ARMED RIOT POLICE SURROUNDED THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING IN LAGOS, NIGERIA, YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) AT THE BEGINNING OF THE HEARING OF AN APPEAL BY CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO AGAINST A TEN-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR TREASONABLE FELONY AND CONSPIRACY. THE HEARING IS EXPECTED TO LAST ABOUT THREE WEEKS AND POLICE HAVE MADE ELABORATE SECURITY PLANS TO MEET POSSIBLE DEMONSTRATIONS BY CHIEF AWOLOWO'S FOLLOWERS. APPEALS BY THE 16 OTHER MEN CONVICTED WITH CHIEF AWOLOWO LAST NOVEMBER WILL ALSO BE HEARD. CHIEF AWOLOWO WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE APPELLANTS WHO DID NOT APPEAR YESTERDAY IN COURT. HE WAS FORMERLY THE LEADER OF THE ACTION GROUP OPPOSITION PARTY IN THE NIGERIAN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT.

POLICE INSISTED ON SEARCHING EVERYONE WHO ENTERED THE COURTROOM,INCLUDING BARRISTERS. INSIDE THE COURTROOM, POLICE LINED THE WALLS AS THE PUBLIC GALLERY FILLED WITH WITNESSES. THE ONLY OUTSIDERS PRESENT, EXCLUDING REPORTERS, WERE DIPLOMATIC OBSERVERS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES.