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12 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 58/1998
Detained Nigerian oilworkers' leaders Milton Dabibi and Frank Kokori are to be released immediately, news reports say.
Nigerian Head of State Major-General Abdusalam Abubakar reportedly announced the decision to free them and a number of other detainees within the past hour.
It is not known if the two union leaders have already left prison, or whether any conditions are attached to their release.
Frank Kokori, General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union NUPENG, has been detained without charge or trial since 1994, and Milton Dabibi, General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union PENGASSAN, since January 1996.
Both unions are affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which has been leading an international trade union campaign for Dabibi's and Kokori's release. Other organisations campaigning on their behalf include Amnesty International, which has recognised both men as prisoners of conscience.
"On the face of it, this is excellent news," commented ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe this evening. "We are now waiting impatiently to hear that Milton Dabibi and Frank Kokori really have been released, that they are in reasonable health and that they are free to resume their work as the elected leaders of Nigeria's oil and gas workers."
The ICEM will give further news and comment as soon as more details are known.
Nigerian Head of State Major-General Abdusalam Abubakar reportedly announced the decision to free them and a number of other detainees within the past hour.
It is not known if the two union leaders have already left prison, or whether any conditions are attached to their release.
Frank Kokori, General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union NUPENG, has been detained without charge or trial since 1994, and Milton Dabibi, General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union PENGASSAN, since January 1996.
Both unions are affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which has been leading an international trade union campaign for Dabibi's and Kokori's release. Other organisations campaigning on their behalf include Amnesty International, which has recognised both men as prisoners of conscience.
"On the face of it, this is excellent news," commented ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe this evening. "We are now waiting impatiently to hear that Milton Dabibi and Frank Kokori really have been released, that they are in reasonable health and that they are free to resume their work as the elected leaders of Nigeria's oil and gas workers."
The ICEM will give further news and comment as soon as more details are known.