No current information on the situation of Catholics in Minna, Niger State, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

The Catholic Bishop of Minna Diocese, Niger State in 2000, was Marthins Uzokwo (Post Express 19 Jan. 2000), who was nominated in 1996 (News from the Holy See 16 July 1996). The Catholic population in Minna was 97,525 out of a total population of 3.2 million in 1996 and had 31 priests (ibid.). International Fides Service reported in March 1998 that the Catholic Church in Nigeria was divided into nine metropolitan archdioceses, one of which was Kaduna (13 Mar. 1998). In addition to the Minna diocese, Kaduna had five other jurisdictions under its wing: Olorin, Kajanchan, Sokoto and Kano dioceses, and the Kontagora prefecture (ibid.). About 5 per cent of the population in Minna was Catholic (ibid.).

In January 2000, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State called on Christians who owned businesses to shut down in protest against the state's impending adoption of the Islam legal code, Sharia (Post Express 19 Jan. 2000; Tempo 21 Jan. 2000). The Catholic bishop of Minna, Marthins Uzokwo, was among those in the Christian community that took part in the protest by calling on divine intervention in the matter and calling on people to pray and meditate (ibid.). Shops and businesses had again closed in Minna in February 2000 "after minor unrest" (AFP 25 Feb. 2000). No injuries were reported nor had any property been damaged (ibid.).

Attempts to obtain additional information from the Diocese of Minna were unsuccessful.

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 sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 25 February 2000. "Police Foil Attempt to Burn Down Church in Kaduna." (NEXIS)

International Fides Service. 13 March 1998. "Nigeria: A Boost to the Heart of Africa." http://www.fides.org/English/e19980313.html#e166 [Accessed 7 Feb. 2001]

News from the Holy See. 16 July 1996. "Other Pontifical Acts." http://www.christusrex.org/www1/news/7-96/es7-16-96.html [Accessed 7 Feb. 2001]

Post Express [Lagos]. 19 January 2000. Abubakar Muhammed. "Niger CAN Declares Spiritual War Against Sharia." http://www.postexpresswired.com/postexpress.nsf/24c35a000fe637798525691a0076c2cb/9c5aa00ee90bc8648525686a00588285?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,Minna,Catholic [Accessed 7 Feb. 2001]

Tempo [Lagos]. 21 January 2000. Tony Orilade. "Niger Embraces Sharia." (Africa News 21 Jan. 2000/NEXIS)

IRB Databases

Research Directorate's Country File: Nigeria. 1998-2000

World News Connection (WNC)

Two oral sources contacted

Internet sites including:

Adherents.com

All Africa.com

Amnesty International

Daily Mail & Guardian [Johannesburg]. Search Engine

The Guardian [London]. Search Engine

Human Rights Watch

NigeriaNews.net. Search Engine

ReliefWeb

US Department of State. September 2000. 2000 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom.

Search engines including:

Dogpile

Fast Search

Google