PRESIDENT Laurent Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo has asked Nigeria to send troops to help end the fighting in his war-torn country, the independent radio station Ray Power said on Sunday. Kabila sent a delegation of officials to Nigeria this weekend to pass on the request. They met top foreign ministry officials and were assured the message would be given to military ruler General Abdulsalami Abubakar. Nigerian officials were not available on Sunday to confirm the report. Nigeria already leads the West African intervention force, Ecomog, in Sierra Leone, but president-elect Olusegun Obasanjo said last week that he would like to withdraw these troops.
Meanwhile, Jesse Jackson, United States President Bill Clinton’s special envoy to Africa, was due in Nigeria late on Sunday for the first visit by a top western official since presidential elections last weekend. Top of the agenda will be talks on Monday with Obasanjo and his presidential rival, former finance minister Olu Falae, US officials said.