Gaddafi causes scene at Nigerian airport

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, was involved in an airport argument upon arriving in Nigeria for a summit yesterday, according to the BBC.

The ostentatious head of state always travels with his group of female bodyguards, however, his security team's armaments caused a delay in his journey.

Nigerian officials stated that airport security refused to let Mr Gaddafi's 200 heavily armed guards keep their weapons before embarking on the journey to Nigeria's capital, Abuja.

The Libyan leader became incensed by this policy and promptly threatened to walk the many miles to the capital, however, he was eventually persuaded back to the airport lounge.

By chance, the Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo was passing and attempted to diffuse the row which had ignited.

After suggestions of registering the weapons were objected, the Libyan party eventually backed down and accepted the provision of eight pistols, which is standard for diplomatic security teams.

Colonel Gaddafi led a coup almost three decades ago to overthrow the monarchy in Libya. Recently the 64-year-old has attempted to renew ties with the west and display less of a maverick image.