Airport shutdown, brigands leave Nigerian capital isolated

Foreign travelers planning to reach the Nigerian capital, Abuja, next month have two choices: make a 15-hour drive from the southern commercial hub of Lagos or fly to the northern city of Kaduna and ride through an area plagued by kidnappers and gunmen. The authorities plan to close AbujaÕs airport for six weeks March 8 to repair potholes on the 35-year-old runway that have damaged planesÕ landing gear. British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France and South African Airways declined the govtÕs suggestion to divert their flights to Kaduna. KadunaÕs attractiveness dimmed Feb 23 when two German archaeologists were kidnapped in a village off the road to the capital. The airport in Abuja handles 3m passengers a year.<br/>