Bishops in plea to Gen Abacha

Lagos - Catholic bishops in Nigeria have urged military ruler Gen Sani Abacha to free political detainees and not to contest next year's presidential poll, a church spokesman said yesterday. Father Emmanuel Badejo said the bishops made the plea at the end of their biannual conference in the south-eastern city of Uyo last weekend, adding that the two actions would make the transition to civil rule programme of the military more credible.