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Information on false documents available in and from Nigeria was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Two sources consulted by the Research Directorate indicate that, following his research conducted on illegal immigration to Europe, a Radio France internationale (RFI) correspondent in Mali stated that Lagos, a major city in Nigeria, is a centre for false document manufacturing (Jeune Afrique 11 Feb. 2008; Le Potentiel 10 Sept. 2009). According to an article published in Jeune Afrique on 11 February 2008, the RFI Correspondent discovered that two [translation] “factories that manufacture passports” in Lagos were behind the circulation of false passports, particularly Cameroonian and Malian passports.

False documents in Nigeria have been reported by the media in the following specific instances: referring to the dismantling of a Nigerian prostitution ring in the French cities of Bordeaux, Limoges and Paris, a 24 October 2009 article published by Le Nouvel Observateur, a Parisian magazine, indicated that Nigerian prostitutes exploited by this ring had used [translation] “false documents” to enter France. Another prostitution ring controlled by Nigerians and dismantled in the city of Trieste, Italy, also provided false documents to the Nigerian women it exploited (France24 21 Nov. 2008). According to a 4 January 2010 article published by Agence France-Presse (AFP), a Nigerian soccer player was allegedly arrested with two fake passports in the Netherlands.

According to an article published by Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Dakar, during operations conducted in 2008 in certain neighbourhoods of Dakar, police officers allegedly uncovered a network of Nigerians who produce false documents, such as [translation] “fake refugee cards, fake money transfers and a fake letter from the head of the international promotion department at Microsoft, ensuring a potential victim … a gain of 25 million dollars American” for seeking assistance on the Internet in order to make fake transfers of funds (7 Aug. 2008). In addition, according to a 29 January 2009 article published by the Swiss magazine l’Hebdo, insurers cite Nigeria, among others, as a source country for fake receipts that are presented in order to obtain reimbursements.

In a report on mass marketing fraud in Canada and in the United States (US) published in March 2008, the authors report that to achieve the trust of their victims, three members of a gang of Nigerian swindlers who were arrested in the Netherlands and extradited to the US during the course of an investigation on Internet fraud operating from the Netherlands, sent false documents to their potential victims, including [English version] “a ‘Letter of Authority’ or a ‘Certificate of Deposit’” (Canada/US Mar. 2008, 32).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 4 January 2010. “Pays-Bas : un footballeur nigérian arrêté avec deux faux passeports.” (Jeune Afrique) <&lt;http://www.jeuneafrique.com/sports/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3493%3Apays-bas-un-footballeur-niga-rian-arra-ta-avec-deux-faux-passeports&catid=1%3Afootball&Itemid=23> [Accessed 30 June 2010]

Canada/United States (US). March 2008. Royal Canadian Mounted Police and US Department of Justice. La fraude par marketing de masse : rapport au ministre de la Sécurité publique du Canada et à l’Attorney General des États-Unis. <http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/le/oc/_fl/mass-marketing-fraud-2008-5-year-report-fra.pdf> [Accessed 10 June 2010]

France24. 21 November 2008. Alexis Masciarelli. “Démantèlement d'un réseau de prostitution nigérian à Trieste.” <http://www.france24.com/fr/20081120-demantelement-reseau-prostitution-immigration-nigeria-italie-trafic-exploitation> [Accessed 10 June 2010]

L’Hebdo [Switzerland]. 29 January 2009. Julie Zaugg. “Les caisses maladie traquent les arnaques.” <http://www.hebdo.ch/les_caisses_maladie_traquent_les_arnaques_28290 _.html> [Accessed 10 June 2010]

Interpol Dakar. 7 August 2008. “Le Sénégal face à la criminalité internationale.” <http://www.interpol.int/public/News/2008/DAKARsenegalFR.asp> [Accessed 10 June 2010]

Jeune Afrique. 11 February 2008. Séverine Kodjo-Grandvaux. “Dans la peau d'un clandestin.” <http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/LIN10028danslnitsed0/dans-la-peau-d-un-clandestin.-Actualite_Info.html> [Accessed 17 June 2010]

Le Nouvel Observateur [Paris]. 24 October 2009. “Un réseau nigérian de prostitution démantelé.” <http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/actualite/societe/20091024.OBS5725/un-reseau-nigerian-de-prostitution-demantele.html> [Accessed 10 June 2010]

Le Potentiel [Kinshasa]. 10 September 2009. “Congo-Kinshasa : dans la peau d'un migrant en route vers l’Europe.” (AllAfrica.com) <http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200909100445.html> [Accessed 10 June 2010]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral Sources: Attempts to reach the Interpol bureau in Dakar were unsuccessful.

Internet sites, including: Agence de presse sénégalaise (APS), Global Development Network (GDN), The Guardian [Lagos], International Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), Japan International Cooperation Agency Research Institute (JICA-RI), Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Le Messager [Yaoundé], The News [Lagos], Newswatch [Lagos], Nigerian Tribune [Lagos], This Day [Lagos], Seneweb.com, Swiss Refugee Council (OSAR), UN Development Programme (UNDP), United States (US) Department of State, Vanguard [Lagos].