The Death of MKO Abiola

The Nigerian opposition leader died suddenly just days before his expected release from prison in July 1998. MKO Abiola appeared to have won Nigeria's presidential election in 1993, but the vote was annulled by the military, and Abiola was later arrested. He'd been held by the military regime for more than four years, but following the death of General Abacha, he was due to be released. We hear from former US diplomat, Ambassador Thomas Pickering, who met Abiola shortly before he died. Photo: Chief MKO Abiola after his arrest by the military regime of Sani Abacha in 1994/ STR/AFP/Getty Images