RIOTS IN lAGOS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30636, 30 December 1964, Page 9

RIOTS IN lAGOS

Deadlock On Election (N.Z.P. A.-Reuter —Copyright) LAGOS, Dec. 29. Riot police, using truncheons and shields, broke up a demonstration by some 2000 people outside State House, the official seafront residence of President Nnamdi Azikiwe in Lagos yesterday. The demonstration was organised by the United Progressive Grand Alliance (U.P.G.A.), one of Nigeria’s two major political groups, in support of their request for a postponement of Wednesday’s first federal elections in the country. Scores of riot police struggled with the demonstrators as they surged forward in an attempt to break the police cordon mounted at State House’s main gate. No serious incidents were reported. Earlier, a motorised column of the Nigerian Army paraded through the centre of Lagos in battle order with fixed bayonets soon before the demonstration was due to take place. The Army Commander-in-Chief, General C. E. WelbeyEverard, said the parade was to show the people of Lagos the Army was ready in case of trouble. The country’s leaders reached deadlock after talks yesterday on whether the election should take place next Wednesday. President Azikiwe and the Prime Minister, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, met for one hour and 45 minutes, and, according to an official statement issued afterwards, disagreed on the issue.