51.   South Africa has been active in attempting to persuade Nigerian military ruler Sani Abacha to return the West African country to civilian rule.

52.   Taylor arrived Thursday in the Nigerian capital Abuja and was to hold talks on the dragging Liberian peace process with Nigerian military ruler General Sani Abacha, Reffel said.

53.   The Commonwealth observer team, led by Nigerian former military ruler Abdulsalami Abubakar, included several eminent persons from African countries.

54.   The general stepped down the next year, becoming the only Nigerian military ruler ever voluntarily to hand over power to elected civilians.

55.   The general stepped down the next year, becoming the only Nigerian military ruler ever voluntarily to hand over to elected civilians.

56.   The meeting had been scheduled to open Monday in Togo but a source close to Nigerian military ruler Sani Abacha said Sunday he would not attend.

57.   The Nigerian military ruler has rebuffed local and international appeals to show clemency to jailed opponents and pro-democracy activists.