Nigeria Complains U.S., Britain Are Harboring Dissidents
The nation’s military government has protested to the United States and Britain over what it called their hostile activities, including the harboring of Nigerian dissidents, state radio said Thursday.
The United States, meanwhile, said it has not ruled out economic sanctions in its efforts to pressure Nigeria to return to civilian rule.
Nigeria’s protests follow rising Western criticism over the lack of democracy in Nigeria and the secret trial of alleged coup plotters, including former head of state Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo.
Foreign Minister Tom Ikimi handed over the protests to U.S. Ambassador Walter Carrington and British High Commissioner Thorold Masefield on Wednesday.
Ikimi said Nigeria’s complaints against the powers included “providing havens to Nigerian dissidents abroad from where vicious attacks are launched against Nigeria.”
He said Britain and the United States had given travel documents to Nigerian dissidents and used their nation’s media to campaign against efforts by the government of Gen. Sani Abacha to foster peace in Nigeria.
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