on the police rescue team when they were sighted. However, the senior Okezie was rescued unhurt, while his car and a few other belongings had been recovered by the police. Three suspects were arrested in connection with the abduction.

Police Kill Kidnap Suspects in Shootout

Four suspected kidnappers were killed on Wednesday during a shoot-out with policemen in Delta State. The suspects had earlier in the day, kidnapped one Chinedu Amadi, an oil worker at Effurun, but the police team trailed the hoodlums to Eku where the gun battle ensued. The victim was, however, rescued. Three cut-to-size guns, a G3 rifle and two vehicles were recovered according to Delta State Police Command Spokesman, Charles Muka, confirmed the incident. Meanwhile, four other kidnapped victims regained their freedom after their abductors abandoned them along the Benin-Sapele expressway as the police were closing in on them. The kidnapped victims, a family of three, were abducted at Oghara along the expressway on July 29.

SSS Arrests Eight Suspected Kidnappers, Blackmailers

Five suspects have been arrested by the Delta Command of the State Security Service (SSS) in connection with two kidnap cases. The command also arrested three others, including two brothers, for allegedly blackmailing a director in the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun with a fake pornographic photograph of him. Parading the suspects in Asaba on Thursday, the state Director of SSS, Florence Ikanone, said the kidnap suspects abducted one Sunday Elueni in April.

Communities Lament Oil Spillage on River Ethiope

Indigenes and residents of villages along the along the stretch of River Ethiope in Ethiope West and Sapele LGAs of Delta State, have cried out over the pollution of the river by crude oil, leaking from one of the oil pipelines belonging to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which runs across the river. The people of the affected communities have cried out to the federal and state governments, as well as NNPC, Federal Environmental Protection Agency, FEMA, and security agencies to come to their aid and evaluate the crude oil from the river, which is their only source of drinking water and fish farming. Chairman of Amukpe Community, Deacon Believe Edeki, said that the crude oil pollution had already killed a large quantity of aquatic lives and hampered fishing, which is the major occupation of the dwellers on the bank of the river.

Navy Foils Plan to Defraud Beninois Minister

A plan by a five-man gang to defraud a Benin Republic Minister of about N25bn has been foiled by the Nigerian Navy, Delta State Command. The syndicate, it was learnt, forged official documents belonging to the Nigeria Navy and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation with the intent to defraud unsuspecting businessmen. The operation, which led to the arrest of the members of the gang, the Navy said, was carried out following a tip-off. Some of the documents recovered from the gang were naval and NNPC Letter heads for clearance of vessels and logos belonging to the force. The Commanding Officer, NNS Delta, Commodore Stephen Kor, said the gang, working with a company called El Jorajo, had earlier defrauded a Lagos-based company, Delek Marine Services Limited of N10m on July 19 this year.

SSS Parades Suspected Killers of Oyerinde

Details of how Olaitan Oyerinde, the Principal Private Secretary to Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, died emerged Wednesday following the decision by the State Security Service (SSS) to parade the six persons suspected to have killed him. Confessions from the suspects showed that contrary to the popular perception that Oyerinde's killing was politically motivated, he was a victim of an armed robbery attack. Parading the suspects at the SSS headquarters in Abuja, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, said Oyerinde was killed by the trio of Mohammed Ibrahim Abudullahi, Raymond Onajite Origbo and Chikezie Edeh.

Suspected Arsonist Arrested In Ughelli

A suspected arsonist was, on Tuesday, arrested in Ughelli, Delta State, by men of the Ughelli Vigilante group for allegedly attempting to set a church building belonging ablaze. The young man, aged 28, identified as Efe, according to the Chairman of the Ughelli Vigilante group, Monday Owhesiri, had sneaked into the church building at 6:30 am armed with a 20 litre gallon with liquid substance suspected to be fuel. Owhesiri said the suspected had emptied the liquid on the alter rug, musical instruments, wooden benches and around the church building and was about igniting a fire when he was apprehended.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

4 Get Life Sentence for Drug Peddling

The Ogun State Command of the NDLEA said on Wednesday in Abeokuta that it has secured life imprisonment jail terms for four drug traffickers between April and June this year. The sector commander, Mohammed Mohammed, said that another trafficker received a 15-year jail term. He said that 25 other suspects were arrested during the period under review and were facing trial. Mohammed said that a total 1,655 kg of cannabis were recovered from the suspects, regretting that drug abuse and trafficking in the state was on the increase. He pledged that the command would not rest until the state was free of illicit drugs.

Kwara Police Alerts on Robbers’ Strategies

The Kwara State Police Command has alerted members of the public on current tactics being used by some commercial motorcyclists in Ilorin to rob members of the public. The victims are mainly women with handbags. The motorcyclists, who operate commonly along Asa Dam Road, Basin Road, GRA and Murtala Muhammed Way, would reduce their speed on sighting a female pedestrian standing by the roadside only to snatch her bag and then speed off. Sometimes, the motorcyclists often take their unsuspecting female victims to isolated areas and forcefully push them off their motorcycles and escape with their bags, leaving behind their agonising victims. Police Spokesman, Olufemi Fabode, assured that the police would promptly smash the syndicates.

600 Cars Snatched in Seven Months -CP

The police say 600 cars have been snatched; but 400 have also been recovered in Lagos within the last 7 months. The Lagos State Police Command said concerted efforts to curb the crime have been put in place. However, the rising statistics of the crime hardly connects with the “concerted efforts” by the police authorities. In 2007 and 2008, about 907 and 669 cases of car theft were recorded with 321 and 282 cars recovered in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Last year, 371 cars were recovered. In 2012, the highest number of stolen cars was in June when 102 different cases were recorded followed by July with about 88 cases.

Lagos Signs New Law on Traffic Offence

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday signed the state’s Road Traffic Law which recommends psychiatric, breath and urine tests, fines and prison terms, among others for traffic offences. Fashola said the law was in response to the growing challenges of road traffic management in the state. He said while his administration was addressing transportation challenges, the law would complement government’s efforts. He urged motorists to see the law as a means to change the state for the better, adding that it would be good if motorists complied rather than be arrested. State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, explained that the enforcement of the law would not take effect until it had been put in the gazette and circulated to all stakeholders.

Man with Cocaine in Anus Nabbed at Lagos Airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, have arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Obivuko Ifeanyi, with 210grams of substances that tested positive for cocaine. Obivuko, who inserted the drugs into his anus, was detected with the aid of a body scanner during the inward clearance of passengers for Turkish airline flight from Brazil. The NDLEA airport commander, Hamza Umar, noted that anal insertion by men was a rare and dangerous mode of drug concealment.

Police Recover Arms, Ammunition from Okada Riders

The police disclosed, on Thursday, in Lagos, that a sizeable number of assorted guns had been recovered from motorcyclists, otherwise known as okada riders, in the state. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Mr Tunde Sobulo, said investigation had revealed that the bikes being used in snatching and blocking vehicles before they were snatched were not registered, stressing that the command was now going fully after unregistered bikes.

Oyo Police Parade Alleged Paedophile

A 25-year- old man, Femi Owolabi, who allegedly raped a four- year-old girl was paraded by the Oyo State Police Command, on Thursday. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state, Clement Adoda, the mother of the victim, upon her discovery that the girl had been defiled, reported to the Police. The mother reported blood stains on the victim’s legs as she came out of the suspect’s room. Also paraded was a robbery gang of men and women alleged to have disguised as prophets robbing their victims of valuable items. The police said one AK 49 rifle, two locally- made double barrel pistols with five live cartridges, two AK 47 rifles, one double SIM Techno handset, one Nokia handset, one Toyota Camry, a motorcycle, three cutlasses, some clergy garments and some  charms, were recovered from them.

Bank Driver Nabbed with 19 ATM Cards

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a driver with Zenith Bank, Dare Oladujoye, for allegedly being in possession of 19 Guaranty Trust Bank ATM cards and the sum of N652, 000. It was learnt that the suspect was using the cards to withdraw money from an ATM at Ogba branch of GTB when a security guard raised the alarm. The Commissioner of Police for the state police command, Mr. Umar Manko, confirmed the arrest. The suspect however denied stealing the ATM cards. He said whenever he lent people money; he would collect their ATM cards as collateral and return them after payment. When quizzed on where he got the money which he lent people, he said he was into various kinds of businesses.

Task Force Seals off Fake Drug Stores in Lagos
…as NAFDAC Nabs Fake Doctor

Men and officials of the Lagos State Task Force on counterfeit, fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods, last weekend, sealed off 38 illegal drugs stores in Ajegunle and Apapa. Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, who disclosed this, added that government’s resolve to streamline the activities of operators in the drug sector was borne out of its zeal to stop the inherent dangers associated with the peddling of fake, substandard and expired drugs by unauthorised and unregistered drug and pharmaceutical outlets. Similarly, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC has nabbed a Cameroonian who specialised in prescribing, selling and administering unregistered Chinese drug products to unsuspecting members of the public. The man, Justin Sitamze who claimed to be a doctor was arrested at his illegal clinic in Ajegunle.

Customs Arrests Suspected Beninois Car Thief

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has arrested an alleged Beninois car thief, Abdullahi Isa, along Saki border area of Oyo State. The Osun/Oyo Area Comptroller of Customs, Amade Abdul, while handing over the suspect to the police in his office, said Isa was arrested while trying to escape to Republic of Benin, with a brand new Chevrolet car with registration number Kano: AG 189-GRZ stolen from where it was parked by the alleged thief’s boss. Isa, it was learnt, was employed as a guard by his master in Kano from where he absconded with the car.

Driver Killed in Highway Robbery

An unidentified commercial bus driver was confirmed dead while three passengers were critically injured following a foiled robbery at Sapade Junction on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday. Spokesman for   the Ogun Police Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, said that the driver died when 10 armed robbers, who had laid ambush on the expressway, shot sporadically in a bid to escape from the police. Adejobi said the police quickly swung into action when alerted and dislodged the bandits who were armed  with AK 47 riffles and other sophisticated weapons.

GENERAL

Eight Killed in Suicide Bomb Attack on Checkpoint
…JTF in Raids Sect Hide Outs

A suicide car bomber attacked a military checkpoint in Damaturu, Yobe state on Sunday, killing six soldiers and two civilians, police said. The lone suicide bomber detonated the bomb before the car he was in could be stopped, killing the six soldiers and one civilian on the spot, while the eighth person died in the hospital, according to state Commissioner of Police, Patrick Egbuniwe. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Damaturu's Shagari housing estate. In Borno state, suspected Boko Haram members shot dead a former commissioner for the environment on Saturday. Explosions rocked parts of Maiduguri, Saturday, as JTF troops engaged suspected Boko Haram sect members and raided homes. The explosions, which began late Friday, occurred in three neighbourhoods notorious for Boko Haram attacks.

Naval Officers Killed, Foreigners Kidnapped as Pirates Attack Vessel

Pirates attacked a ship being used by an oil servicing company in the waters off Nigeria on Saturday, killing two Nigerian naval guards and kidnapping four foreigners, the Navy and the boat's shipping firm said. Navy spokesman, Commodore Kabir Aliyu, confirmed the incident and the loss of two men. Netherlands-based Sea Trucks Group, whose boat Jascon was attacked, confirmed that four of its staff had been seized and that two other security guards were also wounded in the attack. A spokeswoman for Sea Trucks Group, Corrie van Kessel, said that the company was focused on the safe release of the hostages. She confirmed that the four abducted foreigners were from Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia and Thailand. Sea Trucks Group is heavily involved in the oil and gas sector in the Niger Delta.

Gunmen, Bomber Attack Sambo’s House, AIG”s Office

Gunmen, Monday, attacked the family house of the Vice-President Namadi Sambo in Kaduna State, killing a cobbler and injuring the two mobile policemen. In Sokoto, suspected suicide bombers launched attacks on the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 10, Muhtari Ibrahim, and a shop. A civilian, a policeman, and the two suspected bombers died in the attacks. These attacks followed a night bombing in Kano in which four persons were killed. The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, confirmed the attacks and said security had been beefed in the areas. Meanwhile, two people have been arrested in connection with the attack on Sambo’s house. Boko Hsaram has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Police to Get New Code of Conduct

Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, says a Code of Conduct and professional standards have been drawn up for policemen while human rights desks will be established in police stations across the country. Abubakar said this while receiving a copy of the enhanced police training syllabus from the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Andreas Baum, on Monday. He also said the police would activate a methodology and teaching manual for use by their training institutions and colleges to ensure sound implementation. Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Parry Osayande, said with the reviewed syllabus, the police would perform better.

2 Air Force Men, 2 Civilians Killed in Kano

A total of four persons, among them two Air Force men, were killed on Sunday in Kano by gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect.  A motorcyclist was equally injured in the attacks. Witnesses reported that the two civilians and the injured motorcyclist were shot in front of their residential quarters in Hotoro area by the gunmen, who then made their escape in the ensuing confusion. In another location in the state, a set of gunmen trailed a staff vehicle belonging to the Nigerian Air Force and fired shots at the unsuspecting occupants of the vehicle.

Police Diffuse Bombs in Kano

Kano State Police Command, on Monday, diffused a bomb concealed in an aviation gas tube at the Federal College of Education, Kano. Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, said the security unit of the college alerted the police authorities to the strange object found in one of its blocks. The command said its anti-bomb squad successfully diffused the Improvised Explosive Device without causing any injury or damage to anyone. Public Relations Officer of FCE, Aliyu Mudi Yakasai, assured the residents that normalcy had returned as students and the management of the school had resumed normal activities. Again on Wednesday, four high-calibre improvised explosive devices were discovered behind a bakery along Bayero University Kano (BUK) Road.

Farmer Remanded in Prison for Robbing Police Officer

A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday ordered a 20-year old farmer, Mtomga Atem, to be remanded at the Federal Prisons Benue, for robbing a police officer. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Dan Ogo, gave the order shortly after the accused was arraigned for trial at the court. Prosecutor Michael Ewoh alleged that the police officer, Cpl. Starkis Mwandirga, attached to Zaki-Biam Police Station reported at the station that he was robbed by the accused and others with dangerous weapons, including guns, after they broke into his house. However, when the case came up for mention, no plea was taken for want of jurisdiction.

Floods, Landslides Hit Taraba Communities

Hundreds of persons have been rendered homeless in several villages of Sardauna Local Council of Taraba State as a result of landslides and flood, which occurred following a three-day downpour. Confirming the development, the council chairman, Dr. David Jeduwa, said several villages in Magu ward of the council had been swept off following the rain. He said that villages such as Ngelnyaki, Kan-Iyaka, Mayo-Nyebbe, Magu, Zango and Naso, had been completely washed away by the flood, which according to him, was heralded by the overflow of River Mayo-Nyebbe.

Boko Haram: US Lifts Restrictions on Citizens
…Cautions on Safety

The United States (US) embassy in Abuja has lifted the restrictions on US citizens not to visit establishments identified as potential targets. A security message signed by Carol A. Cox, Consular Section chief, said that all US citizens should use caution and discretion when deciding to attend functions or visit establishments identified as potential targets.

24 Killed in Nasarawa, Kogi Road Accidents

About 16 persons have been confirmed dead in a road mishap on Nasarawa-Toto/Keffi Expressway in Nasarawa State. The unit commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Keffi, Longzem Livinus Yilzoom, who confirmed the number of casualties on Wednesday, attributed it to reckless driving and overloading. Eyewitnesses said that the incident occurred when one of the drivers, in the process of overtaking, collided with an oncoming vehicle. Fourteen persons were said to have died instantly, while two others died the following day at the hospital in Keffi. In another accident, 8 persons were killed at Zariagi, by Kabba junction, on the Lokoja-Abuja highway. Kogi sector commander of the FRSC, Muhammed Garba, confirmed the incident.

Australian, Nigerian Charged for Drugs Trafficking in Malaysia

An Australian nurse and a Nigerian man face the possibility of death by hanging after a Malaysian court on Tuesday charged them with trafficking methamphetamines. Emma Louise L’Aiguille, 34, was charged in a Kuala Lumpur court along with Anthony Esikalam Ndidi two weeks after police said they were arrested in possession of one kilogramme (2.2 pounds) of methamphetamine. No plea was recorded but the Australian’s lawyer said she was innocent.

CJN Charges Judicial Officers on Ethics

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Muktar, on Monday, warned judicial officers to discharge their responsibilities with “ethics and integrity”, saying the era of lip service to good conduct in the Nigerian Judiciary is over. The CJN who made the declaration at the opening of a workshop for Chief Registrars, Secretaries of Judicial Service Commissions/Committee, said it was high time the image of the judiciary was improved with a view to regaining public confidence in the system. Justice Muktar said the judiciary was central to the continued existence of the Nigerian society. She tasked judicial officers to be above board and embrace equity and fairness as their operational watchword.

Police, FBI Break Intl Money Laundering Network

Detectives at Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) and operatives of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said they have successfully broken an international money laundering network that has been aiding Nigerian political office holders to launder stolen money abroad. Police Commissioner at SFU in Lagos, Tunde Ogunshaki, who disclosed this on Monday, also added that about $50 million might have passed through this route out of the country in the last 13 years. He added that $80,000 found in the suspect’s account has been confiscated and the account frozen by security agents from the two countries.

EFCC Discontinues Case against Four Oil Marketers

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Tuesday, discontinued the criminal charges filed against two directors and two oil-marketing and trading firms at the Lagos High Court in Igbosere, Lagos. Following the discontinuance of the charges, the trial judge, Justice Samuel Candide-Johnson, consequently struck out the suit. Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, sought the leave of the court to withdraw and discontinue the charges on the grounds that after it reviewed the case and the evidence available to it, it found out that the defendants did not commit the offences for which they were charged. The defendants were earlier charged with conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery and use of false documents.

JTF Intercepts Rocket Launchers in Borno

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State, Tuesday, intercepted eight rocket launchers among other weapons from the Boko Haram sect. The spokesman of the JTF, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said the members of the JTF in conjunction with the Department of State Services, and other security agencies intercepted large consignment of arms and ammunition including eight rocket propelled launchers at Daban Masara in Monguno LGA of Borno State based on intelligence. He further revealed that two suspected Boko Haram terrorists escorting the consignment were killed in an exchange of gunfire. He said the large consignment was being moved from Baga/Daban Masara heading towards Maiduguri when they were intercepted. Items recovered include eight rocket launchers, 10 rocket bombs, 10 rocket chargers, two AK 47 rifles, 13 magazines with six rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and a Bank PHB ATM card

Special Protection Unit to Guard Banks – IGP

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, has said policemen from the Special Protection Unit of the police will henceforth be deployed to provide security in banks. Abubakar added that the SPU would take over from the mobile police. Abubakar said the security of banks and their personnel was important in view of the prevailing security challenge in the country. He said because of the frequent attacks on banks, there was a need to consider the security of the environment before setting up branches. Abubakar also advised the banks against employing old men as security guards as they were not capable of doing the job.

Policeman Shoots Colleagues in Adamawa

A policeman at the Michika divisional headquarters in Adamawa State was, on Tuesday, shot dead after shooting two of his colleagues, police spokesman, Muhammed Ibrahim, said. Ibrahim said an inspector and a constable were shot and wounded in the incident. He said the policeman, who resisted arrest, had been shot dead, with the assistance of men of the Adamawa special anti- robbery patrol. Ibrahim also confirmed the attack by suspected gunmen on Mugulvu police outpost in Mubi South LGA of the state on Monday. He said the men, who attacked the outpost with explosives, were repelled by the police, who succeeded in killing one of them.

Over 1,900 killed in Road Accidents —FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), on Tuesday, revealed that about 1,936 persons were killed in road traffic accidents across the country between January and June this year. The corps Public Education Officer, Mr Jonas Agwu, released the statistics, while presenting the half year report of the FRSC’s operations in 2012.   He, however, said the figures of 1,936 persons compared to the 2,218 in the first half of 2011 showed 12.7 per cent reduction. According to him, it was a worrisome trend that, in spite of efforts to reduce the number of road crashes in the country, road accidents soared by about 21.6 per cent in 2012, as compared to the 2011 figures.

INTERNATIONAL

Tanzania Wants Malawi to Stop Oil Search in Disputed Lake

Tanzanian government has asked Malawi to stop oil and gas exploration activities in Lake Malawi until a border dispute between the two countries involving the lake is resolved. Malawi said it had awarded oil exploration licenses to UK-based Surestream Petroleum to search for oil in Lake Malawi, which is also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania. While Malawi claims that the whole lake belongs to the country according to colonial boundaries, Tanzania claims that half of the lake belongs to Tanzania. Tanzanian officials said the 50-year-old territorial dispute between the two countries could escalate if significant oil and gas discoveries are made in the lake. Tanzanian Foreign Affairs, Minister Bernard Membe, told his Malawi counterpart, Mganda Chiume, that ongoing oil exploration at the lake could jeopardise talks between the countries over the dispute.

Deadly Ebola Outbreak in Uganda

Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, has warned against shaking hands and other physical contact after the first death from the deadly Ebola virus in the capital Kampala. “The Ministry of Health are tracing all the people who have had contact with the victims,” he said in a state broadcast, adding that 14 people had died in total since Ebola broke out in western Uganda three weeks ago. Museveni urged the people not to shake hands to avoid the spread of the virus. Ebola spreads by contact. He also warned against burying somebody who died from symptoms that look like Ebola, and urged residents to rather call health workers that know how to handle it.

Malian President, Traore, Returns to Mali

Mali's interim president, Dioncounda Traore, returned to Bamako on Monday after a two-month stay in Paris for medical treatment following a violent attacked in his office. Traore, 70, arrived in Bamako amidst tight security. He was attacked by a mob protesting his appointment on May 21, the eve of the official start of a transition period for a return to democratic rule after a March 22 coup. Hardline Islamists have strengthened their hold on the vast desert north of the country, which they seized after the coup. Traore’s Prime Minister, Cheick Modibo Diarra, is trying to cobble together a wider unity government on the orders of mediators from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc to deal with the crisis.

Brothers Convicted for Treason in Mandela Murder Plot

A South African court, Monday, convicted a second man of high treason in a white supremacist plot to kill Nelson Mandela and drive blacks out of the country in a trial that has spanned nearly a decade. A day after “Boeremag” kingpin Mike du Toit was convicted of high treason, his brother, former policeman, Andre du Toit, received the same verdict in a Pretoria court. Andre du Toit was found guilty of being part of the inner circle of the Boeremag organisation, which had planned a right-wing coup in 2002 to overthrow the post-apartheid government. The men are said to be behind nine bomb blasts that shook the Johannesburg township of Soweto in October 2002. Dozens of people were injured and one person killed.

Russian Forces Kill Eight Suspected Militants

Russian security forces killed eight suspected militants in the North Caucasus province of Dagestan after storming a house where they were hiding with women and children. Russia is struggling to contain an Islamic insurgency across its mainly Muslim Caucasus Mountains region. The ranks of militants fighting to carve an Islamic state out of Russia’s southern fringe are swelled by anger over joblessness and allegations of police brutality and pervasive corruption. The Special Forces surrounded the house in Alburikent in an overnight raid, Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAK) said. All-night negotiations failed, the committee said, and after the rebels opened fire, the Special Forces let the children out and stormed the house.

Syrian Forces, Rebels Claim Successes in Aleppo

Syrian combat aircraft and artillery pounded two areas of Aleppo on Tuesday as the army battled for control of the country's biggest city, but rebel fighters said troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad had been forced to retreat. The battle for Aleppo has become a crucial test for both sides in the 16-month-old rebellion. Heavy gunfire echoed round the Salaheddine district in the southwest of the city, scene of some of the worst clashes, with shells raining in for most of the day. But independent reporters claimed that neither the Syrian army nor rebel fighters are in full control of the quarter. Thousands of residents have fled and those who remain face shortages of food and fuel and the risk of injury or death.

Car Bombs Kill 13 in Baghdad

Two car bombs in central Baghdad killed at least 13 people and wounded 30 more near a busy main intersection, police and hospital sources said on Tuesday. The explosions followed a spate of attacks in Baghdad and across the country a week ago that killed more than 100 people, in a coordinated surge of violence against mostly Shi'ite Muslim targets.

Syrian Diplomat in London Defects

Syria's top diplomat in London resigned on Monday in protest against the "violent and oppressive" acts of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, the Foreign Office said. The move comes after a series of defections by senior Syrian officials in recent weeks, including diplomats in several countries and top army officers. The Foreign Office said that charge d'affaires, Khaled al-Ayoubi, had informed on Monday that he had "left his post", describing it as a blow to Syria. Britain expelled the previous Syrian charge d'affaires and two other diplomats in May.

Somali Goalkeeper Shot Dead

Somali national U-17 football team goalkeeper, Abdulkader Dheere Hussein, has been killed in Mogadishu by unidentified assailants, the Somali Football Federation (SFF) announced on Thursday. The footballer was killed in the Waberi district of Mogadishu after he returned from a training session. SFF Secretary General, Abdi Qani Said Arab, said the SFF is investigating the matter to find out who was behind the killing. President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Isah Hayatou, has expressed his deepest condolences and those of the Executive Committee and the entire African football family to the family of the deceased, the Somali Football Association and the people of Somalia.

Typhoons Hits Taiwan, China on Alert

Torrential rain and strong winds triggered landslides and flooding, forcing financial markets to shut and disrupting transport, after Typhoon Saola made landfall in eastern Taiwan on Thursday. At least one person was killed in a landslide and eight injured in the storm, according to reports. Most domestic flights were cancelled, along with some international services. Taiwan's National Fire Agency said one person had been killed in a landslide and eight people were injured. The agency also said a policeman had died of a heart attack.

Violence in Iraqi Soars

325 people died in nationwide attacks in Iraq in July. The data, compiled by Iraqi officials, show casualties included 241 civilians, 40 police and 44 soldiers. July was Iraq's deadliest month in nearly two years. The recent rise in violence has been linked to Sunni insurgents trying to undermine the Shia-led government. The new estimates also show that 697 people - 480 civilians, 122 police and 95 soldiers - were wounded in July. The data represents the highest monthly toll given by the Iraqi government since August 2010, when an estimated 426 people were killed and another 838 wounded in attacks.

Abducted Italian Officer Released in Yemen

An Italian embassy security officer kidnapped by Yemeni tribesmen has been released unharmed, a government official said on Thursday, the same day the country's information minister survived an assassination attempt. The abductors who detained the security officer in the oil-producing province of Maarib had demanded to be compensated for the detention of one of their relatives and the return of land they say they own in the capital Sanaa, a tribal source said. In a further sign of lawlessness in the Arabian Peninsula country, the Information Minister survived an assassination attempt when gunmen opened fire on his car in the capital Sanaa, a government source said. The minister was not harmed but two of his aides were wounded.

Kofi Annan Quits as Envoy on Syria

Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is stepping down as the U.N.-Arab League mediator in the 17-month-old Syria conflict at the end of August. UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon said Annan has informed him and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Mr. Nabil Elaraby, of his intention not to renew his mandate when it expires on 31 August 2012. Ban said in a statement, adding that he and Elaraby were in discussions on appointing a successor to Annan.

Teen Kills Eight in Knife Attack

A teenager has been arrested after killing eight people and wounding five others in a knife attack in northeast China. The 17-year-old Li barged into the home of his girlfriend armed with a knife following an argument and killed two relatives of the girl, according to reports. As he left his girlfriend's home, he stabbed six more people to death and wounded five. He was arrested at the scene of the attack, late on Wednesday night, and was taken into custody.

Syrian Forces Kills Dozens in Damascus

With the whereabouts of Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, still unknown, Syrian government forces launched two operations in Damascus to root out rebel activists on Wednesday, killing at least 70, the opposition has said. Troops reportedly went from house to house demanding to see people's papers, and summarily executed many of their victims, according to activists. Syrian state TV said "dozens of terrorists" surrendered or were killed in the operation. Meanwhile rebels say they are attacking an airport near the city of Aleppo. Opposition forces are reportedly using a tank captured from the army to bombard the Menagh air base near the northern city. Heavy clashes were also reported near the border with Turkey, and other parts of Syria, while the fighting in Aleppo appears to have settled into a stalemate.

Suicide Bombers Hit Somali Constitution Conference

Security forces in Somalia, Wednesday, shot dead a would-be suicide bomber who tried to attack the venue of a national conference on a draft constitution, while a second attacker blew himself up, injuring six officers, Colonel Mohamed Ali, a police officer, disclosed. Almost a week into the debate of Somalia’s new constitution, delegates at the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) in Mogadishu said they were now tackling thorny issues in the draft document. The new Somalia constitution has been in the making for years and it was only last week when more than 800 delegates drawn from all the country’s regions came together to debate, review and vote on it. The nine-day exercise is part of plan to move the country out of the long transitional period.

Sudan Sentences Woman to Death by Stoning for Adultery

A Sudanese woman accused of adultery has been sentenced to death by stoning and is being held shackled with her six-month-old baby in jail, in the second such sentence in the past few months in the country. President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said last month that Sudan would adopt a “100 per cent” Islamic constitution. A court in the capital Khartoum sentenced 23-year-old Laila Ibrahim Issa Jamool on July 10 to death by stoning for adultery, said Sudanese human rights activist Fahima Hashim. The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA), a women’s rights group, according to Reuters, said it had assigned lawyers who had appealed against the sentence. Jamool’s husband had accused her of adultery.

Ex-Mongolian President Jailed for Corruption

A Mongolian court has jailed former president Nambaryn Enkhbayar for four years for corruption. After a three-day trial, Enkhbayar was found guilty of charges that include the illegal privatization of a hotel and newspaper and the misuse of donated television equipment to broadcast from his own television station, the government said on Thursday. The young nation held its parliamentary elections in July and the ruling Democratic Party, which won just 31 out of 76 seats, was forced to form a coalition with Justice Coalition, which is led by Enkhbayar's Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP).