Umaru Yar'Adua

(Newser) - Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adau died yesterday after a long illness. Yar'Adua, 58, became president in 2007 in the first transfer of power from one civilian leader to another since Nigeria's independence in 1960. He promised to stamp out corruption and end a long-running insurgency in the country's oil-rich south, but...

(Newser) - Some Nigerians suspect their president, who split the country in late November, complaining of chest pains, and has not made a public appearance since, could in fact be dead. Umaru Yar’Adua has failed to weigh in on critical state decisions, and was even mum on the Christmas terror attempt...

(Newser) - Five expat contractors were taken abducted yesterday during an attack on a Shell oil rig in the Niger Delta, just as a rebel group responsible for many similar attacks called off a one-month truce. The hostages include two New Zealanders, one Australian, one Lebanese and one Venezuelan; more than 200...

(Newser) - The ruling party candidate has won Nigeria's presidential election by a landslide, sparking fears that political unrest could compromise the supply of oil in Africa's largest producer. Umar Yar'Adua was declared the winner of Saturday's election yesterday with 70% of the vote, ending a campaign marked by intimidation, ballot-stuffing, and...