TODAY IN HISTORY

|LIGHT OF DEMOCRACY SHINES AGAIN IN NIGERIA|

On this day in 1998, after meeting with the new Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan declared publicly that all political prisoners in the country will be released.

Koffi Annan had arrived in Nigeria on June 30th, shortly after the death of Gen. Sani Abacha, the former Nigerian head of state who had provoked widespread outrage by ordering several political arrests and executions. 

During the visit to Nigeria, Kofi Annan also met with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku and several pro-democracy leaders and opposition activists.