Mar 11 2007 - San Francisco Chronicle
Nigeria is rich but almost none of it flows to the people
Gail Bensinger, Chronicle Foreign Editor
Abuja, Nigeria –– This may be Africa's most populous nation, playing a prominent role in regional politics and lining up with the West in the war on terrorism. But that is not what American business and government leaders mean when they refer to Nigeria as an "indispensable partner."
What they're talking about is one word: oil.
Jul 23 2008 - Washington Times
LAGOS, NIGERIA (AP) – Nigeria's main militant group on Wednesday threatened to destroy the nation's major oil pipelines within 30 days to counter allegations it had struck a $12 million deal with the government to protect them.
Jul 10 2008 - Washington Times
ABUJA, NIGERIA (AP) – Nigeria's main militant group said Thursday it would resume attacks in the country's oil–rich river delta region because of Britain's recent pledge to back the government in the conflict there.
Jun 19 2008 - Washington Times
Royal Dutch Shell said it shut down production from an offshore oil field that produces about 200,000 barrels per day after the most powerful militant group in Nigeria launched an attack on an installation there Thursday.
Apr 14 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle
WARRI, Nigeria (AP) ––Four people from a Seattle–based film crew and a Nigerian man accompanying them have been detained for illegally traveling by boat in restive southern Nigeria, officials said.
Feb 26 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) –– A Nigerian election tribunal upheld the president's declared victory in last year's disputed election, according to a ruling announced Tuesday.
A five–judge panel ruled that the case brought by the country's opposition was "plagued by a lack of evidence" and that the election was not significantly undermined by alleged irregularities.
Aug 23 2007 - Washington Times
by KANO
A security guard in this dusty Nigerian city is living with tragedy ? a 14–year–old son whose dazed eyes, slow speech and uneven gait signal brain damage.
Mustapha Mohammed says he knows who to blame ? Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug maker.
Aug 20 2007 - Seattle Times
KEGBARA DERE, Nigeria ? The fire burned strong for 45 days and 45 nights, blanketing the village with ash and torching the young cassava plants in Ada Baniba's field. As she weeded, the flames flared out of the leaking oil pipeline behind her.
It wasn't that no one could put the fire out. It was that no one would ? not the oil company that owned the pipeline, not the government and not the villagers breathing the fumes.
Aug 09 2007 - Washington Times
by ABUJA
In his first two months in office, Nigeria's shy, aristocratic president has faced a nationwide strike, violence in the country's oil region and accusations that he is too timid for the job.
Jun 15 2007 - Seattle Times
LAGOS, Nigeria ? Newly elected President Umaru Yar'Adua is calling for an end to the massive delegations of well–wishers arriving in the capital to congratulate him, saying the visits are keeping him from his new duties.
Since his May 29 inauguration as leader of Africa's most–populous nation, the media have been carrying reports of citizens traveling to Abuja to greet their new leader. Under Nigerian hospitality norms, guests must be accommodated.
May 30 2007 - San Francisco Chronicle
by Robyn Dixon
Nigeria's new president, Umaru Yar'Adua, was sworn in Tuesday, pledging to be a humble "servant–leader" and to reform the electoral process to prevent future fraud, after the elections he won last month were widely...
May 30 2007 - San Francisco Chronicle
by Joe Stephens
Officials in Nigeria have brought criminal charges against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. for the company's alleged role in the deaths of children who received an unapproved drug during a meningitis epidemic....
Apr 26 2007 - Town Hall
by William F. Buckley
The rapture in 1960 over the independence of Nigeria seems incredible, and was always that, but three words –– anti–colonialism, independence and democracy –– were all that was thought to be needed to justify the jubilation. Nigeria had thrust away its colonial ties and would lead the way to the democratization of Africa. The optimism was bolstered by Nigeria's oil wealth, its robust size (twice California's), and its vigorous population (140 million). The reign of Nnamdi Azikiwe lasted until 1966, but since then there have been military despots until the elections of last week, which promise only continuing chaos.
Apr 24 2007 - Seattle Times
ABUJA, Nigeria ? A former chemistry professor hand–picked by President Olusegun Obasanjo won Nigeria's presidential election in a landslide Monday, a vote denounced as deeply flawed by international observers and the opposition.
Umaru Yar'Adua must now fight for credibility in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, where some 15,000 people have died since strict military rule ended in 1999.
Apr 23 2007 - San Francisco Chronicle
by Craig Timberg
The two leading opposition candidates and the largest independent observer mission Sunday denounced this weekend's presidential election, saying rigging and incompetence had so tainted the process that only a new vote...
Apr 22 2007 - San Francisco Chronicle
by Lydia Polgreen
Nigeria's presidential election began amid chaos and delay on Saturday, with a botched attempt to smash a truck bomb into the headquarters of the electoral commission in the nation's capital and with ballots arriving...
Apr 20 2007 - San Francisco Chronicle
by Lydia Polgreen
The purple banner across the normally staid front page of the Guardian, a national daily newspaper here, was impossible to miss. So was the bluntness of the message. The "election has brought Nigeria to the crossroads...
Apr 17 2007 - Washington Times
ABUJA, Nigeria –– Nigeria's Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the country's vice president, who has broken with the president and his powerful party, should be allowed to run for president, throwing the race into disarray only days before the vote.
The decision in favor of Vice President Atiku Abubakar came after violence and fraud charges during weekend state elections underlined questions about the state of democracy in Africa's most populous country.
Apr 16 2007 - San Francisco Chronicle
by Lydia Polgreen
Violent protests broke out in several of Nigeria's 36 states as partial results from highly contested state elections appeared Sunday to hand most of the victories to the governing People's Democratic Party. The police...
Apr 15 2007 - San Francisco Chronicle
by Robyn Dixon
Africa's most–populous country began voting Saturday in state and national elections amid complaints that authorities have stopped dozens of opposition figures from running, doubts about voter registrations and an...
Mar 26 2007 - Seattle Times
ILE–IFE, Nigeria ? When Nigeria's education minister faced an audience of 1,000 schoolchildren, she expected to hear complaints of crowded classrooms and lack of equipment. Instead, girl after girl spoke up about being pressured for sex by teachers in exchange for better grades. One girl was just 11 years old.
