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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Statement on Nigeria By The Commonwealth Secretary-General

16 March 1995

Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku made the following statement today:

The recent confirmation by the Nigerian military government of an attempted coup d'état and reports of a new wave of arrests and detentions of more citizens constitute a serious turn for the worse in the country's continuing drift towards a self-inflicted tragedy.

International concern and disapproval has in this connection been heightened by the reported arrest and detention of General Olusegun Obasanjo, widely known as the only Nigerian military head of state to have relinquished power voluntarily and returned the country to a democratically elected government.

These developments underscore the point that, unless and until the military government speedily returns the country to democratic rule, Nigeria's current ills, including instability and potential for disastrous conflict, will continue to worsen. I am therefore contacting the Nigerian Government to further explore ways in which the country can be assisted to hasten the return to democracy.

 

95/10 16 March 1995

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