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(Nigeria) The Amuwo Odofin New Town Landlords Association in Mile 2, Lagos, on Wednesday condemned the persistent power outage in the community. Mr Ade Uwas, the President of the association, told News Agency of Nigeria that there had been irregular power supply to the community since the January. He said that residents had continued to receive outrageous bills in spite of the persistent outage. “Despite the power outage, estimated bills are issued regularly which are higher than usual as if power is supplied 24 hours daily. “This extortion is no more acceptable to the community, especially when officials refuse to use meter for billings and has become insensitive to genuine customer complaints. “We thought that privatisation of the sector will remove all these burdens, but we are even experiencing worst power supply now,” he said. Uwas said that when the Amuwo Transmission Station was upgraded, residents expected improved power supply, but the reverse was the case. H

(Nigeria) By Collins Okeke I want to start with apologizing for the title of this piece. ‘Shit’ and ‘toilet maggots’ are not pleasant to see not to talk of eat but for maximum effect and want of a better analogy I have elected to use them.  Most Nigerians hate shit but eat toilet maggots.  We like to espouse values we have not internalized. We pretend to identify with honesty, patriotism, ideology, internal democracy, ethnic and religious tolerance etc, but will never reflect them in our political decisions. We may not want to admit it but we inadvertently are responsible for the kind of political parties and politicians we have. Yesterday some Governors from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, decided to defect to the All Progressive Congress, APC. Typically most Nigerians have found fault with this decision, I have heard and seen things like ‘strange bedfellows’, ‘they do not have ideology’, ‘they are not different from the PDP’, ‘they all thieves’ etc.  These criticisms

(Nigeria)   Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has described the administrative style of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State as a model for the kind of good governance which Nigeria needs today. Speaking, Wednesday,  during a courtesy visit to the governor in Benin City, General Gowon said: “I thank you for all the good things you are doing for this state; I am a witness to it and I am delighted to see you. It is always a pleasure to see you. “I am also delighted to meet your cabinet and thank them for the great support and advise they have been giving you to achieve these great things. You have a vision and you are a motivator which has made you to achieve all these. You have been able to achieve many of the things you set for yourself. The support of your team and the vision of the Governor have led to the kind of good governance which we need very badly in Nigeria today." General Gowon said he is in Benin to chair the book launch of selected speeches of the

(Nigeria) A committee set up by the Minister of Transportation, Sen. Idris Umar,  on Wednesday commenced investigation into the causes of explosions in two Nigerian ocean going vessels. Mr Nureni Kuranga, President, Marine Board of Inquiry, who presided over the meeting in Lagos said that the investigation was fact finding and to advise on ways to avert recurrence. The vessel, discharging petroleum products at Bonny, River State, caught fire and exploded on September 30, 2012. Another incident occurred on January 9, 2013, when an oil barge discharging petrol at the MRS Oil and Gas tank farm jetty, caught fire and exploded within the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos. “We are here to investigate and establish the circumstances that led to the fire incidents and the subsequent explosions involving the MT African Hyacinth and Barge S.215 and MRS Jetty,’’ Nuranga said. He said that the body would investigate and establish the owners of the vessels and those connected with it. K

(Nigeria) Justice Christopher Balogun of a Lagos High Court sitting at  Igbosere on Wednesday withdrew from handling a case of attempted murder of his colleague. When the case was mentioned for cross examination of the second prosecution witness, Shefiu Amoo, Balogun told the parties in the suit that he would withdraw.  ``I have to withdraw from the trial based on personal reasons; the case file will be quickly forwarded to the chief judge for re-assignment, ’’he said. A 33-year-old commercial bus  driver, Quadri Kasali was charged before Balogun with attempted murder of Justice Ebenezer Adebajo, also of a Lagos High Court. According to the charge sheet, Kasali hit Adebajo with his bus marked XA 242 KLK in a manner that suggested a deliberate attempt to kill the judge. The prosecution said that the incident occurred on March 1, 2012 on the Moloney Street, Lagos Island and and contravened Section 228 of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Kasali was denied bail by Balogun.

(Nigeria) Chief Magistrate Sofiat Oyediran on Wednesday in Ibadan, remanded Idowu Sanni, 48, in prison for allegedly raping his 15-year-old daughter. Sanni was arraigned in the Chief Magistrates' Court sitting in Iyaganku, Ibadan, on a one-count charge of raping his daughter. The prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Ogunremi, told the court that Sanni allegedly had unlawful carnal knowledge of his daughter (name withheld) on October 23 at 9.15 a.m. in Ifedapo Amuloko area of Ibadan. Ogunremi said the offence contravened Section 357 and punishable under Section 358 both of the Criminal Code Caps.38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. The plea of the accused was, however, not taken. The counsel to the accused, Mr Akin Ajidagba, prayed the court for adjournment to allow for the filing of bail application at the state High Court which has jurisdiction over rape cases. Oyediran granted the request and adjourned the case to December 9. He ordered that the accused be remanded in prison.

(Nigeria) The report of the Senate Joint Committee on National Security and Intelligence and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters caused a division among senators during Wednesday's plenary. This followed the rejection of the report by Sen. Sani Saleh (APC- Kaduna) after its presentation by the Chairman of the joint committee, Sen. Mohammed Magoro (PDP-Kebbi). The committee in its findings said that the death of the eight people and wounding of eleven others was not a case of extra-judicial killing but the outcome of hastily executed operation. It further discovered that the operation at Apo was necessitated by electronic intercepts by the Department of State Services, DSS, which indicated plans to attack FCT on September 22. It also found out that four arrested suspects in the custody of the DSS had confessed to be Boko Haram members. The committee said that the security agencies had substantial and convincing intelligence to believe that some Boko Haram elemen

(Nigeria) The National Centre for Women Development, NCWD, said on Wednesday that one out of every five Nigerian girls/women was a victim of violence. The Director-General of the centre, Ms Onyeka Onwenu, said this in Abuja during a roundtable organised by the centre and the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to commemorate the 2013 International Day of Elimination of Gender-based Violence. Onwenu, therefore, called for collective action against gender-based crimes in the country. ``According to the 2012 Gender in Nigeria Report, one out of every five Nigerian women and girl aged between 15 years to 24 years has been a victim of one form of violence or the other. More worrisome in recent times is the increase in the violation of little girls ranging from two years to seven years.  Much of the violence perpetrated against women and young girls are by people they know, and love and trust – their boyfriends, their husbands, their brothers, other relatives, neighbours, school mates, and even

(Nigeria) The Inspector- General of Police, IG,  Mr Mohammed Abubakar, on Wednesday said the police had introduced human rights curriculum in most of its institutions. Abubakar told newsmen in Abuja that the police would not relent in promoting human rights issues in the country. He also said there was code of conduct for constables up to Inspector-General to know their limit. Abubakar said the code of conduct would guide the officers on what is expected of them and what they cannot do. According to the IGP, ``the draft report of the code of conduct would be produced on Dec. 16. The move is to show the commitment of the force. ``This is also to show Nigerians that we are committed and that this management is serious about the issue. We have resolved that every person’s right is respected by officers and men of the force.” On the ban on gathering at airports, the IGP said such gatherings should be done elsewhere and not at the airports. Abubakar said security was impor

(Nigeria) The Plateau State Police Command on Wednesday threatened to arrest traditional and tribal leaders in the state whose domains continued to record attacks by unknown gunmen. Mr Chris Olakpe, the Commissioner of Police in the state, said this in Jos at a stakeholders' meeting with various tribes in Plateau North Senatorial zone. Olakpe debunked the claims by the leaders that the attacks were carried out by unknown gunmen. He said that the police had resolved to arrest the leaders as accomplices because as custodian of the society no crime would happen without their knowledge. “The command hereby gives the Berom and Fulani traditional leaders in Barkin Ladi seven days within which to produce the perpetrators of the recent killings. “The Berom leaders must produce the 120 cows rustled and those that killed the three Fulani boys while grazing cows in Foron village. “The Fulani leaders should also produce those behind the killing of over 300 people in Hypang area o

(Nigeria) A Ringim Magistrate Court in Jigawa State on Wednesday ordered the arrest of Sen. Danladi Sankara and his son, Auwalu, for alleged  contempt. Sankara represents Jigawa North-West senatorial district in the Senate. A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Farouq Aliyu, had filed a suit against the senator and others for alleged destruction of his property during September assembly bye-election. Aliyu alleged that Sankara conspired, incited others to commit assault, mischief and causing grievous hurt and destruction of his property. At the resumed hearing on Wednesday the three accused persons were absent. The counsel to the complainant, Malam Aliyu Umar, urged the court to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the three accused. Aliyu said the accused persons were duly served with the court summon, but they still failed to turn up in the court neither did they send representative. ``Under the circumstance, I hereby urge the court to apply Sectio

Libya has deported more than 500 African immigrants as it tries to tackle an influx of refugees and Islamist militants into the country, its state news agency, Lana, reported. Western powers fear Libya has become a safe haven for al Qaeda fighters as its government struggles to rein in militias and former rebels who helped topple Muammar Gaddafi two years ago. Weak border controls and a small army lacking training and equipment have turned Libya into weapons smuggling route for al Qaeda in sub-Saharan countries and a transit route for Islamist fighters heading to Syria's civil war. People traffickers also use the remote desert borders with Egypt, Sudan, Niger and Chad to smuggle refugees into Libya from where many try to reach Europe by boat. Lana reported that Libyan authorities deported 350 illegal immigrants to Niger and 208 to Chad via its remote al-Tum crossing, quoting a security official. It said a total of 4,875 illegal immigrants of various nationalities were

(Nigeria) An Orile-Agege Customary Court in Lagos on Wednesday dissolved the three-year-old  marriage of a man who accused his wife of constantly beating him. The Court President, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, granted the petition of 29-year-old  Mr Martins Williams. Omilola held that there was no love any longer in the union as both parties consented to the dissolution.  He gave the custody of the only child of the union to the respondent, Aggi. ``The father shall be paying N3,000 through the court for the child’s upkeep. He shall also be responsible for the medical bills and education of the child," he said. Omilola directed Martins to give Aggi N10,000 as compensation. Martins, who lives at 14, Oluwalose St., Off Fadeyemi St., Iyana- Ipaja, Lagos, had sought divorce, saying that Aggi beat him at the slightest provocation. "Anytime, we have a misunderstanding, she hits me with sharp objects; she has destroyed all the electronics at home. Anytime she is angry, I run

(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, has said that it will stage a peaceful procession to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday to register its disapproval of the commission’s failings in recent elections, including the Delta Central senatorial district bye-election and the 'inconclusive' Anambra State governorship poll. In a statement by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party vowed to proceed with the march, despite the illegal move by the police to stop it. ''We are doing this as a patriotic service to the nation because INEC as presently constituted is not capable of organizing a free and fair election again in Nigeria. If the Commission is not checked, its incompetence and conniving acts could plunge the country into chaos of unimaginable proportions,'' it said. APC explained that ahead of the march, it wrote a letter to the FCT police command to inform it of the p

China's defense ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng on Wednesday said the country has observed United States B-52 bombers flying in the newly established air defense identification zone over East China Sea, reports Xinhua. Geng said the U.S. aircraft flew south and north along the eastern border of the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone from 11:00 a.m. to 1:22 p.m. Tuesday, about 200 km to the east of the Diaoyu Islands. The Chinese army monitored the entire process, carried out identification in a timely manner, and ascertained the type of aircraft. "We need to stress that China will identify every aircraft flying in the air defense identification zone according to the country's announcement of aircraft identification rules for the air defense identification zone," Geng said. "China is capable of exercising effective control over this airspace," Geng added. China announced the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone on Satur

(Nigeria) Six men in green uniform stand in the back of a pick-up truck in northern Nigeria's biggest city, on the look-out for prostitutes, their clients, transvestites, drunks and drug addicts. Their patrols in Kano also scout for men and women deemed to be dressed indecently, examples of supposedly "immoral" behaviour and even Western-style haircuts they consider violations of Islamic law, known as sharia. "Once we receive an intelligence report or a tip-off of an immoral act being committed in a particular place, we mobilise our men to the area and put an end to it and arrest the perpetrators for either counselling or prosecution," Adamu Haruna Bayero, who heads the patrol, told AFP. In recent weeks, the sharia enforcers, or Hisbah, have launched sweeping crackdowns and made hundreds of arrests in Kano following a state-government directive to cleanse the commercial hub of so-called immoral practices. Often their raids coincide with religious fes

Ethiopia has flown home over 50,000 citizens in Saudi Arabia after a crackdown against illegal immigrants in the oil-rich state, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. "We projected the initial number to be 10,000 but it is increasing," foreign ministry spokesman Dina Mufti told AFP, adding that the final total once the mass airlift ends is now expected to be around 80,000. Ethiopia started repatriating citizens living illegally in Saudi Arabia after a seven-month amnesty period to formalise their status expired on November 4, sparking violent protests between Saudi police and Ethiopian migrants preparing to leave the country. The Ethiopian government said three of its citizens were killed in clashes. Dina said the government is spending $2.6 million (1.9 million euros) on the repatriation programme to bring citizens home, the majority women. Ethiopia has said relations with Saudi Arabia remain "sisterly", with Dina saying the government's main priori

Israel is failing to penalise Jewish settlers for attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, who enjoy "virtual impunity" from prosecution, Ramallah-based rights group Al-Haq said on Wednesday. In a 40-page report, Al-Haq also called on the international community to avoid funding settler groups, a day after Israel and the European Union reached a compromise deal over funding for bodies operating in the occupied West Bank or east Jerusalem. Settlers carrying out attacks, which involve the use of "live ammunition" and "the destruction and denial of access to property" have been left unpunished by the Israeli authorities, Al-Haq charged. "Settlers involved in the planning and perpetration of such acts have remained largely immune from the enforcement of the law and, in some cases, have even benefited from official support from state authorities," it said. "Israeli settlers enjoy virtual impunity for crimes against Palestinians, and b

An Egyptian prosecutor has ordered the arrest of two prominent activists for inciting protests, a source in the prosecutor's office said on Wednesday. The arrests of Ahmed Maher, the Head of the April 6 Youth Movement, and Alaa Abdel Fattah, were ordered after they took part in demonstrations outside parliament on Tuesday, defying a new law restricting protests. Twenty-four other activists were detained on Tuesday for four days, pending investigation of allegations of thuggery, attacking public employees, stealing wireless devices and protesting without permission from the Interior Ministry, the source said. Four female activists who were detained were released along a desert highway, said a security source. The new law, passed by the army-backed government on Sunday, angered some Egyptians and human rights groups who described it as a major blow to freedom in the most populous Arab country. Egypt had experienced some of its worst civilian violence in decades after

(Nigeria) Gunmen in Plateau State have killed 37 people in a pre-dawn raid Tuesday, the military said, the latest unrest to hit the area gripped by a decade-long sectarian conflict. "At 2:00 am (0100 GMT) unknown gunmen carried out an attack" in four villages, said area military spokesman Salisu Mustapha. The attackers killed... 13 persons in Katu Kapang, eight in Daron, nine in Tul and seven others in Rawuru." Plateau falls in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt, on the dividing line between the mainly Christian south and predominantly Muslim north. Mostly Muslim herdsmen from the Fulani-Hausa ethnic group have been blamed for scores of attacks on mainly Christian agriculturalists from the Berom ethnic community. Fulani leaders say the Berom politicians who control the state have systemically suppressed the rights of herdsmen, denying them access to desperately needed grazing land. It was not clear who carried out the latest attack which hit the Barkin Ladi

Israeli security forces killed a militant near the West Bank city of Hebron who was affiliated with two Palestinian militants shot dead earlier on Tuesday evening, the army said. Following the operation near Yatta, "a terrorist exchanged fire with security forces, resulting in his death," the Israeli army said in a statement.

Israeli President Shimon Peres rejected theories that Yasser Arafat was poisoned, telling a Mexican newspaper Tuesday that any assassin would have found it easier to shoot the Palestinian leader. Swiss scientists have found that lab test results "moderately" backed the idea that Arafat died of polonium poisoning in 2004. "I don't believe it," Peres told Excelsior newspaper in an interview ahead of a visit to Mexico. "If someone had wanted to get rid of Arafat, it would have been easier to do it with a bullet." Peres shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Arafat and Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin after signing the Oslo peace accords. Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish right-wing extremist in 1995. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas called last week for an international inquiry to decide who was responsible for Arafat's death. Visiting Mexico with an 80-strong Israeli business delegation, Peres will hold talks with President Enri

(Nigeria) The leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, was, Monday, arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic. A statement by his lawyer, Festus Keyamo, said Dokubo was picked up by the police between 1:00pm and 2:00pm around the Lubeleyi roundabout, and taken to an unknown destination. The wealthy former militant reportedly opened a private university in the Benin Republic, the King Amachree African University that is preparing to start degree-awarding programmes in 2014. “We want to emphasise that Alhaji Dokubo-Asari carries on legitimate business and has been living partly in Benin Republic for many years now,” Keyamo said in his statement.  “In fact, he owns houses, schools and an academy in that country. All these places have been searched as at this evening and nothing incriminating was found.” He said that Dokubo’s arrest and detention may be a ploy by “certain forces in Nigeria in unholy alliance with the Beninoise government” to ke

(Nigeria) Justice Peter Affen of Abuja High Court has disqualified himself from hearing the case against two journalists accused of publishing story from a letter allegedly signed by President Goodluck Jonathan. Tony Amokeodo and Chibuzo Ukaibe, along with Leadership Group Limited, publishers of Leadership newspaper, are standing trial in the matter. Affen said his decision stemmed from two publications in the November 25 editions of the Leadership and the Nation newspapers. Counsel to the accused persons had filed an oral application seeking that the judge disqualify himself from handling the matter in view of the issues raised in the publications. ``I must place on record my profound gratitude to counsel for seeking to protect not only my integrity, but the integrity of the judiciary.  It is correct that justice is rooted in confidence, and justice must not only be said to have been done, but must be manifestly seen to have been done. ``The implication of the publicatio

(Nigeria) The sleepy town of Ogotu-Ekiti in Ekiti South West Local Government Area, Ekiti State was on Tuesday thrown into confusion when information filtered that a goat had delivered a human-like baby goat. The incident, which occurred in Lori Oke settlement, a village that is about 10 kilometres from Ogotun town, drew the attention of hundreds of residents and travellers. The spokesman of the community, Sunday Ogunmeji, who spoke with NAN on behalf of the Baale (community head), Ganiyu Adetoun, said a pastor, Mr Daniel Odedele, helped to deliver the goat of the baby. ``After watching the goat labour for several hours, the pastor took pity on it and courageously pulled the baby out, only for it to turn out to be human-like. The `baby’ had all the features of a human being  such as human face, head, hair, female genitals, two legs and two arms with hoofs. ``However, the human-like baby died at about noon as a result of lack of care as the crowd merely trooped there to watch

(Nigeria) The Delta State Government on Tuesday confirmed the kidnap of an expatriate engineer, Mr Haitham Jamarkami , a Syrian working for Palmyra Construction Company. The Commissioner for Works, Chief Funkekeme Solomon, confirmed this to journalists when he visited the site of the construction company in Orhonor, Ethiope East Local Government Area. He said that Jamarkami, who was abducted while on duty, was kidnapped around noon on Monday. Solomon appealed to members of the community to assist the security agencies with relevant information which could facilitate the rescue of the kidnapped expatriate. The commissioner also appealed to construction firms in the state not to be deterred by the incident, assuring them that the state government would provide adequate security for them. In his remarks, Mr Sunday Onoriode, the Transition Chairman of Ethiope East Local Government Council, appealed to the community not to thwart the efforts of the state government to ensure th

(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC and the Abubakar Baraje-led new Peoples Democratic Party,  nPDP, have merged. A statement by Chief Bisi Akande, APC Interim National Chairman and Alhaji Kawu Abubakar Baraje-led nPDP in Abuja on Tuesday, said that the meeting between APC and nPDP group was held at the residence of Kano State governor, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, in Abuja. According to the statement, after exhaustive deliberations the two parties agreed to merge to rescue the fledgling democracy and the nation. nPDP National Publicity Secretary, NPDP, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, in a separate statement, said “Late this morning, at  11:46, the National Chairman of nPDP, Alhaji Baraje, formally announced the merger of the party APC. The merger was contained in a communiqué which Alhaji Baraje read to journalists at the end of a meeting between the leadership of nPDP and that of APC held at the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. “With this development, the G7 Governors of nPDP, name

(Nigeria) An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrate Court, Ekiti State on Tuesday remanded one Solomon Adetunji,30, in prison custody over alleged defilement of a nine-year-old girl.  Police prosecutor Emmanuel David told the court that the accused committed the offence on November 14 at 3 p.m. in Ifaki-Ekiti in Ido-Osi Local Government Area of the state. He alleged that the accused had on the said date unlawfully defiled the girl which led to her being hospitalised. The offence contravened Section 31(2) of the Child Rights Act, Laws of Ekiti State, 2007. The prosecutor added that he had sent the case file to the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, DPP, for legal advice. The plea of the accused was not taken due to the nature of the offence. However, the defence counsel, Mr Chris Omokhafe, prayed the court to grant bail to his client as  the two parties were trying to settle the matter amicably. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Simeon Ojo, expressed concern at the increasing i

(Nigeria) The Court of Appeal in Ibadan on Tuesday adjourned the case between the Oyo Government and Alhaji Lateef Akinsola, the  ex-chairman of the National Union Road Transport Workers, NURTW, to January 15, 2014. The government had filed an appeal against the judgment of a Federal High Court to reinstate Akinsola, also known as ``Tokyo’’, as the union’s chairman. Mr M.A. Ganiyu, counsel to the state government, told the court that he had filed and served an application, dated November 26, just before the court commenced sitting. ``The application, which was filed today, is for an extension of time to appeal,” he said. However, Mr Abiodun Amole, counsel to Akinsola, did not raise any objection. ``Although I was served this morning in court, I, however, have no objection,” he said. The presiding judge, Justice Chidi Uwa, ordered Ganiyu to ensure that other respondents in the suit were served in due time. ``We cannot be talking about any brief or appeal when other respo

(Nigeria) An Abuja High Court on Tuesday again ordered that a Polish woman, Dora Gilmaska, be remanded in Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC custody pending when her lawyer, will appear to argue her bail application. The EFCC is prosecuting Gilmaska, the Executive Officer of Icon Media and Marketing Agency Ltd, for allegedly forging and issuing a dud cheque of N9 million to one Tayo Olugbemi in 2012. It will be recalled that Justice Abubakar Umar of the FCT High Court in Maitama on November 14 ordered that Gilmaska be remanded in EFCC custody till November 26. The judge gave the order after he withdrew the bail he granted Gilmaska because she failed on two occasions to appear in court for her trial. At the resumed hearing, Umar said: ``I do not agree with the accused when she said that she had no intentions to jump bail. ``She should have communicated to her counsel, informing him about the accident she claimed she was involved in. The last time you jumped bail and, even, y

(Nigeria) The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, said a policeman died and 11 persons sustained injury in a multiple auto-crash on the outskirts of Onitsha on Tuesday. The incident took place at 2.30 p.m. in New Auto Tyres Market, Nkpor, near Onitsha, on the Onitsha-Enugu Road. FRSC said the accident involved a motorcade of a bank bullion van comprising its Hilux escort and four commercial vehicles. The Unit Commander of FRSC in the area, Mr Sunday Joseph, who confirmed the incident, said: ``I am aware of the death of only one policeman, while 11 persons were injured.’’ Joseph said the major cause of the crash was speeding and dangerous overtaking. NAN reports that the vehicles involved in the crash were two Mack articulated vehicles, a bullion van, its Toyota Hilux escort, Mercedes 911 and a Chevrolet bus. The incident caused a traffic gridlock on Onitsha-Enugu road as people tried to rescue the victims. 

(Nigeria) The Special Task Force, STF, in charge of security in Plateau  State on Tuesday confirmed 37 persons dead and five others injured in multiple attacks in Barkin Ladi and Mangu Local Government Areas of the state. A statement signed by Capt. Salisu Mustapha, the Media Officer of the STF, in Jos said that the coordinated attacks were carried out around 2 a.m. on Tuesday morning by unknown gunmen. Mustapha said that the attacked communities were Katu Kapang, Daron, Tul and Rawuru villages in Barkin Ladi and Mangu Local Government Areas. ``The attackers killed about 13 persons in Katu Kapang, eight in Daron, nine in Tul and seven others in Rawuru. About five others were also reported to have sustained injuries. ``On receiving the report, STF personnel swiftly moved to the scenes to bring the situation under control but the gunmen fled on sighting the troops. ``STF Commander, Maj.-Gen. David Enetie, has visited the villages to assess the situation and he has vowed that

Syria's Health Ministry said Tuesday the rebels massacred 10 medical staffers in the northern countryside of the capital Damascus, the state-run SANA news agency reported. Five doctors, five nurses and two drivers have been massacred by the "armed terrorist groups" in the Deir Attieh town in the northern outskirts of Damascus, said SANA, providing no further details, reports Xinhua. The al-Qaida-linked groups have recently infiltrated Deir Attieh after the army had dislodged them from the adjacent town of Qara. The army struck a siege around the town in a bid to attack the entrenched rebels.

(Nigeria) Five persons died while 32 others sustained injuries when an articulated vehicle was involved in accident on Monday in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State. The accident occurred at 10.30 a.m. at Wanzamai village on Funtua-Kano Road when the driver was said to have lost control of the steering. It occurred close to the new office of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, in the area. The lone accident involved a trailer with registration number XA 471 KAT carrying 30 cows and 50 passengers. One of the passengers in the vehicle, Malam Garba Iliya, said the truck was going to Lagos. ``The driver lost control and veered off the road throwing all of us into the bush”, Iliya said. The Malunfashi Unit Commander of FRSC, Malam Tijjani Muhammad, told NAN that the truck was going to Lagos. ``The trailer carried 30 cows and 50 passengers.’’ Tijjani, who spoke on behalf of the Sector Commander, Malam Habu Dauda, said the dead and the injured had been take

(Nigeria) Dr Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, University of Lagos Chapter, on Tuesday urged the union’s members to desist from working against its interest. Ogbinaka made the appeal in a statement in Lagos, said that the members should not allow their selfish interests to overshadow the interest of the union. He alleged that some members of the chapter  called an illegal congress recently but failed in their bid to carry out `illegal activities’. ```Congress anticipated their plot that was borne out of greed. No member of the University of Lagos Branch of the ASUU is, therefore, taken aback on their action, `` he said. He described such as an action as misguided, and urged ASUU members to desist from such. The chairman gave the assurance that the chapter would remain indivisible.

(Nigeria) Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger on Tuesday denied media reports that he had defected from the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. ``I remain a member of the PDP,’’ Aliyu said in a statement signed by his  Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, in Minna. The governor said that he was shocked by the announcement of the merger between the PDP splinter group and APC even before a final decision was taken on the matter. Aliyu said that he was not present at the meeting where the merger deal was sealed between the Baraje-led PDP faction and APC leaders. He, however, said that there were ongoing talks with President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that he would await the outcome of the negotiation before taking a final decision.

(Nigeria) By Bukola Akanni The World Health Organisation, WHO, describes child sexual abuse as a cruel and tragic occurrence. Though there is no national statistics on the occurrence, observers maintain that child sexual abuse is on the increase in the country. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) defines child sexual abuse as ``the involvement of children in sexual activities that they do not fully comprehend, that they are unable to give informed consent to and that violate societal taboos’’. For many people, sexual assault refers only to rape; but UNICEF says it takes the form of sexual harassment, rape or sexual exploitation in prostitution or pornography. Tragically though, most victims of sexual assault are afraid to seek redress for fear of stigmatisation. Thus, the number of victims ready to report is reduced, leading to inaccurate statistics on its prevalence in the society. Available statistics show that about one in 50 cases of rape is reporte