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Plea for Taylor's arrest

Nigeria was under pressure from a U.N. war crimes tribunal to arrest the former Liberian President, Charles Taylor, on Sunday, as concerns grew that he might flee to evade trial. U.N. prosecutor Desmond de Silva said he had asked Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to arrest Mr. Taylor ``to avoid the possibility of him using his wealth and associates to slip away, with grave consequences to the stability of the region.'' Mr. Taylor, who is wanted on war crimes charges in neighbouring Sierra Leone, was granted refuge in Nigeria in 2003. But earlier this month Liberia's new President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, formally called for his extradition, and on Saturday Mr. Obasanjo said Liberia was free to take him into custody. —

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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