Nigerian head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar said yesterday that his country’s troops should pull out of Sierra Leone by the end of May 1999, news agencies said. It was the first time Nigeria had expressed a desire to withdraw troops by a particular date, AFP reported. It quoted Abubakar as saying that his government wished for the restoration of peace in Sierra Leone “so that Nigerian troops in that country could be withdrawn before May 29, when a civil democratic government will be inaugurated in Nigeria.” Meanwhile, Abubakar said Nigeria would encourage dialogue between the Sierra Leonean government and the rebel groups there following the stabilisation of the situation in Freetown, Nigerian television, monitored by the BBC, reported yesterday.
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