PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
FORMER NIGERIAN HEAD OF STATE, OLUSEGUN OBASANJO (12 March 1998)

That this House notes with grave concern the arrest and imprisonment of former Nigerian President, General Olusegun Obasanjo, and his deputy, General Shehu Musa Yar'adua, in March 1995, on charges of conspiring against the presidency of General Sani Abacha; notes that in December 1997 General Yar'adua died in suspicious circumstances; and the rumours, later proved to be incorrect, that General Obasanjo had fallen into a coma and was in intensive care; notes that according to his family, General Obasanjo is in ill health and living in terrible conditions and that since December 1997 there has been little information from Nigeria concerning General Obasanjo's situation; expresses concern that there exist over 7,000 political prisoners in Nigeria, including the 1993 presidential winner Abiola; and actively urges the Government to petition for the release of General Obasanjo, so that he be allowed to continue his peaceful and democratic activities, to monitor the situation in Nigeria and to condemn the Abacha regime for its blatant disregard for human rights.

Sponsored by:
Mr Mike Hancock (Independent)