Edition: U.S. / Global

Nigerian Military Ruler Assumes Absolute Power

Published: September 7, 1994

A day after defeating a pro-democracy strike, Nigeria's military ruler banned several newspapers today and decreed that his Government had absolute power.

Nigerian oil workers ended a two-month strike on Monday after failing to force the military Government of Gen. Sani Abacha to step down.

The workers had demanded that General Abacha surrender power to Moshood K. O. Abiola, a businessman and politician who is widely believed to have won the annulled 1993 presidential election. Mr. Abiola is in jail awaiting trial on treason charges.

One decree sets General Abacha above the courts, denying them any jurisdiction over his military Government. The first victim of the decree was a lawsuit filed by a five million-member labor federation, the Nigerian Labor Congress, challenging the military's dissolution of its executive committee. A high court judge dismissed the case today, saying she no longer had jurisdiction.

Another decree allows detention of people for three months without charges. General Abacha appears intent on keeping in jail the dozens of human rights activists, labor leaders and pro-democracy politicians arrested in the last few weeks.

The most prominent prison inmate is Mr. Abiola, who was arrested after he declared himself president on the anniversary of the election in June.

Democracy advocates responded to General Abacha's decrees with frustration.

"They unfold an era in which no Nigerian is sure of his or her freedom or sanctity of life," said Gani Fawehinmi, a lawyer who is defending dozens of jailed dissidents.

General Abacha closed three newspaper and magazine groups, including the most influential and respected in the country, The Guardian of Lagos. The others are Concord, which Mr. Abiola owns, and Punch.

The Medical Association of Nigeria said that Mr. Abiola is critically ill, and it threatened to take "exceptional measures" if he is not freed by Saturday. Doctors were reported to be considering a strike.

Mr. Abiola's trial has been delayed because the Government could not persuade a judge to hear his case.