gelatik
09.03.02, 00:36
At least two students have been killed in Nigeria after a rally by the ruling
People's Democratic Party.
They were shot dead by police in the south-eastern town of Warri.
Violence broke out when students began protesting at the rally and were
attacked by PDP supporters, according to eye-witnesses.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, from the PDP, last month warned that violence
threatened to engulf the country and derail democracy.
At least 10,000 people have been killed in religious and ethnic violence since
Mr Obasanjo was elected to power in 1999, ending years of military rule.
New presidential elections are due next year. Mr Obasanjo has not yet said if
he will stand for re-election.
Kidnap attempt
Students at the Petroleum Training Institute used the PDP meeting to demand
their outstanding grants from Delta State Governor, James Ibori.
Mr Ibori is from the PDP and party activists reportedly attacked the students.
The BBC's Robert Efenakpo in Warri says that two people were shot by police
after they attempted to abduct Mr Ibori.
However a student leader says that more people may have died.
"Eight of our students were killed at the rally... we will not allow political
rallies on our campus again," said a student union official, quoted by Reuters
news agency.
Earlier this week, Nigeria's police chief Inspector Musiliu Smith was dismissed
amid concern about rising crime and violence.
He was replaced by Tafa Balogun, the general inspector in the capital, Abuja,
who has been in the force for over 25 years.
The Nigerian authorities feel that the general public has lost respect for and
confidence in the police force.
