Report Fact-finding trip to Nigeria (Abuja, Lagos and Benin City) 12-26 March 2006 By: Geir Skogseth – Regional Adviser Landinfo – The Country of Origin Information Centre The Country of Origin Information Centre (Landinfo) is an independent body that collects and analyses information on current human rights situations and issues in foreign countries. It provides the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (Utlendingsdirektoratet – UDI), Norway’s Immigration Appeals Board (Utlendingsnemnda – UNE) and the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion (Arbeids- og inkluderingsdepartementet – AID) with the information they need to perform their functions. The reports produced by Landinfo are based on information from both public and non-public sources. The information is collected and analysed in accordance with source criticism standards. When, for whatever reason, a source does not wish to be named in a public report, the name is kept confidential. Landinfo’s reports are not intended to suggest what Norwegian immigration authorities should do in individual cases; nor do they express official Norwegian views on the issues and countries analysed in them. © Landinfo 2006 The material in this report is covered by copyright law. Any reproduction or publication of this report or any extract thereof other than as permitted by current Norwegian copyright law requires the explicit written consent of Landinfo. For information on all of the reports published by Landinfo, please contact: Landinfo Country of Origin Information Centre Storgata 33A P.O. Box 8108 Dep NO-0032 Oslo Norway Tel: +47 23 30 94 70 Fax: +47 23 30 90 00 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.landinfo.no Nigeria – Fact-finding 13-25 March 2006 – THIS DOCUMENT IS PUBLIC LANDINFO – AUGUST 2006 2 Contents 1. Introduction........................................................................................................ 5 2. The general political and socio-economic situation in Nigeria ...................... 7 2.1 Economic and social rights..................................................................................... 7 2.2 Civil and political rights ......................................................................................... 7 2.2.1 The death penalty ........................................................................................................... 8 2.2.2 The position of the National Human Rights Commission .............................................. 8 2.3 Nigerian migration.................................................................................................. 8 2.3.1 Nigerian asylum seekers in the region ........................................................................... 8 2.4 Support networks.................................................................................................... 9 2.4.1 Religious congregations................................................................................................. 9 2.4.2 Pentecostal congregations as support networks ............................................................ 9 3. Regional and ethnic movements ..................................................................... 11 3.1 Ethnic and religious balance as an underlying source of political tension in Nigeria 11 3.1.1 Ethnic balance and the question of rotation of the presidency between regions ......... 12 3.1.2 Ethnic balance and the 2006 census ............................................................................ 13 3.2 Separatism ............................................................................................................ 14 3.2.1 Igbo separatism: MASSOB........................................................................................... 14 3.2.1.1 MASSOB and the Nigerian civil war 1967-70 ................................................................. 14 3.2.1.2 Are Igbos marginalised in Nigerian society?.................................................................... 15 3.2.1.3 Popular support for MASSOB.......................................................................................... 15 3.2.1.4 Security forces’ attitudes towards MASSOB members .................................................... 16 3.2.1.5 Persecution of MASSOB supporters................................................................................. 16 3.2.1.6 MASSOBs policy on asylum seekers claiming to be MASSOB supporters..................... 16 3.2.2 Niger Delta separatism: MEND................................................................................... 17 4. Issues related to “juju”, traditional religion and traditions ........................ 18 4.1 Cults...................................................................................................................... 19 4.1.1 University fraternity cults............................................................................................. 19 4.2 Ritual murders ...................................................................................................... 21 4.3 Refusal to take positions as village/clan chiefs .................................................... 22 4.4 Christianity and “juju”.......................................................................................... 22 5. Gender issues.................................................................................................... 23 5.1 Female genital mutilation ..................................................................................... 23 5.2 Domestic violence ................................................................................................ 23 Nigeria – Fact-finding 13-25 March 2006 – THIS DOCUMENT IS PUBLIC LANDINFO – AUGUST 2006 3 5.3 Sexual harassment of female students .................................................................. 24 6. Health issues ..................................................................................................... 25 6.1 General health care ............................................................................................... 25 6.1.1 Tuberculosis ................................................................................................................. 25 6.1.2 Sickle cell anaemia....................................................................................................... 25 6.1.3 Facilities for children with learning disabilities .......................................................... 26 6.1.4 Mental health ............................................................................................................... 26 6.1.5 Geriatric care............................................................................................................... 26 6.2 HIV/AIDS............................................................................................................. 26 6.2.1 Prevalence and affected groups ................................................................................... 26 6.2.2 Government focus on the HIV/Aids situation............................................................... 27 6.2.3 Availability of subsidised treatment ............................................................................. 27 6.2.4 Availability of antiretroviral drugs .............................................................................. 28 6.3 Other health sector challenges.............................................................................. 29 6.3.1 Health personnel brain drain....................................................................................... 29 6.3.2 Corruption in the health sector .................................................................................... 29 6.3.3 Fake drugs.................................................................................................................... 29 7. References ......................................................................................................... 30 7.1 Sources in Nigeria ................................................................................................ 30 7.2 Written sources..................................................................................................... 31 Nigeria – Fact-finding 13-25 March 2006 – THIS DOCUMENT IS PUBLIC LANDINFO – AUGUST 2006 4 1. INTRODUCTION This report is based on information gathered during a fact-finding trip to Nigeria 12- 26 March 2006. The first part of the trip (12-16 March) was arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and led by Senior Adviser Tove Skarstein, Coordinator for Human Trafficking Issues at the ministry, and was focused on the issue of human trafficking of Nigerians to prostitution in Norway. The other members of the delegation were Director Liv Jessen and Cultural Mediator Patricia Akinyemi from ProSentret,1 Helge Årsvoll from Kirkens Bymisjon Stavanger, Adviser Ingrid Olram from the Norwegian Directorate of Migration,2 Adviser Bent Skogen from the Immigration Appeals Board3 and Regional Adviser Geir Skogseth from Landinfo – The Country of Origin Information Centre. The information on the issue of human trafficking has been published in a separate report.4 The delegation from the Norwegian immigration authorities – Adviser Ingrid Olram, Adviser Bent Skogen and Regional Adviser Geir Skogseth – remained in Nigeria until 26 March to look into issues concerning Nigerian asylum seekers, and this is the focus of this fact-finding report. Norwegian immigration authorities conducted a similar fact-finding to Nigeria in February 2004.5 The number