Government Refuses N. Korean Arms Offer

Under pressure from the United States, Nigeria has rejected a North Korean offer to sell it missiles, U.S. officials said. Nigeria, a U.S. ally and a major oil supplier, did not immediately reassure the United States that it would turn down the offer when North Korea first made it last week.

U.S. diplomats then met with the Nigerian government and hinted at possible sanctions if it were to buy the ballistic missiles from the country Washington considers the world’s No. 1 exporter of such weapons, U.S. officials said.