As if tribal and ethnic politics weren't murky enough in Nigeria, the civilian puppet of a power-hungry general was overthrown this week by another general who is establishing an outright military regime. The biggest casualty is the demolition of what was left of the country's democratic institutions. The people of that country are losing hope in the future.
Despite hopes for a return to civilian rule, Nigeria has been playing military musical chairs for at least a decade. The coups usually occur under the pretense of democratic "reform" but are really just grabs for power in an ethnically divided and polarized nation.Gen. Sani Abacha, who helped engineer the 1983 coup that toppled Nigeria's last elected government, this week deposed interim President Ernest Shonekan. The president himself had been put in office as the crony of another general, one Abraham Babangida, who voided last summer's election and personally ruled for several months.
Abacha, as the new leader, eliminated all 30 state governments, the federal legislature, the civilian Cabinet and all local councils, filling each body with military appointees. Army brigade commanders have begun taking over from elected civilian officials in several cities. All political activity also has been banned.
Abacha promises a new democratic system - someday. In the meantime, the regime will be "firm, humane and decisive." Any troublemakers will be "dealt with," the general pledged. So much for humanitarianism.
While Nigeria is not of critical strategic interest to the United States, it does occupy a key role as Africa's biggest nation, with 90 million people. As a result, Washington feels it must react in some fashion to the crushing of democracy in that country.
The Clinton administration already cut off financial assistance and military training last summer after the election was voided and is considering more punitive steps in dealing with the new regime. A partial economic embargo seems the most likely response, probably in concert with the United Nations.