UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
NIGERIA: IRIN News Briefs [19991119]

NIGERIA: IRIN News Briefs [19991119]


NIGERIA: IRIN News Briefs, Thursday 18 November

CONTENTS:

Senate president removed by colleagues Up to 50 killed in Delta inter-communal violence Obasanjo gives ultimatum for arrest of police, army killers Lagos governor appeals for 10,000 more police Abacha murder trial adjourned to 10 December Former army chief for release NNPC, Shell, others sign $1 billion pact Year 2000 budget pegged at $18 per barrel Privatisations set for 13 December

Senate president removed by colleagues

Legislators in the upper house of the national assembly voted 90 to 109 on Thursday to impeach Senate President Evan Enwerem, Reuters reported, quoting his deputy, Haruna Abubakar.

Enwerem, who survived an earlier motion to remove him, has been fighting to save his position since a local magazine accused him in July of perjury about his age and schools attended, when presenting his candidature for the Senate presidency. The Senate also accused him of concealing a past criminal conviction. The president of the Senate is the third most powerful position after the federal president.

Up to 50 killed in Delta intra-communal violence

Between 47 and 50 people were killed on Wednesday in fighting between two communities of the Isoko ethnic group in the Niger Delta, a news source told IRIN. He said members of the Olero and Olomro communities, living along the Benue River about 15-20 km southwest of the oil town of Warri, started fighting on Tuesday for control of metal pipes donated by a contractor for the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell. Four policemen were among the dead. The police intervened to stop the feud.

Obasanjo gives ultimatum for arrest of police, army killers

President Obasanjo has given Bayelsa State two-weeks to arrest the killers of policemen and soldiers in the Niger Delta or he would declare a state of emergency in the violence wracked region. His ultimatum was contained in a letter dated 10 November to Bayelsa State Governor Dieprete Alamieyeseigha, a copy of which was published in Wednesday in a Lagos daily newspaper, `The Guardian'.

Lagos governor appeals for 10,000 more police

The governor of Lagos appealed on Monday for 10,000 more policemen to tackle security problems in the city, according to AFP. In the past six months there has been an upsurge in crime, including armed robbery and unexplained murders.

Abacha murder trial adjourned to 10 December

A Lagos court adjourned the murder trial of Mohammed Abacha, son of Nigeria's late military ruler General Sani Abacha, to 10 December and remanded him and four co-defendants to a maximum security prison, according to news reports on Wednesday.

The five were charged on 14 October with conspiracy and murder for the June 1996 killing of Kudiratu Abiola. She was the wife of Moshood Abiola, who was widely considered to have won a presidential poll held under army rule on 12 June, 1993, but then annulled by the military.

Former army chief for release

Former army chief General Ishaya Bamaiyi is to be released from house arrest by the High Court, news organisations reported. Bamaiyi and other senior officials were retired by President Olusegun Obasanjo when he took office in May. A special government panel has been set up to investigate offences committed by General Abacha.

NNPC, Shell, others sign $1 billion pact

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and three major oil producing companies signed on Wednesday a US $1 billion deal for the oil and gas sub-sectors under a joint venture agreement, `The Guardian', a Lagos daily, reported.

The deal involves Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Elf and Agip and will pay for the development of an oil field known as EA/EJA, the newspaper said, thought to hold an estimated reserve of 350 million barrels of crude. Production is expected to begin the second half of 2002.

Year 2000 budget pegged at $18 per barrel

Nigeria's budget for year 2000, to be presented next week to the national assembly by President Olusegun Obasanjo, has been premised on an US $18 per oil barrel benchmark, local media reported on Wednesday. `Post Express' quoted Finance Minister Mallam Adamu Ciroma as telling reporters that the budget would enable the government to tackle unemployment, invest in exploitation of solid materials (minerals) and improve education.

Privatisations set for 13 December

Full privatisation of companies in which the government has interests is due to start on 13 December, AFP said citing an official statement released on Monday. Twelve firms are involved in the first phase of the privatisation programme which is expected to earn the country 15 billion naira (US $154.6 million) by the end of year 2000.

[ENDS]

[IRIN-WA: Tel: +225 217366 Fax: +225 216335 e-mail: irin-wa@ocha.unon.org ]

Item: irin-english-1988

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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 1999

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Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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