Nigeria: Obasanjo Arrested

Africa Policy E-Journal

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Nigeria: Obasanjo Arrested
Date Distributed (ymd): 950317
URGENT ACTION:
General Obasanjo Arrested by Nigerian Authorities 
Friday, March 17, 1995
On Monday, March 13, former head of state and pro-democracy
activist General Olusegun Obasanjo was arrested at his home
and is now being held in detention by Nigerian authorities.
Although no formal charges have been made against the
General, it is assumed that he is being detained in
connection with a recent coup attempt, uncovered on March 6.
Government authorities made public last Friday that 29
others had been arrested in connection with the coup attempt
and have stated that further arrests would be made. 
Since the June 1993 presidential election, the projected
winner of which was Chief Moshood Abiola with 59% of the
vote, the Nigerian military has continued to harass and
imprison opponents of the government. Moshood Abiola is
still in jail as well as Ken Saro-Wiwa, leader of the
Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People. Ken Saro-Wiwa
is currently on trial for murder before a special military
tribunal after having spent nine months in detention. Other
Nigerian citizens continue to be harassed and subjected to
harsh conditions inside Nigeria's jails. 
Unless the regime comes under much stronger pressure from
outside, this latest crackdown indicates that there will be
little chance of restoring democracy peacefully.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: 
* Write to the Nigerian authorities to demand the immediate
and unconditional release of General Obasanjo. Also raise
the issue of the continued detention of Moshood Abiola and
all prisoners of conscience in Nigeria. Demand that Ken
Saro-Wiwa's trial be open to the Nigerian public and that
international observers be allowed to monitor the
proceedings. 
Write To:
General Sani Abacha
State House, Abuja
NIGERIA
Fax: 234 952-32138
Michael Agbamuchi
Attorney General & Minister of Justice
Old Federal Secretariat
Broad Street, Lagos NIGERIA
Local:
H.E. Z.M. Kazaure
Ambassador
Nigerian Embassy to the U.S.
2201 M Street, NW
Washington, DC  20037
Tel: (202) 822-1500 or 986-8400
Fax: (202) 775-1385 or 986-8440

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