Nigerians seek Taylor trial

By Anna Borzello
BBC, Nigeria

Taylor has been living in exile from Liberia

A court in Nigeria's capital has resumed preliminary hearings in a case against the former Liberian president.

Charles Taylor has been in exile in south-east Nigeria since last August, after its government gave him asylum.

The prosecution want Mr Taylor's asylum to be lifted so that he can face charges of war crimes against humanity in the UN-backed Sierra Leone tribunal.

The tribunal accuses him of supporting the RUF rebel movement in return for a share of Sierra Leone's diamond wealth.

The case in Abuja is brought by two Nigerian businessmen who travelled to Sierra Leone in 1999, and say that while they were there they were mutilated by rebels of the Revolutionary United Front.

Emmanuel Egbuna had both his hands severed at the wrist, while David Anyaele lost his arms and was then set alight.

The men claim the rebels were acting on the orders of then Liberian president Mr Taylor.

Asylum

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo granted Mr Taylor asylum last year on the condition that he does not involve himself in the peace process in Liberia, but the lawyers for the two men are challenging the legitimacy of the move.

Mr Taylor has been living in exile with family and friends in the quiet Nigerian town of Calabar since last year, and the Nigerian government has so far resisted local and international pressure to hand him over to the war crimes tribunal.

In a public address last week, Mr Obasanjo said it was a matter of honour and that he would only hand over Mr Taylor to an elected Liberian government.