Nigeria police held over deaths

Abuja, 02 March-(ANA)-A "significant number" of Nigerian police officers have been arrested over the alleged extra-judicial killing of members of the Boko Haram sect in 2009.

News agency AP reported that 17 officers were held.

Al-Jazeera TV last month showed footage of alleged police killings.

Boko Haram attacked a police station in the northern city of Maiduguri, leading to days of clashes and hundreds of deaths - mostly sect members.

Police spokesman Yemi Ajayi said the al-Jazeera broadcast had led to the arrests and those detained had been taken to Abuja for questioning.

The footage apparently shows police officers telling a group of young men to lie face down and then shooting them at close range.

The AFP news agency quoted a police source as saying the the arrests were carried out on the orders of the acting President Goodluck Jonathan. (ANA)

FA/ANA/02 March 2010----