IWUOKPOM—FOR seven months running, sea bandits have been on the prowl in the waterways of Ibeno Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, attacking fishermen, impounding their equipment, including speedboats and collecting huge ransoms for the release of the confiscated items with Police and Navy unable to come to their rescue. While the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gabriel Achong, said there was a limit policemen could go on the high sea, a top Navy official said the personnel were not equipped to fight sea robbers.

The US Supreme Court appeared divided Tuesday on whether gay couples have a constitutional right to wed — as it weighs a decision that could see same-sex marriage recognized nationwide.

BURUTU— YAYOROGBENE, an Ijaw community in Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, has petitioned the Commissioner of Police in the state over a purported plan by some leaders from a neighbouring community to murder its community leader, Comrade Austin Ozobo, over a land dispute.

Indonesia early Wednesday executed eight drug convicts including two Australians and four Nigerians but a Filipina was spared at the 11th hour, local media reported.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Tuesday, blamed the fuel scarcity currently witnessed in some parts of the country on the strike action embarked upon by the members of National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) over their disagreements with major oil marketers.