Nigeria is facing one of the most serious human rights crises which it has experienced in the past 34 years. The military government of General Sani Abacha has silenced the opposition, not only in the press and in the streets, but also in the courts. People have been detained on account of their non-violent political views and activities, including prominent people such as Moshood Abiola, currently in need of medical attention, and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa. Since 1990, hundreds of civilians have been killed in the oil-producing Niger delta inhabited by the Ogoni and other ethnic groups who have been seeking more political autonomy and compensation for environmental damage to their land by oil companies, in particular Shell.
