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Nigeria- Researched and Compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Monday 6, Tuesday 7 & Wednesday 8 January 2014

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Nigeria- Researched and Compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Monday 6, Tuesday 7 & Wednesday 8 January 2014 Nigeria- Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Monday 6, Tuesday 7 & Wednesday 8 January 2014 Information on MASSOB including: Date of formation; A Human Rights Watch report issued in July 2005 states: “Since its formation in 1999, members of MASSOB…” (Human Rights Watch (July 2005) “Rest in Pieces”, Police Torture and Deaths in Custody in Nigeria, p.34). An article on MASSOB published in March 2003 by IRIN News notes: “The group's leader, Ralph Uwazuruike, and 300 other members were subsequently arrested and taken into custody…Uwazuruike founded MASSOB in 1999 with the aim of reviving the 1967 secession of southeastern Nigeria - dominated by the Ibo ethnic group - as Biafra, which resulted in the three years of civil war” (IRIN News (31 March 2003) Nigeria: Seven killed as police clash with separatists). Research issued in August 2009 by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in August 2009 notes: “Formed in 1999…the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) campaigns for the independence of the Igbo people, who are predominant in southeastern Nigeria…” (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (14 August 2009) Nigeria: Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), including its leaders and the recruitment of its members, whether cards or other documents are issued to members (July 2005 - August 2009)). Legal status; A report published by Agence France Presse in November 2012 notes: “…banned Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)” (Agence France Presse (5 November 2012) Nigerian police arrest over 100 'Biafran separatists'). A report issued in April 2013 by the United States Department of State commenting on events of the preceding year notes: “On May 8, the chief magistrate’s court sitting in Asaba, Delta State, sentenced six men to prison for wearing regalia of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and for announcing their membership in the organization” (United States Department of State (19 April 2013) 2012 Human Rights Reports: Nigeria, Section 1d Arbitrary Arrest or Detention/Arrest Procedures and Treatment While in Detention/Arbitrary arrest). This Day in September 2011 states: “An Enugu Magistrate Court, presided over by Hon. Dennis Ekoh, yesterday discharged and acquitted the Leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazurike, and 280 members of the organisation. Uwazurike and his men were remanded in prison custody on August 25 following a four-count charge preferred against them by the police. They were charged for conspiring to overthrow the five south east governors, treason, belonging to an illegal organisation, and engaging in acts capable of causing breach of the law and order in Enugu state” (This Day (2 September 2011) Court Frees Uwazurike, 280 MASSOB Members). Funding of Organisation; No information on this issue could be found among sources available to the RDC. Location of HQ; The Nigerian Tribune in November 2013 states: “…a joint team of the army, the police and men of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) stormed MASSOB headquarters on the Onitsha-Owerri road and allegedly opened fire on their members, which resulted in the death of four persons, while scores sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds” (Nigerian Tribune (12 November 2013) Onitsha: 4 die in clash between MASSOB, armed forces). Research issued in June 2008 by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada notes: “Several sources consulted by the Research Directorate indicate that the headquarters of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) are located in Okwe, Imo State…Okwe is situated in southeastern Imo State…in the Okigwe district…” (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (24 June 2008) Nigeria: The address of the head office of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and when it was acquired; the address of the MASSOB International head office and when it was acquired; whether MASSOB writes letters of support on behalf of MASSOB members; if so, the appearance and content of the letterhead of the MASSOB head office). A publication in June 2007 by IHS Global Insight notes: “The groups headquarters are in Okwe in the Okigwe district of Imo State” (IHS Global Insight (29 June 2007) Calls for Release of MASSOB Separatist Leader Intensify in Nigeria). Agence France Presse in January 2007 points out that: “…Okwe, where MASSOB has its headquarters, in southeastern Imo State” (Agence France Presse (30 January 2007) Security forces break up Nigerian separatist meeting). Location of the Onitsha office; A report issued in March 2013 by the Society for Threatened Peoples “Some 16 activists of the "Movement for the Actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra" (MASSOB) were and 83 others injured as combined teams of army, police and other security services raided the offices of the group in Onitsha (Anambra State) on June 4, 2012” (Society for Threatened Peoples (4 March 2013) Submission to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of Nigeria). No further information on this issue could be found among sources available to the RDC. Activity between January 2012-January 2014. The Vanguard in December 2013 states: “One person was reportedly killed yesterday in Onitsha while 10 others sustained various degrees of injuries during a clash between the police and members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB” (Vanguard (28 December 2013) One killed, 10 injured as police, MASSOB clash in Onitsha). The Nigerian Tribune in November 2013 states: “At least, four persons were allegedly killed when members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) clashed with the joint security team in Onitsha” (Nigerian Tribune (12 November 2013) Onitsha: 4 die in clash between MASSOB, armed forces). In June 2013 The Sun notes: “No fewer than 10 members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), yesterday sustained injuries when they clashed with police at Nnobi and Awka-Etiti both in Idemili South Local Governmentl Area of Anambra State. MASSOB members were said to have been holding a rally to mobilise support for the June 8 sit-at-home order, which the organisation issued to the Igbos” (The Sun (5 June 2013) 10 injured as MASSOB clashes with police over June 8 sit-at-home). In May 2013 Vanguard states: “Commercial activities and vehicular movements were paralyzed for hours, Tuesday, in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State following a peaceful demonstration by over 1000 members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Brafia, MASSOB, to rehearse their proposed June 8 sit-at-home order” (Vanguard (14 May 2013) Nigeria: Onitsha Stands Still As MASSOB Members Protest). A report published in May 2013 by The Sun notes: “Fourteen members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), who were on their way to Okwe in a chartered vehicle were yesterday arrested by soldiers at a checkpoint at Nkwoagu along Abakaliki-Afikpo Road for hoisting Biafran flag” (The Sun (8 May 2013) 14 MASSOB members arrested for hoisting Biafran flag). A report issued in August 2012 by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Dataset points out that: “The month also saw some activity by MASSOB, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, which had been inactive to date this year, in which individual members were involved in small-scale attacks on civilians” (Armed Conflict Location and Event Dataset (10 August 2012) Conflict trends (no.5): real-time analysis of African political violence, August 2012, p.5). In June 2012 an article about MASSOB by IHS Global Insight states: “Raids were carried out against suspected hideouts of Biafran separatists by Nigerian security forces in Anambra state yesterday (6 June), resulting in at least one death and several arrests” (IHS Global Insight (7 June 2012) Nigerian Security Forces Raid Suspected Biafran Separatist Hideouts). Information on Biafra including: Biafran flag description; A BBC News story published in December 2012 includes a photograph depicting the Biafran flag (BBC News (21 December 2012) The Biafrans who still dream of leaving Nigeria). In November 2013 Flags of the World includes the following description: “The Republic of Biafra was formed in Eastern Nigeria on 30 May 1967 had a flag of red, black and green, horizontally, with a rising sun from the Coat of Arms (of the old Eastern Province) in gold in the centre” (Flags of the World (28 November 2013) Republic of Biafra). The homepage of The Biafra Network includes numerous depictions of the Biafran flag (The Biafra Network (Undated) Homepage). Date of Biafran Day; A document issued in May 2002 by Biafraland notes: “May 30 1967: Biafra Independence Day” (Biafraland (30 May 2002) Biafra Independence Day Reflection). A report published in May 2007 by BBC News points out that: “Nearly four decades after Nigeria's bloody civil war ended, some young men calling themselves "freedom fighters" are trying to re-open old wounds. They want to revive Biafra's crushed secession bid, launched on 30 May 1967…” (BBC News (30 May 2007) Reopening Nigeria's civil war wounds). In May 2008 This Day notes: “No fewer than two persons were allegedly shot dead yesterday as security swooped on the members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), who were celebrating Biafra Day at Aba” (This Day (31 May 2008) Nigeria: Two Feared Dead As Massob Celebrates Biafra). A publication by Africa Development in 2009 points out that: “…MASSOB and its sister-organizations have embarked on the acquisition of most of the appurtenances of a sovereign state, except a national army.
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