According to a 18 December 1993 report by the Xinhua General Overseas News Service, the Nigerian army has denied that there was a coup attempt to overthrow the military government. An army spokesperson claimed that the coup attempt was only a "rumour and baseless" (ibid.). The same source stated that the rumour of a coup was the first since General Abacha seized power in Nigeria on 17 November 1993.

The above information from The Xinhua General Overseas News Service is corroborated by a Nigerian professor of political science at the University of Texas at Austin in an unpublished paper entitled "The Military and the Nigerian Society: Explaining the 1993 General Sani Abacha Coup," (Ihonvbere n.d., 26) and by another Nigerian professor of politics and history at York University in Toronto (5 July 1994). However, the information provided by the professor from the University of Texas did not elaborate on the date that the rumoured coup attempt was to have taken place and stated that "[the coup] was to eliminate Abacha himself" (Ihonvbere n.d., 26).

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Ihonvbere, Julius O. n.d. "The Military and the Nigerian Society: Explaining the 1993 General Sani Abacha Coup." (Unpublished paper, University of Texas, Austin).

Professor of politics and religion, York University, Toronto. 5 July 1994. Telephone interview.

Ihonvbere, Julius O. n.d. "The Military and the Nigerian Society: Explaining the 1993 General Sani Abacha Coup." (Unpublished paper, University of Texas, Austin), pp. 23-26.

The Xinhua General Overseas News Service. 18 December 1993. "Nigerian Army Denies Coup Attempt." (NEXIS)

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