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![]() Friday, February 13, 1998 Published at 18:30 GMT ![]() ![]() ![]() World: Africa ![]() Nigerian-led force captures Sierra Leonean ministers ![]() Nigerian-led troops now hold much of Freetown
Several senior officials of Sierra Leone's military government are reported to have been detained as Nigerian-led forces consolidate their control of the capital, Freetown.
The Ecomog intervention force commander, Major-General Timothy Shelpidi, told the BBC that the officials were intercepted flying over
Liberia in two helicopters.
They were escorted to an airfield in the Liberian capital Monrovia. The 25 passengers and crew are being questioned by Ecomog, which is seeking to oust the military government in Sierra Leone.
"They are officials, including some ministers of the junta.
We do not know their full identities yet but we are
investigating," General Shelpidi told Reuters.
There is no word of the whereabouts of Major Johnny Koroma, the leader of last year's coup which ousted the elected civilian government.
He said Ecomog's actions had been justified because diplomatic efforts to topple the military government had failed.
Ecomog tightens grip on the capital
General Shelpidi told the BBC that his troops had captured control of 95% of Freetown. The State House, the headquarters of the military regime, and the parliament building have both been taken.
However, a spokesman for the Sierra Leonean military government denied they had been pushed out of the capital altogether.
Speaking before the two helicopters were captured, the Sierra Leonean Information Minister, Alliou Kamara, was in defiant mood. He claimed Freetown was just the beginning of the battle.
"We are not going to give ourselves up. This is just the beginning of the battle," said Mr Kamara. "Sierra Leone is ours. This is just the beginning of the battle because our men are determined to defend the sovereignty of this country."
Meanwhile, the United Nations said aid agencies in the west African country had reported that all stocks of food and medicine had run out or been looted during heavy fighting.
Eyewitnesses in Freetown said people had begun appearing on the streets, celebrating the arrival of the Nigerian soldiers.
The residents said dead bodies were lying on the streets and that the main hospital was overwhelmed.
About 250,000 people are reported to have been displaced by the fighting and there is a serious shortage of food.
Fears for civilian population
For nearly a week, the Nigerians have been trying to oust the military regime in Sierra Leone and restore the civilian government overthrown last year.
Sergio Viera de Mello, the UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said he was deeply concerned about the welfare of civilians and aid workers affected by the fighting, especially in Freetown.
More than 3,000 people have taken refuge in the compound of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Warnings of food shortages
The United Nations World Food Programme says the fighting will have a disastrous effect on people already facing serious food shortages. It estimates nearly 250,000 Sierra Leoneans and Liberians now need urgent assistance.
Nigeria received a diplomatic mandate from the UN and West African heads of state to mount sanctions against the military government after it overthrew the elected civilian government last May.
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