Minneapolis spokesman., 1962-10-05
Focus On
Africa
BY EDDIE L. MADISON, JR.

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of principal government build
ings, including residences of
government ministers, is be-
lieved to have been uncovered
in police Investigations which
followed several arrests in Nj
geria last week. Large amounts
of high explosives, ammunition,
guns and revolvers were
discovered. And to add to the in
trigue, it was established that at
least three top Nigerian polite
ians were involved in the plot =
James v. Clinton, AMP CORES
pondent in Nigeria, reported that
there were external connections
with certain politicians in the plot
to cause trouble, particularly in
the West and Midwest. It may
be recalled that the Western Re-
gion was the scene Of recent pol
itical unrest, stemming from the
rivalry of two top members Of the
Action Group party, Chief Obaf-
emf Awolowo and Chief Samuel L.
Akintola. Akintola has since
formed a new party, the United
Peoples party. Akintola was prem
ier of the Western and vice presi-
dent of the Action Group but was
ousted from both posts following
his split with Awolowo. After a
state of emergency in the Western
Region was declared by the Fed
eral government, the Nigerian su-
preme court ruled that Akintola's
dismissal as premier was illegal :.
It is understood that a number
of ammunition depots had already
been established in parts Of Nj
geria and that a day had been
fixed for the explosions to go off,
Clinton reported. Charged in court
in connection with the seizure Of
modern firearms, including auto
matte weapons and ammunition of
foreign manufacture was bearded
Henry Olearie, a 30-year-old resi-
dent of Lagos, the Nigerian capt.
tai. His arrest followed a police
search of a number Of houses in
Lagos. Meanwhile, an emergency
Federal cabinet meeting was called
to discuss ways and means of
Tightening up security following
of the arms plot.
More bombing incidents, the
fifth and sixth, respectively, in a
recent series, have occurred in
and President Kwame Nix
rumah has imposed an indefinite
state of emergency in the Accra
area Anti-government terrorists
have been blamed for the bomb
ings. Parades marking President
Nkrumah's 53rd birthday were
last week after bomb ex-
plosions killed five persons in a
torchlight procession. An estimated
100 others were injured, 40 Of them
seriously enough to be hospital
lied.
The bombings last week fol-
lowed two earlier incidents oc-
curing about one month apart.
On Aug. 1, a blast near President
car killed four persons
and injured SO others. This was
believed to have been the first ac-
tual attempt on the Ghanaian Pres
ident's life. Then, on Sept. 9, a
bomb exploded about 200 yards
from the. main gate Of Flagstaff
House, Nlxrumah's official resid-
ence, killing four persons and in
juring at least So. The bomb ex-
ploded amid a singing and dane
ing crowd outside the Presidents
palace =.
In other developments, the
Ghana government expressed re-
gret that the country's press and
radio services had linked four wes-
tern powers-the United States,
Britain, West Germany and France
with attempts on President
Nkrumah's life. A foreign office
spokesman said the allegations
were deeply regretted and should
not be allowed to harm present
friendly relations between Ghana
and the countries concerned. Also,
Leslie Hartman, acting Nigerian
high commissioner in Accra, COM
planned that armed police and
soldiers came to his residence and
tried to search 1t, according to a
report from Ghana. Hartman, the
report said, later received apollo
gies for the attempted search and
that fha Oovarnnnay,t aaid a. ,,ro. a