Nigerian Warship Deployed

The Nigerian government announced yesterday it had deployed a warship to protect its ally Equatorial Guinea after the oil-rich West African nation claimed it had thwarted a coup plot.

Equatorial Guinea's president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, accused an exiled opposition group of scheming with foreign mercenaries to topple him earlier this month.

"A ship has been deployed," said a Nigerian presidential adviser, Remi Oyo. "Nigeria shares very cordial relations with Equatorial Guinea."

President Obiang, in power since 1979, has accused Severo Moto, an opposition leader who has formed a government-in-exile in Spain, of plotting his overthrow. Mr Moto denies his claims.

Zimbabwe detained 70 men of various nationalities this month and has charged them with plotting to kill President Obiang and his bodyguards. The men deny the charges. Zimbabwe accused US, British and Spanish spy agencies of involvement - a charge all three reject.

Equatorial Guinea, sub-Saharan Africa's third biggest oil producer, has also arrested 20 alleged mercenaries, mostly South Africans.

Mr Obiang has accused unidentified foreign powers and multinational companies of financing the plot.