Nigerian Justice Minister shot to death in raid on his home

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) -- Nigeria's justice minister was shot and killed by one of several unidentified attackers who broke into his home in the southeastern city of Ibadan, government officials and family members said Monday.

Bola Ige died around 10 p.m. on Sunday evening after being shot once in the chest, according to Bose Ehindero, a relative of Ige who answered the phone at Ige's residence Monday morning.

An aide to President Olusegun Obasanjo, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the death without giving details. The Nigerian leader canceled a planned visit to Zimbabwe as soon as he heard the news, the aide said.

Motives behind the slaying had yet to determined, although the Lagos daily newspaper ThisDay speculated the killing could be linked to a violent political feud between the governor and his deputy in the southeastern Osun State.

Last week, an Osun State legislator Odunayo Olagbaju, was bludgeoned to death outside his home, sparking riots in the city of Ife, where at least five people were reported killed. Olagbaju had been a supporter of Osun deputy governor Iyiola Omisore.

Ige had apparently backed Osun State Gov. Bamidele Adebisi Akande, ThisDay said.

Ige, 71, was one of the most outspoken campaigners for democracy under Nigeria's former military rulers. He is also the founder of one of the West African country's three registered political parties, the Alliance for Democracy. Just weeks ago, Ige had been chosen to serve in 2002 on the prestigious 34-member United Nations international law commission.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation with 120 million people, is regularly rocked by violent feuding along political, ethnic or religious lines.