17 October 1995
The Nigerian Government announced details of the final sentences of the alleged coup plotters on 10 October. The Nigerian authorities have described the commutations as "an act of unprecedented magnanimity".
The Australian Government continues to deplore the fact that the alleged coup plotters were tried and sentenced behind closed doors, with no right to legal representation of their choice and no right to appeal. The lack of transparency of this process means that is has been impossible for outside observers to be aware of, much less to assess, the evidence against the accused.
In the case of General Obasanjo, the decision to reduce to 15 years imprisonment the life sentence against someone who is 58 years old and suffering from diabetes, makes little practical difference. Moreover, the charges against General Obasanjo remain unsubstantiated.
The Australian government will continue to urge General Abacha to grant a general amnesty for political dissidents currently detained, as a demonstration of his government's willingness to allow full participation by Nigerians in the forthcoming transition to civilian rule.