Coup in Nigeria Foiled, Army Says
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ABUJA, Nigeria — The nation’s army said Sunday that it had foiled a plot to topple military ruler Gen. Sani Abacha and arrested his No. 2 official, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, for his part in it.
A statement from the army read on national television said 11 others, including one civilian, had been arrested.
It gave an assurance that Abacha’s plan to restore civilian rule next year, much criticized by local opponents and questioned by Western countries, was on course and would not be affected by the discovery of the coup plot.
Among the army officers arrested were two former ministers in Abacha’s government, Maj. Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju and Maj. Gen. Abdulkarim Adisa. The civilian held, Femi Odenkule, was Diya’s political advisor.
Abacha, a 54-year-old infantry general, took control of Africa’s most-populous nation in 1993.
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