He and eight other Ogoni activists were hanged after a secret military tribunal found them guilty of the murder of four Ogoni chiefs by a mob.

The execution was directed by Nigeria’s then military ruler Sani Abacha.

Britain’s Prime Minister in 1995 John Major called it judicial murder and considered punitive measures with his then US counterpart Bill Clinton. 

South Africa’s recently elected President Nelson Mandela denounced Abacha as “an insensitive  frightened dictator  who used a kangaroo court to execute innocent men.”

Mandatory action by the United Nations Security Council was ruled out because of the danger of it being blocked by China and Russia.

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