28.05.2008 - Source: Amnesty International

President Yar'Adua ordered the reopening of several unsolved cases of political killings ("Annual Report 2008") [ID 24121]

"President Yar’Adua reportedly ordered the acting IGP to reopen the investigation into several unsolved political killings from previous years, including those of Chief Bola Ige, Marshall Harry, Chief Funsho Williams, Chief Barnabas Igwe and his wife, and Godwin Agbroko."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested government officials on corruption charges; according to critics some arrests were politically motivated ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 19653]

"The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested and detained numerous government officials on corruption charges during the year. Critics charged that some arrests were politically motivated and that periods of investigative detention at times exceeded those allowed under the law."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

There were no reports of political prisoners ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 19700]

"There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees; however, persons arrested in previous years for alleged treason remained in detention at year's end."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Governorship candidates and other party officials arrested arbitrarily ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22907]

"There were many alleged cases of arbitrary arrest based on political motives. For example, on April 15, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) governorship candidate in Kaduna State and other key officials of the party were arrested and detained by security agents. Some were released immediately following the presidential elections. On April 18, the ANPP governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, was beaten and arrested after his supporters protested the results of the gubernatorial elections. Onu was released after the presidential elections. On April 30, Emmanuel Ezeazu, secretary general of the Alliance for Credible Elections, was detained and questioned by the SSS in connection with a planned demonstration against the conduct of the April 22 elections. He was asked to sign an agreement not to organize or protest, but he declined to do so and was released on May 1."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

Lagos State: On 27 July Funsho Williams of the PDP, candidate for Governor, was killed at his home ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 20165]

"On 27 July Chief Funsho Williams of the PDP, candidate for Governor in Lagos State, was killed at his home. The Inspector General of Police stated that 244 suspects were arrested in connection with his murder, including his political associates, personal aides and four policemen. By the end of the year,

209 suspects had been released for lack of evidence, while 35 remained in police custody. The specific charges against those who remained in detention were unclear."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

23.05.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

Ekiti State: On 14 August Dr Ayo Daramola, a candidate for Governor, was fatally stabbed at his home ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 20166]

"On 14 August Dr Ayo Daramola, a candidate for Governor in Ekiti State, was fatally stabbed at his home. Police arrested eight people in connection with the murder, including an aide to the former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, who was impeached in October in connection with an unrelated matter. One other suspect was reportedly shot evading arrest."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In March Alhaji Lawal Kaita, leader of the ACD, was detained and questioned ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19880]

"In March the SSS detained and questioned Alhaji Lawal Kaita, leader of the Advanced Congress of Democrats, a political party that had recently been formed by former members of the ruling PDP. The minister of information defended the SSS action and called the 74-year-old Kaita a threat to public safety and national security for allegedly recruiting thugs for political activities."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Critics claimed that some investigations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in cases of corruption were politically motivated ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19881]

"The EFCC continued a strong anticorruption campaign during the year, arresting a number of federal, state, and local officials and seizing millions of dollars in assets. Some observers lauded the commission's actions as a centerpiece of the Obasanjo administration's war on corruption, but critics claimed that some EFCC investigations were politically motivated, singling out political opponents of the administration, and that the EFCC did not always follow proper criminal procedure. During the year the EFCC brought or threatened criminal charges against several persons intending to run as presidential candidates."

Document(s): Open document

07.2006 - Source: Freedom House

Information on opposition parties ("Countries at the Crossroads 2006") [ID 18293]

"Opposition parties control 8 of the 36 states of the federation, but are too divided to pose much of a challenge to PDP governance. The opposition is generally free to campaign on the pages of newspapers and to some extent in the private televised media, but the government has grown increasingly willing to prevent them from holding rallies in the capital and major cities across the country. In some states and in the rural areas more generally, opposition parties face formal and informal harassment when they organize and campaign. The states of the Niger Delta have proven particularly inhospitable to opposition events; a major opposition figure, Marshall Harry, was assassinated there in 2003. Televised media, especially the public stations, generally carry positive news about the government, although opposing views are occasionally aired. Hostility to opposition within the PDP over 2004 and 2005, however, grew far worse among the factions jostling for control, particularly between those loyal to the president and those connected to the vice president."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force arraigned on charges of treason ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46036],  [ID 17071]

"There were several politically motivated arrests during the year. For example on October 6, Mujaheed Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, was arraigned on charges of treason."

Document(s): Open document

01.2005 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

Information on frequently occurring politically motivated killings and violence ("Report on human rights issues in Nigeria: Joint British-Danish fact-finding mission to Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria (19 October to 2 November 2004)") [#30412],  [ID 20643]

"HRW reported in early January 2005: “Several opponents or critics of the government have been arrested, harassed, and intimidated. Scores of people were killed in violence related to the local elections in March [2004]. […] Politically motivated killings and violence continued to be a regular occurrence in Nigeria. Most incidents of violence involve fighting between factions of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) or between the supporters of the PDP and the main opposition All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). Local party leaders regularly hire and arm thugs to intimidate political opponents, and then protect them from prosecution. In the weeks preceding the local government elections in March 2004, numerous prominent politicians were killed or targeted in assassination attempts. Local candidates, election officials and rank and file party members were also killed in many incidents that went unreported”."

Document(s): Open document

01.2005 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

Reportedly ordinary Nigerians are not at risk of persecution by state agents; only political leaders would face this threat ("Report on human rights issues in Nigeria: Joint British-Danish fact-finding mission to Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria (19 October to 2 November 2004)") [#30412],  [ID 20647]

"Momoh confirmed – in line with Professor Utomi – that ordinary Nigerians are not at risk of persecution by state agents and he agreed that in general only persons such as political leaders who are capable of organising a real threat to the government would be at risk of persecution. According to Momoh there are persons held in detention centres and prisons for political reasons."

Document(s): Open document

12.07.2004 - Source: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

Query response on the situation of families and relatives of the military officers who were involved in the 22 April 1990 coup attempt; whether they face repercussions from authorities at the present time (2004) ("Situation of families and relatives of the military officers who were involved in the 22 April 1990 coup attempt; whether they face repercussions from authorities at the present time (2004) [NGA42811.E]") [ID 24739]

Document(s): Open document
Open document