A Nigerian airliner reportedly carrying more than 100 people, including the spiritual leader of Muslims in Nigeria, crashed today near the airport in the capital, Abuja. A television station said at least six people survived.

Angry villagers in Nigeria who took over three Shell oil platforms in the volatile Niger Delta have agreed to end their siege and allow operations to resume.

President Olusegun Obasanjo ordered security services to step up protection of Nigeria’s pipelines after a gas conduit exploded, killing up to 200 people, state radio said today.

A Sudanese Darfur rebel faction has demanded that the African Union (AU) extend its deadline for the concluding peace talks, as Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo pressured the warring sides to sign a proposed deal.

THE Chinese authorities angrily denied yesterday that the country turns a blind eye to human rights abuses in places like Sudan in its search for oil to help power its booming economy.

THE Chinese authorities angrily denied yesterday that the country turns a blind eye to human rights abuses in places like Sudan in its search for oil to help power its booming economy.

Chinese President Hu Jintao said today his government will seek closer ties with resource-rich Africa, after signing oil and other agreements with Nigeria and granting the West African giant an aid package.

Chinese President Hu Jintao said today his government will seek closer ties with Africa as the world's fastest-growing economy works to achieve a gross domestic product target of four trillion US dollars (€3trillion) by 2020.

NIGERIAN President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday called for aid to help combat the “severe degradation” of three-quarters of African farmland, a leading cause of hunger and poverty on the continent.

Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday called for aid to help combat the “severe degradation” of three-quarters of African farmland, a leading cause of hunger and poverty on the continent.

Liberia’s one-time warlord Charles Taylor was in the hands of Sierra Leone’s tribunal today, where he is set to become the first-ever African head of state tried on war crimes charges by an international court.

ELITE Irish troops with the UN were involved in the capture and detention yesterday of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, while he was trying to flee from Nigeria.

Liberian warlord and war crimes suspect Charles Taylor disappeared from the haven Nigeria had granted him just as he was to have been handed over to face trial, Nigerian officials said today.

Nigeria said today it will send back to Liberia exiled ex-president and one-time warlord Charles Taylor, wanted for trial on war crimes by a UN-backed court.

US National Intelligence Director John Negroponte warned yesterday of possible “major turmoil and conflict” in Nigeria if President Olesegun Obasanjo seeks approval of a constitutional amendment permitting him to seek a third term in office.

MILITANTS holding nine foreign hostages in Southern Nigeria destroyed an oil pipeline yesterday and blew up a boat in violence that has cut about 20% of crude production in Africa’s oil giant.

Militants holding nine foreign hostages in southern Nigeria said they attacked another oil facility today and blew up a military vessel in ongoing violence that has cut about 20% of crude production in Africa’s oil giant.

Authorities have grounded Boeing 737 planes across Nigeria for spot safety checks, stranding thousands of travellers today around Africa’s most populous nation after two deadly accidents in two months.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo arrived in Ivory Coast today on a mission to help resolve the war-divided West African nation’s latest crisis.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has agreed to be investigated by the country’s anti-corruption watchdog after a political opponent accused him of graft, an allegation he denies, officials said.

African leaders are sticking with their demand for two veto-wielding permanent seats on the UN Security Council, rejecting a compromise some had hoped would ensure the success of proposed UN reforms.

Togo’s new President Faure Gnassingbe and his chief opponent were in the Nigerian capital Abuja today to discuss power sharing in his tiny West African nation, still tense after last month’s presidential ballot.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, an Opec member, called today for the oil cartel to take action to lower crude prices, now at over 50 US dollars a barrel.

TENS of millions of Nigerian workers began a four-day nationwide strike over rising fuel prices as labour leaders launched their latest challenge to President Olusegun Obasanjo’s economic reforms.

Darfur peace talks made little headway today as Sudanese insurgents insisted they would not lay down their weapons until pro-government Arab militiamen stop targeting largely black African civilians in their country’s troubled western region.

An African Union force in Sudan’s western Darfur region could help disarm insurgents and pro-government militias accused of killing civilians, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo said before the start of AU-sponsored peace talks today between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebels.

Arab countries say that the Sudanese government needs more time to end the crisis in its troubled western Darfur region, where purportedly state-backed Arab militias are accused of killing thousands of African villagers.

NIGERIA’S president declared a state of emergency yesterday in the state of Plateau, sacking the governor and dissolving the state legislature following Muslim and Christian fighting that has killed hundreds.

Nigeria’s civilian president declared sweeping state of emergency powers today in violence-torn central Plateau state, replacing the elected governor with a former military general and dissolving the state legislature.

Police have arrested dozens of protesters, including Nobel laureate author Wole Soyinka, after firing tear gas during an anti-government protest today in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

ATTEMPTS to mediate a bloody conflict in Nigeria, where attacks by a predominantly Christian tribe on a Muslim village killed at least 500 remained bogged down yesterday.

NIGERIAN President Olusegun Obasanjo has ordered his army to return to barracks during a week-long national security threat that some officers have described as a plot to depose him.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has ordered his army to return to barracks during a week long national security threat that some officers have described as a plot to depose him.

Nigerian army officers have been interrogated amid rumours of a plot to overthrow President Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian government.

Riots still flare at times and Nigeria is regularly rated one of the world’s most corrupt nations. Yet Nigerians hope a summit of 52 leaders, including a visit by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, will cement their nation’s return to the global fold after decades as a pariah.

A HUMAN rights organisation yesterday accused Nigeria of killing and torturing activists, stifling free speech and threatening and bribing journalists in Africa’s most populous nation.

Businessman Gyude Bryant took office today as leader of Liberia’s interim post-war government, taking up a two-year term meant to guide the devastated country into peace after 14 years of bloodletting by ousted warlord Charles Taylor.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Australian Prime Minister John Howard were accused of being racists today in a bitter attack by Zimbabwean officials.

A US military team flew into Liberia yesterday to look at how best to bring stability to the broken West African country as President Charles Taylor prepares for exile.

THE leader of Nigeria headed for Liberia yesterday to offer embattled President Charles Taylor asylum in his country, as a US military team prepared to begin a mission to study whether American troops should be sent to Liberia

PROMISING to tackle his country’s poverty and corruption, President Olusegun Obasanjo took the oath of office for a second term as Nigeria’s leader yesterday — a landmark for civilian-run democracy in Africa’s most populous nation.

A delegation of African leaders held separate talks with Robert Mugabe and Zimbabwe’s opposition leader today in an urgent round of shuttle diplomacy aimed at ending the political crisis that has plunged the nation into chaos.

Nigeria's opposition has warned that a "massive revolt" will take place unless newly re-elected President Olusegun Obasanjo resigns and lets authorities launch a new round of corruption-free voting.