/ 8 January 1999

SECOND ROUND OF NIGERIA POLL

CAMPAIGNING for the second round of Nigeria’s elections wound up in on Friday, with warnings that violence may mar the process. Millions of voters go to the polls on Saturday to elect governors and assemblies for the 36 states of the Nigerian federation. This following local government elections in December. Next up will be the legislative and presidential polls in February and a formal handover to civilian rule on May 29.

NIGERIAN BANKERS FREED

A NIGERIAN court has freed 58 bank chiefs who have been detained without trial for at least two years, saying their detention was “most unjust.” Justice Moshood Olugbani of the Lagos High Court said the police had no justification to detain any of the suspects for such a long period without trial. The bankers were detained on the orders of former Nigeria’s military ruler, the late General Sani Abacha, for alleged financial crimes.