Written and compiled by a Nigerian student activist

Nigeria is now being mis-ruled by a "clique" in the Nigerian military that is "hell-bent" in making lives terrible for the down-trodden masses of Nigeria. According to the Kenyan radical writer - Ngugi Wa Thiong'O who once said:

"Our pen should be used to increase the anxieties of the oppressive regimes. At the very least, the pen should be used to murder their sleep by constantly reminding them of their crimes against the people and making them know that they are being seen. The pen might not always be mightier than the sword; but used in the service of the truth, it can be a mighty force."

On the 24th of June 1996 some of the political prisoners detained illegally by the military junta were releases. They are as follows:

1. Dr Tunji Abayomi, president Human Rights Africa and a lawyer to the detained former Nigerian Head of State - General Olusegun Obasanjo
2. Mr Nosa Igiebor, Editor-in-Chief, Tell Magazine Nigeria
3. Chief Ayo Opadokun, Secretary-General of NADECO (National Democratic Coalition)
4. Mr Fred Eno, Bashorun Abiola's personal assistant

Meanwhile, on the 9th of April 1996, the Nigerian University lecturers (ASUU) went on an indefinite nationwide "full-blown" strike in protest against their poor welfare, general funding of the universities, human rights violations and the autonomy of the ivory towers. But on the 15th of May 1996 the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) was illegally banned by the Nigerian military rulers via the Federal Ministry of Education and the National University Commission (NUC).

The battle is still very "hot" in Nigeria. But recently, the military rulers are funny people! They sacked all the university lecturers. They are also criminally planning to eject all the Nigerian University lecturers from their official quarters. Save Nigerian education! Education is a powerful weapon against poverty, disease, hunger, starvation, and ignorance.

Chief Gani Oyesola Fawehinnu - Nigerian frontline human rights activist and a radical lawyer, was unlawfully arrested on January 30th 1996 by the Nigerian military junta. Despite his horrible state of health he is still being held by the junta. He has no access to his families, doctors, friends etc. He was detained under the barbaric Decree 2 of 1984 (Detention of persons without trials). His prison term has now been extended by three months again. This is an open violation of his fundamental human rights!

Few weeks ago Miss Nike Ransome-Kuti, a lawyer by profession and the first daughter of the detained Chairman of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) in Nigeria, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, was allowed to pay a visity to her detained father. His state of health is deteriorating every day with little or no medical attention given to him and other political prisoners.

There is also a strong proposal by the Nigerian military ruler - General Sani Abacha to create more states in order to divide the Nigerian people ethnically, socially, economically, and politically. Currently, we have 30 states in Nigeria.

Since the June 4th 1996 gruesome murder of Mrs Kudirat Olayinka Abiola (wife of the detained president-elect Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola) many innocent and law-abiding Nigerians have been illegally embarassed, intimidated and arrested. They are still in detention. They believed they are all suspects to the untimely gruesome murder of Mrs Kudirat Abiola. Why are they still chasing shadows? Who really assassinated Kudirat Abiola? May her patriotic soul rest in perfect peace. Goodbye our heroine.

I will like to end this information with the saying of the late Nigerian foremost elder statesman, Dr Benjamin Nnandi Azikwe who once said in his poem thus