U.S arrests 190 in child pornography crackdown

By Agency Reporter 

 

U.S President, Barack Obama

Police has arrested 190 people in a major United States crackdown on child pornography, officials told the BBC.
The month-long "Operation Orion" also resulted in 18 children being rescued, federal agents said.
Arrests were made mostly in the U.S but also took place in countries including Spain, Argentina, the United Kingdom and the Philippines.
The official in charge said many of the cases began with a child chatting with someone they had encountered online.
"Let this operation be a warning to anyone who would think they can use the internet to exploit children - we are out there looking for you, we will find you, and you will be prosecuted," Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton said in a statement.
The statement said that Operation Orion focused on the production, possession and distribution of child pornography in videos and photographs.
Those arrested included a 35-year-old babysitter in Louisiana suspected of using a seven-year-old child to make pornography.
A 28-year-old man in Michigan was found to have more than 1,200 images and 109 videos of suspected child pornography on computers and media storage devices, officials said.
Eight men were also arrested in Los Angeles, including one who met his alleged 12-year-old victim on the internet.
He was charged with enticing a minor to commit lewd acts after agents pretended to be the girl online and arranged to meet him at a shopping centre.

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

Robbery attack: Ekene Dili Chukwu apologises to students, parents

By Vanguard: Theodore Opara EKENE Dili Chukwu Transport Company, yesterday, apologised to the parents and students of Holy Rosary College Enugu, over last Saturday’s robbery attack along Oke-Odo end of Shagamu/Benin Expressway, Ijebu Ode.
The firm, however, maintained that the students were neither hurt nor sexually molested.
The company’s legal adviser, Mr. Frank Obayagbona, while briefing newsmen on the robbery attack said: “Our company sympathises with the students and their parents for the inconvenience, emotional and psychological trauma they may have subjected to as a result of the unfortunate incident.
“We are ready as a responsible corporate entity to work with parents of the children with a view of helping them overcome the traumatic experience medically and otherwise to the best of our ability.”
Maintaining that the children were never hurt or sexually molested during the armed robbery incident, as was widely reported in the press, the legal adviser maintained that their concern was the welfare of the children and how to join hands with their parent to help them overcome the trauma. He added that the interest of the children was very important to his company.
“At the time students were rescued and a head count conducted, we inquired whether any of them (students) was hurt or sexually molested but they all confirmed they were fine and not molested. Even the woman who was a representative of the Parent Teachers’Association in the bus at the time they were all rescued confirmed that non of them was sexually molested.”
Explaining further, he said there was no report made to the police by any of the students or the female representative that they were sexually molested, adding that they were shocked by the unsubstantiated report in the media that the students were raped.

Coach in court for death of girl friend after herbal bath

 By Vanguard Reporter
A 46-year-old football coach, Emmanuel Temuru, was on Friday brought before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court for allegedly causing the death of his girl friend.
The accused was charged for allegedly causing the death of one Miss Margaret Usen, 35, but his plea was not taken as he was remanded in prison custody, pending an advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The prosecutor Inspector Philip Ugbodu, told the court that the accused, who resides at 5 Olupitan St., Idimu Lagos, is a football coach.
He said that on February 13, at about 6.30 p.m., the accused, who had allegedly impregnated the deceased, travelled with her to Abeokuta after she developed some health complications.
Ugbodu told the court that the accused had allegedly taken the deceased to a Clinic/Maternity Hospital in Abeokuta, where she was given some herbs to drink and also bath with.
He alleged that the health of the deceased deteriorated soon after the herbal treatment and she died hours later.
According to him, the offence is contrary to section 319 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.
The case was adjourned to June 6. (NAN)

Kidnapped UAE man released after 60days

By Agency Reporter 

Gang lured victim with phony business deal

(Reuters) - A  criminal gang released a United Arab Emirates man on March 19 in Ibadan after holding him for 60 days, the state security services (SSS) said on Thursday. Seven men - but not the gang leaders - had been arrested.
The kidnappers tricked Mohammed Khamis al Ali into coming to Nigeria on Jan. 20 to carry out a business deal in Lagos, the SSS said. He was seized and held in a remote village in nearby Osun state for two months.
"(Al Ali) was lured to visit Nigeria for a phantom business transaction by a fake company, Finuche Investments, was abducted by a kidnap syndicate and held hostage for about 60 days," SSS spokeswoman Marilyn Ogar told reporters.
Ogar said the seven men arrested were guarding al Ali but the masterminds were still at large. The suspects who had been arrested stood behind Ogar as she spoke, heads bowed, some in tears.
When questioned, they said they dumped al Ali in Ibadan after their bosses stopped contacting them with instructions about what to do with him. Neither Ogar nor the suspects mentioned payment of a ransom.
A Briton and an Italian seized in May last year were killed on March 8 before Nigerian and British special forces could rescue them, while a German seized in Kano, northern Nigeria's biggest city, in January is still missing.
A group claiming to be from al Qaeda's north African wing posted a statement on the internet last week saying they were holding the German kidnapped in January.

Gunmen free 14 inmates, burn police station in Yobe

By Duku Joel, Damatur
Unknown gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect
on Wednesday  night freed 14 prison inmates at a satellite prison facility
and burnt down a police station at Damagum, the headquarters of Fune
Local Government in Yobe state.
The state Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Gbadegesin Toyin who
confirmed the attacks noted that, “a joint operation has been launch
for the manhunt of the assailants”.
ASP Gbadegesin also said that a temporary military camp at the
town and a quarters occupied by Korean doctors working at the Damagum
General Hospital was among the places attacked by the gunmen.
According to him three of the gunmen were killed while a senior staff
of the hospital also died in the attack.
“Yes, we have gone and conducted an on- the spot assessment of the
damage. From what we have got, it is true that the assailants attacked
the Damagum police station and burnt it down with explosives. Three of
the assailants were killed, one policeman was shot on the leg and he
is recovering at the hospital. The rest of the other gunmen fled to
the bush.
“A satellite prison facility in the town was also attacked where 14
inmates were set free and two refused to go, a temporary army camp was
also attacked; an army hilux and unserviceable police vehicle was also
burnt.
“A senior staff of the Damagum General Hospital was also killed in the
attack; a staff quarter housing Korean Doctors working for Yobe state
Government was equally torched.
“We recovered 1 AK47 and a red Golf Salon car which was used by the
gunmen, the PPRO informed.
Yobe state newly posted Commissioner of Police,  Moses Onireti was  at Damagum on Thursday
morning said vowed that “bad times await criminals in the state”

Four students arrested for armed robbery in Edo

By The Nation Reporter (Osagie Otabor)

Four students of the Edo State owned Institute of Technology and Management, Usen, have been arrested for alleged armed robbery by a combined team of Iguobazuwa police Division and Nigeria Vigilante Unit, Usen branch.
The names of the students were given as Alex Oghile, ND II, Petroleum Department, Ernest Oshiapi, ND I, Business Administration, Kevin J. Olihia, NDI, Estate Management Department and Adeyeye Odalami.
 A businessman identified as Timmy David was also arrested in connection with the robbery.
Chairman of the vigilante unit, Chief Julius Obaterio said they observed that the gang had broken into several homes and shops in the locality.
He said the gang engaged policemen and the Vigilante group in a shoot –out before they were arrested.
Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Lawrence Ehidenro confirmed the arrest and said the suspects would be transferred to the state Police Command headquarters in Benin City for further investigations.
Items recovered from the gang include two locally made double barrel guns, one cutlass, two Nokia phones and charms among others.