Nigerian Ruler Dissolves Cabinet, May Free Prisoners

The country’s military ruler dissolved his Cabinet and granted amnesty for some political prisoners Monday, the fourth anniversary of his seizure of power.

Gen. Sani Abacha, in a radio and television address, said his government had decided to free “those detained persons whose release would constitute no further impediment to the peace and security of the country.”

But Abacha, whose government has been accused of holding hundreds of political prisoners, did not say which detainees--or how many--would be freed.

He did not mention Nigeria’s best-known prisoner, businessman Moshood Abiola, presumed winner of aborted 1993 elections.

Abacha also said he was dissolving his Cabinet.

Saying Nigeria was about to “embark on the final lap of the tenure of this administration,” Abacha said his move followed indications from ministers that they wanted to “fully participate in the political process.”

A couple of Abacha’s ministers have said they may campaign for state governorships, and others have said they want to get involved in other candidates’ campaigns.

It has become an unruly group in recent months, with ministers lashing out at one another in the press. Information Minister Walter Ofonagoro may have angered Abacha recently by saying that the general was ineligible to run in next year’s presidential elections--at least for the time being--because he is not a member of any political party.

Abacha has promised to hold elections next year and hand power to a civilian government on Oct. 1. Pro-democracy groups, however, say he most likely will orchestrate the election to ensure he remains in power indefinitely.