B4-0737, 0787, 0799, 0815 and 0827/96

Resolution on the murder of Mrs Kudiratu Abiola in Nigeria

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Nigeria, and in particular that of 23 May 1996 ((Minutes of that Sitting, Part II, Item 10(b).)),

A. shocked by the murder on 4 June 1996 of Mrs Kudiratu Abiola, the wife of the democratically elected President of Nigeria, Mr Mashood Abiola,

B. whereas Mrs Kudiratu Abiola had spoken out in the cause of her husband, Mashood, under arrest and in prison for having claimed victory in the 12 June 1993 presidential elections, declared null and void by the military,

C. whereas the Nigerian opposition alliance has denounced Mrs Kudiratu Abiola's killing as a politically motivated assassination,

D. whereas a number of attacks have been carried out against members of the opposition in recent months, creating a climate of extreme insecurity and compelling some members of the opposition to flee their country, including Wole Sayinka in 1994 and, more recently, Anthony Enahoro,

E. repeating its condemnation of the murder of Ogoni militants, including Ken Saro-Wiwa,

F. whereas, two years after brutally interrupting the electoral process, the military régime remains in power by the use of brute force and whereas the arrest of political figures and representatives of civil society demonstrates the anti-democratic and dictatorial nature of the military régime,

G. concerned at the arrest of Mr Nnimmo Bassey, speaker of Oil Watch Nigeria and director of environmental rights projects of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) on his way to a regional conference,

H. outraged by the Nigerian government's arrogant defiance of international appeals to restore democracy, an independent judiciary, the rule of law and respect for human rights of its citizens,

I. convinced that concerted international sanctions designed to isolate the Nigerian authorities economically, diplomatically and politically and applied effectively can bring pressure to bear on the régime of Sani Abacha to establish a democratic constitutional régime,

1. Condemns the murder of Mrs Kudiratu Abiola and expresses its solidarity with Mr Abiola and all those in Nigeria who are courageously demonstrating their attachment to democracy and respect for human rights;

2. Demands that full light should be shed on this political assassination and that those responsible should be brought to justice; believes that an international commission of inquiry should be involved in the investigations in order to ensure impartiality;

3. Therefore urges the Nigerian authorities to establish immediately a judicial commission of inquiry into the murder of Mrs Kudiratu Abiola, the killing of Chief Rewani, the attack on Chief Ibru and the other attacks carried out in recent months, including international representatives to ensure its independence;

4. Calls for the release of all political prisoners particularly Mashood Abiola, Felix Ndamaigida, Rebecca Onyabi Ikpe and Nnimmo Bassey;

5. Condemns the Nigerian régime for its continuing brutal oppression of opponents and any democratic force in the country and calls on the Council, the Commission, and the Member States to step up without hesitation and without delay the sanctions against Nigeria and to ensure that they are strictly enforced;

6. Calls on the OAU to isolate Nigeria politically;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Secretaries-General of the OAU and the United Nations, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly and the Nigerian military authorities.