Police fired tear gas at the residence of Nigerian vice-president Atiku Abubakar and arrested several of his supporters, signalling a new low in his worsening relations with President Olusegun Obasanjo, said a spokesperson on Friday.
Garba Shehu, the vice-president’s spokesperson, said a convoy of buses carrying Abubakar’s supporters arrived at Abubakar’s official residence on Thursday, and after clearing security, the supporters were set upon by armed policemen.
Shehu said: “Tear gas was liberally used creating a thick haze in front of the official residence and around the compound.”
Though Abubakar was inside the building at the time, he was not affected by the tear gas, said Shehu. A statement by Abubakar’s campaign office said five people were arrested.
Nigerian police spokesperson Haz Iwendi had no comment.
Nigeria’s top two officials fell out publicly last year after Obasanjo accused Abubakar of disloyalty and alleged the president was plotting to extend his rule beyond the two terms permitted by the constitution.
An attempt to amend the constitution to remove the two-term limit was defeated in parliament in May and Abubakar had signalled his intention to run for president in elections due in April 2007.
Obasanjo had forwarded a report accusing Abubakar of corruption to parliament, which had the power to remove him.
The vice-president, who had been suspended from the ruling People’s Democratic Party, had in turn accused Obasanjo of corruption.