Political Prisoners Nigeria

Moshood Abiola, Nigeria's most prominent political prisoner, who was widely presumed to have won a presidential election in 1993, died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack just after meeting with visiting U.S. diplomats. He was 60. An official statement from the country's military rulers said Abiola died at 4 p.m. after falling ill during discussions with a U.S. delegation and Nigerian officials in the West African nation's administrative capital, Abuja. The U.S.

The outgoing military government freed at least 47 political prisoners, officials said. The move was seen as a bid to calm growing unrest by anti-government militants.

Security forces have arrested nine members of a human rights group out of fear they were going to demonstrate publicly over the hanging of nine minority rights activists, a group official said Thursday. The European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, said despite the international furor over last week's hangings, it had been informed Nigeria was planning to execute 17 other people condemned to death "merely for defending the environment in their country."

Riots and protests flared anew Thursday over the death of the country's most prominent political prisoner, and the ruling military council put off a final decision on restoring democracy. The council said a small working group will report to leader Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar in a few days. It also commuted death sentences handed down against six men convicted of plotting to overthrow the country's former dictator.

The outgoing military government freed at least 47 political prisoners, officials said. The move was seen as a bid to calm growing unrest by anti-government militants.

A mysterious group seeking the release of imprisoned opposition leader Moshood K. O. Abiola has taken responsibility for the murder of one of his wives. The group calling itself the Committee for the Release of Moshood Abiola issued a statement Friday, saying Kudirat Abiola's campaign to free her husband was "driven by a consuming ambition for political limelight" at the expense of her husband. Nigerian journalists said it was the first time they had heard of the committee.

Nigeria's military government Thursday promised to release all political prisoners, including Moshood Abiola, the country's most prominent detainee and the apparent winner of the annulled 1993 Nigerian presidential election. The decision--which some analysts saw as a meaningless gesture but others believe may launch a new, improved era in Nigeria's tormented modern political history--was announced by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan at a news conference in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

Riots and protests flared anew Thursday over the death of the country's most prominent political prisoner, and the ruling military council put off a final decision on restoring democracy. The council said a small working group will report to leader Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar in a few days. It also commuted death sentences handed down against six men convicted of plotting to overthrow the country's former dictator.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who is on a tour of Africa, met with Nigeria's most prominent political prisoner. Farrakhan would not disclose the nature of his two-hour meeting with Nigerian opposition leader Moshood Abiola. Abiola, a businessman who presumably won the 1993 presidential election that was rejected by the military government, has been detained since declaring himself president more than a year ago.

As fatal rioting rocked Nigeria and its military leader dissolved his Cabinet, analysts said Wednesday that the death of Moshood Abiola, the nation's most prominent political prisoner, has complicated and probably delayed prospects for a peaceful push for democracy there. Foes of the Nigerian military regime, observers said, now must scramble to find another figurehead for their struggle against political and civil injustice, after Abiola died Tuesday from what was apparently a heart attack.

As fatal rioting rocked Nigeria and its military leader dissolved his Cabinet, analysts said Wednesday that the death of Moshood Abiola, the nation's most prominent political prisoner, has complicated and probably delayed prospects for a peaceful push for democracy there. Foes of the Nigerian military regime, observers said, now must scramble to find another figurehead for their struggle against political and civil injustice, after Abiola died Tuesday from what was apparently a heart attack.

Moshood Abiola, Nigeria's most prominent political prisoner, who was widely presumed to have won a presidential election in 1993, died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack just after meeting with visiting U.S. diplomats. He was 60. An official statement from the country's military rulers said Abiola died at 4 p.m. after falling ill during discussions with a U.S. delegation and Nigerian officials in the West African nation's administrative capital, Abuja. The U.S.

Nigeria's military government Thursday promised to release all political prisoners, including Moshood Abiola, the country's most prominent detainee and the apparent winner of the annulled 1993 Nigerian presidential election. The decision--which some analysts saw as a meaningless gesture but others believe may launch a new, improved era in Nigeria's tormented modern political history--was announced by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan at a news conference in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

A mysterious group seeking the release of imprisoned opposition leader Moshood K. O. Abiola has taken responsibility for the murder of one of his wives. The group calling itself the Committee for the Release of Moshood Abiola issued a statement Friday, saying Kudirat Abiola's campaign to free her husband was "driven by a consuming ambition for political limelight" at the expense of her husband. Nigerian journalists said it was the first time they had heard of the committee.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who is on a tour of Africa, met with Nigeria's most prominent political prisoner. Farrakhan would not disclose the nature of his two-hour meeting with Nigerian opposition leader Moshood Abiola. Abiola, a businessman who presumably won the 1993 presidential election that was rejected by the military government, has been detained since declaring himself president more than a year ago.

Security forces have arrested nine members of a human rights group out of fear they were going to demonstrate publicly over the hanging of nine minority rights activists, a group official said Thursday. The European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, said despite the international furor over last week's hangings, it had been informed Nigeria was planning to execute 17 other people condemned to death "merely for defending the environment in their country."