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(Nigeria) A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, transferred the case involving 15 Russian sailors charged with unlawful importation of arms to Nigeria to another judge. The defendants include Zhelyazkov Andrey, Savchenko Sergel, Chichkanov Vasily, Varlygin Igor, Komilov Alexander, Lopatin Alexey and Baranovskly Nikolay. Others are Mishin Pavel, Llia Shubov, Dimitry Bannyrh, Alexander Tsarikov, Kononov Sergel, Korotchenko Andrey, Vorobev Mikhail, and Stepan Oleksiuk. Justice Okechukwu Okeke told parties in the suit that the case had been re-assigned to a brother judge, Justice James Tsoho, for trial. Okeke said that the transfer was due to the fact that he might not be able to conclude the case by May 18, when he was due to retire. ``This case has been transferred to my brother judge, James Tsoho for trial. My retirement is at hand and I may not be able to dispense with this case before I bow out of the bench. My last court sitting will be on May 17 and s

At least 21 people were killed and 78 others injured in attacks across Iraq on Monday, mostly in the southern Shiite provinces, an Interior Ministry source said. Two people killed and 12 others wounded when a car bomb exploded in Karbala, some 110 km south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, at least six people were killed and 14 others wounded in another car bomb attack in the Shiite district of Mahmodiyah, 30 km south of Baghdad, he added. Earlier on Monday, two cars bombs exploded in a market in Amarah, some 300 km southeast of Baghdad, killing nine people and wounding 30 others, the source said. Another car bomb struck Diwaniyah, some 160 km southeast of Baghdad, killing two people and wounding 20 others. In the northern town of Yathrib, some 40 km north of the capital, two soldiers were killed and two others wounded when unidentified gunmen attacked a check point of the Iraqi army. Violence is still

A building near Smetana quay in central Prague was hit by a powerful explosion at about 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT) on Monday. More than 40 people were injured in the blast. Prague emergency services spokeswoman Jirina Ernesova said that it still cannot be ruled out more injuries in the explosion. Police has closed nearby streets. "We do not know if it was the gas exploded, or if the cause was something else. After discussed with the firefighters we precautionary shutdown of gas in the neighboring houses," said Prague Gas spokesman Miroslav Vranek. The explosion is very strong and the powerful blast shattered windows in the wider area of the building, many people were slashed by glass shards. Several persons were seriously injured. According to police spokesman Tomas Hulan, except the exploded house, the building at the intersection of the National Theater and Krocinova are most heavily damaged. "The power of pressure waves reflected by the fact that th

Eleven runaway suspected terrorists linked to a deadly attack on April 23 in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have been captured, local police sources said on Monday. Police said that as of Sunday, they had nabbed all 19 suspects from the region's Kashgar Prefecture, the Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bayingolin and the regional capital of Urumqi. The announcement came six days after a violent clash between the terrorists and authorities in a town at Kashgar's Bachu County, some 1,200 km southwest of Urumqi, leaving 21 people dead. The fatalities included 15 community workers and police officers and six terrorists, local authorities said after the attack. Eight terrorist suspects were captured on the day of the clash, they added. According to the Xinjiang police, the terrorist group, headed by Qasim Muhammat, was founded in September 2012. The group members regularly watched video clips advocating religious extremism and terrorism and at

Kenya's Chief Justice Willy Mutunga on Monday dismissed allegations made by some Kenyans that he was bribed during the hearing of petitions challenging the election of President Uhuru Kenyatta. Mutunga's denial is contained in a statement issued in Nairobi, Mutunga asked Kenyans with any evidence of wrongdoing to petition the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for his removal and the removal of the five other judges who heard the petitions filed by ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga and a civil society organization. ``For me the most hurtful allegation was that I had been bribed in the Presidential Petition. I did not know where to turn to in search of a redress. I have never been offered a bribe in my life. ``I have no doubt in my mind that anybody who dares to offer me a bribe, regardless of status, would be the first one I would arrest under the Constitution and the laws of this land,’’ the Chief Justice said. On April 16, Kenya's Supreme Court judges g

Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi has survived a bomb attack that targeted his convoy in central Damascus, Syrian state media report. "The terrorist explosion in al-Mazzeh was an attempt to target the convoy of the prime minister. Doctor Wael al-Halqi is well and not hurt at all," state television said on Monday, reports Aljazeera. Casualties have been reported. State television showed footage of heavily damaged cars and debris in the area of the blast as firefighters fought to extinguish a large blaze caused by the explosion. Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon, said the attack on the prime minister's convoy was "a very strong strike and blow to the Syrian government". "In the past few weeks we've seen the government making gains on the ground, so this seems more of a defiant move to show the government the rebels are not giving up," she said. Bodyguard killed' A Syrian government

(Nigeria) The Ebonyi Police Command has confirmed the killing of two persons  in Abakaliki and Uburu, Eboyin State,  weekend. Mr Sylvester Igbo, the command’s Public Relations Officer, told newsmen on Monday that the victims were Chukwudalu Omege, 15, of No 7, Ibe Street, Abakaliki, and Innocent Onu, 54, of Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area. Igbo said that reports from the Ekumenyi Police Station showed that Omege was stabbed to death by a 25-year-old cousin of his. ``The report indicated that Omege was rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, where he died on Saturday. On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, saying that he saw three men trying to kill him in a dream. ``He said that when he woke up, he prayed against the dream and went back to sleep where he had another dream identifying Omege as one of those planning to kill him,’’ the spokesman said. He also announced the murder of Onu by a 40-year-old relation of his in Uburu, Ohaozara co

The case of a very sad murder that took place months ago at Victoria Station in London is now over with four Nigerian teenagers sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Sofyen Belamouadden. According to the The Daily Mail UK, a 15 year old boy was hacked to death by a 20 man gang in London. All members of the gang had been arrested and charged.  Sofyen Belamouadden had his life cut short at Victoria station in central London, when he was chased and killed by the gang over youths. Twenty teenagers were charged in connection with the attack, but three were cleared. Fifteen others have already been jailed for a total of 129 years.  Obi Nwokeh, 20, Christopher Omoregrie and Samson Odegbune, both 19, were given life sentences for murder last April with minimum terms of 18 years. Victoria Osoteku, 20, the only female to be charged, was jailed for 12 years for manslaughter, along with three other youths. This evil Oseteku was seen on CCTV kicking Sofyen in th

(Nigeria) Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC , has written to the All Progressives Congress, disclosing that its acronym, in its application seeking registration as a political party, clashes with that of the African People’s Congress. In a letter dated April 23, 2013 and signed by its secretary, Abdulahi Kaugama, the commission informed leaders of the All Progressives Congress of another party, the African People’s Congress, advising that a change of name may be an option. Similar letter was sent to the lawyers of the All Progressives Congress, though the commission did not make any reference to ongoing court action by the African People’s Congress, challenging its non-registration by INEC. Meanwhile, the battle over the APC acronym may have entered a crucial stage, as the African People’s Congress has also initiated a counter move to have INEC reject the application of the All Progressives Congress, which is expected to be submitted after all the merging parti

(Nigeria) The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has set up an independent investigative tea m, to probe the Baga killings in Borno S tate, following a con frontati on between suspected Bo ko Ha ram fighters and Special T ask Forc e, in the state. Ch airman of NHRC, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, Monday, said "N HRC has followed with committed concern the recent reports about the recent encounter in Baga, North-Eastern Nigeria, between alleged insurgents and personnel of the uniformed services. While the exact identities of the parties involved, what triggered this incident, the specifications of ordnance that may have been deployed and the full extent of casualty count remain unclear, it seems evident that an incident of profound humanitarian and human rights significance occurred, resulting in fatalities. " In order to understand what happened, it is necessary to undertake an independent and credible assessment of the situation in the affected locations.     " A

(Nigeria)An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Monday remanded two unemployed men at the Ikoyi Prisons, Lagos, for allegedly stabbing a policeman with a broken bottle. He was stabbed on the face. The Magistrate, Mrs Olumide Fusika, ordered that the accused, Solomon Pius, 22 and Tunji Oluketuyi, 36, be detained in custody and adjourned the case till May 2 to rule on their bail applications. The accused, of no fixed addresses, are standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful assault of Cpl. Foluso Omokoye. The prosecutor, Insp. Akeem Raji, told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 28 at Marwa area of Lekki, Lagos. "The duo conspired to assault one Cpl. Foluso Omokoye by stabbing him with a bottle on his face and left eye. "The accused, who were causing nuisance and civil disturbance in the area, assaulted Omokoye, while he was performing his lawful duty. "The two men caused the complainant injur

(Nigeria) Some exhibits for the trial of the suspected killers Chief Funso Williams, a Lagos State governorship candidate in 2007, have been damaged due to epileptic power supply, a witness said on Monday. The accused are Bulama Kolo, Musa Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imariabie, all men. Lagos State accused them of conspiring to kill Williams on July 27, 2006, at 34A, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, in contravention of Sections 316 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2003. They were first arraigned on March 1, 2013, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder. A prosecution witness, Mr Ovie Oyokomino, told an Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Monday that the exhibits included blood samples and virtuous humour of the eye. Oyokomino, a Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of forensics at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, told Justice Adeniyi Adebajo that the exhibits were brought by a patholog

(Nigeria) Rivers State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Monday, suspension of   27   members of the state House of Assembly, who are members of the party, for alleged refusal to reverse the suspension slammed on the elected chairman, vice chairman and 17 councillors of the Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the state, last week. Chairman of the faction of the party, which court a court recognition, recently, Mr Felix Obuah,   who announced the suspension, also declared the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant. Obuah,  told newsmen in Port Harcourt, that the party executive had given an ultimatum to the state lawmakers to rescind the suspension of Obio Akpor council cabinet. He said, "Furthermore, you will recall that on April 22, 2013, the party issued a 48 hours ultimatum to the Rivers State House of Assembly to rescind the order on the dissolution of Obio Akpor council,   which was flagrantly disobeyed, the party hereby, suspend all the 27 members of the House

(Nigeria) An Abuja Area Court on Monday adjourned for continuation of hearing the case of a couple in which the wife, Ramatu Abubakar, sued her husband for allegedly denying her sex for three years. The Judge, Malam Haruna Masanawa, adjourned the case to May 13, to enable the couple to bring witnesses who would give their testimonies in the court. The couple, residing at Queen Amina St. in Kubwa, Abuja, had been married for five years and were blessed with a three-year-old daughter. The plaintiff, in her statement of claim, had alleged that her husband had also been threatening her life, maltreating her, assaulting her physically and keeping late nights, being a drunkard. She therefore prayed the court to dissolve the marriage forthwith. However, the respondent, Abubakar Okpanachi, in his submission, denied his wife’s allegations. Abubakar said that the bone of contention between him and his wife was that his wife was allegedly adulterous, which made him ‘’steer clear’’ of her. Abubak

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon will on Monday, meet with the head of the UN probe into the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria for consultations. The Swedish scientist, Åke Sellstrom was appointed by Ban a month ago to head the fact-finding mission, which was inaugurated following a formal request from the Syrian Government. The initial focus of the investigation will be an incident involving the alleged use of chemical weapons in Kfar Dael region in Khan Al-Asal area in Aleppo Province. The fact-finding team is on stand-by and ready to deploy within 24 to 48 hours. Ban’s spokesperson Martin Nesirky who brief newsmen on the discussions during a news conference at the UN Headquarters in New York on Friday. He explained that the UN chief had consistently urged the Syrian authorities to provide full and unfettered access to the mission. ``We remain in close contact with the Syrian authorities, most recently through another letter from Angela Ka

(Nigeria) Mr Godwin Anono, Chairman, Standard Shareholders Association of Nigeria, SSAN, Monday advised the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, stop banks in the country from declaring paper profits. The association chairman said that the practice of declaring paper profits was a common phenomenon in the past. He told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that many commercial banks in the country were not doing badly of late. ``Everybody knows that the volume of the net income of any company is what lures the general public to its shares in the capital market. But, in spite of that it is utterly wrong and criminal for any bank to post a net profit after tax that does not reflect its true financial condition,`` he said. Anono urged the apex bank to expose any bank that deceived its shareholders and the public by declaring huge profits when it did not. He said that those banks with huge returns should give more credit facilities to the general public, especially entrepre

The Court of Appeal, Lagos, on Monday, adjourned till May 30, for the commencement of arguments in the appeal by Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer,CSO, to late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, challenging a death sentence passed on him by a Lagos High Court. Al-Mustapha was sentenced to death by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State High Court alongside Lateef Shofolahan, for killing Alhaja Kudirat Abiola on June 4, 1996 in Lagos. Shofolahan was a former personal assistant to the late Kudirat. The presiding judge, Justice Chima Nweze, adjourned the case, following the request by the appellants’ counsel, who informed it that they had just received a reply to their brief of appeal. The appellants’ counsel told the court that Mr Femi Adamson, a Chief State Counsel, had only served them a reply before the sitting of the court and they needed time to study the document. When the case was called for argument of briefs, Adamson told the co

(Nigeria) The Acting Governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmud, confirmed on Monday that five people were killed in a series of attacks at different locations in Ringim town of the state. The  gunmen attacked the serene town on Sunday night. Mahmud told newsmen  in Ringim after inspecting some of the affected areas that three policemen and two night watchmen guarding Unity Bank Plc lost their lives in the attack. Mahmud was accompanied by Mr Mohammed Kabir and the state director of Department of State Security  in the state on an assessment tour of the town. ``I am in Ringim to sympathise with the people over the unfortunate incident that took place in the town on Sunday,” he said. Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Police Command in Jigawa, Mr Abdu Jinjiri,  said  no arrest had been made in connection with the attack. Jinjiri dismissed talk that the house of a former Inspector-General of Police, Mr  Hafiz Ringim, was razed in the attack. He said that the ``ev

(Nigeria) No fewer than 1,000 retirees of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPM, on Monday dragged the company to the National Industrial Court for non-payment of their pension. The group of pensioners, led by Mr Ekpo Inyang and Mr Emmanuel Atiante, sued the company and the Federal Ministry of Finance as first and second defendants. The claimants are the former employees of the company, who were retired compulsorily on attaining the age of 45 between 1991 and 2005 at different times. They alleged that the company had refused to pay their pensions after their retirement and prayed the court to declare that the refusal of the company to pay their pensions was illegal, null and void. The retired workers also prayed the court to order the company to pay them on the basis of their total emolument from the date of retirement. When the matter came up for hearing on Monday, counsel to the defendants, Mr Olusola Abiloye, raised a preliminary objection challen