ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 23, 1990                   TAG: 9004230290
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A/8   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: LAGOS, NIGERIA                                LENGTH: Short

NIGERIAN LEADER SAYS COUP FOILED

Military ruler Gen. Ibrahim Babangida claims his troops crushed a coup attempt after fierce fighting with rebel soldiers, who said they aimed to end domination of the government by Moslem northerners.

The mutineers, led by middle-ranking officers, attacked before dawn Sunday in the West African nation's capital and engaged loyalist forces for about 11 hours in gun and mortar battles.

They captured state-run Radio Nigeria offices and announced that the government had been overthrown. But President Babangida's forces later retook the station after what state media described as "heavy bombardment and sporadic shooting."

There was no word on how many people were killed in the fighting, but reporters said casualties appeared heavy.

The rebellion apparently was led by officers opposed to traditional domination by Moslem northerners over the central and southern states, which are mainly Christian and animist.

- Associated Press 


 by CNB