The Nigerian army says that it has foiled an attempted coup, and has arrested a number of senior officers.

It says they include Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya, regarded as second in command to the Nigerian military leader, General Sani Abacha.

Although diplomats report hearing shootings in the federal capital Abuja late on Saturday, there is no independent confirmation of a coup taking place.

Two former ministers are also among those detained - Major General Abdulkarim Adisa and Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju - as well as General Abacha's number two, Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya.

Abacha: promising a return to civilian rule

An official statement on Nigerian television appealed for people to remain calm and go about their usual business.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation of more than 104 million people, has been under military rule for all but ten years since independence from Britain.

General Abacha came to power after the annulment of a presidential election in 1993, which a millionaire businessman, Moshood Abiola had been poised to win. The following year, Chief Abiola was jailed for treason after declaring himself president.

The BBC West Africa correspondent says it may be significant that the three senior officers detained are ethnic Yorubas from southwest Nigeria, which has been the centre of political opposition to the military regime. Chief Abiola is also an ethnic Yoruba.

Nigeria -- the most populous country in Africa -- has been ruled by the military for all but ten years since it gained independence from Britain in 1960.

General Abacha has promised to return Nigeria to civilian rule in October next year, but his plan for doing so has attracted criticism inside and outside the country. Opponents of the military regime say they have been prevented from registering their political parties.

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