No mention of any group called "Blood Brothers" could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Information on the Oodua Student Association is limited among the same sources.

Reached by telephone on 25 February 2004, a senior legal officer at Interights, an (international human rights law centre based in London) also former Deputy National Secretary and head of Legal Resources for the Nigeria Civil Liberties Organizations, stated that he is not aware of the existence of any group called "Blood Brothers."

The senior legal officer explained that Oodua Student Association is a cultural association, which operates within schools and universities in southwestern Nigeria (Interights 25 Feb. 2004). Predominantly formed by Yoruba students, the main objective of the Oodua Student Association is to promote the Yoruba culture and it does not have any "official" link with the Oodua People's Congress (OPC), a Yoruba nationalist and ideological group (ibid.; see also NGA41709.E of 11 July 2003).

In its August 2002 pamphlet entitled Nigeria: Civil Rule in Danger, the Nigerian Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) wrote the following:

Our attitude to nationalist organisations depends on whether they are splitting the worker's movement or representing the first steps of a new movement. For example, we would oppose an attempt to split NANS [National Association of Nigerian Students] along nationalist lines or the creation of an Oodua Student Association [OSA]. But if an OSA did emerge as the major student body in the south-west then we may be forced to work with it in at least a united front fashion (DSM Aug. 2002).

A 22 September 2000 Post Express article referred to the "National Association of Oodua Students" (NAOS) and named Alhaji Lateef Gbadamosi as "one of its patrons." The same article identified Rasheed Niyilola Dopemu as NAOS's national coordinator (Post Express 22 Sept. 2000). The Post Express article also referred to one incident in which Alhaji Lateef Gbadamosi also acted as "stalwart of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state and the state campaign manager for President Obasanjo [current President] during his electioneering campaigns." (ibid.).

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 to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), Lagos. August 2002. "Nigeria: Civil Rule in Danger." http://www.socialistnigeria.org/downlaods/2002/perspectives2002rtf [Accessed 25 Feb. 2004]

Interights, London. 25 February 2004. Telephone interview with a Senior Legal Officer.

Post Express [Ibadan]. 22 September 2000. "Oodua Students Want gun Attack Probed." (Dialog)

Post Express, Ibadan. 22 September 2000. "Oodua Students Want Gun Attack Probed." (Dialog)

Africa Confidential

Africa Research Bulletin

Dialog

IRB Databases

Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent

Keesing's Record of World Events

Resource Centre country file. Nigeria

West Africa

Websites, including:

AllAfrica

African Network of Young Peace-builders

Amnesty International

BBC Africa

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report for Congress. 6 February 2004. Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003.

European Country of Origin Information Network

National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)

Nigeria Daily

The Nigerian Police Online

ReliefWeb

Vanguard