Sources report that between 6 and 25 people were killed in Ozoro, Delta State, during clashes which began on 23 February 2003 between loyalists of the two groups that have been battling for the traditional chieftaincy of the town (AFP 26 Feb. 2003; This Day 26 Feb. 2003; Vanguard 27 Feb. 2003) for the past two years (This Day 26 Feb. 2003). According to Vanguard, Ozoro is divided over a leadership dispute between Chief Fred Obe, the president of Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM), and the town's regent, Ogaga Adhekegba (Vanguard 26 Feb. 2003; ibid. 27 Feb. 2003), as well as the division of benefits from the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) (This Day 26 Feb. 2003; Vanguard 27 Feb. 2003). The fighting in February, which was not the first outbreak of violence between ethnic groups in the region (ibid.; This Day 26 Feb. 2003), was reportedly sparked by youths, loyal to Adhekegba, bent on avenging the murder of one of their vigilante gang members allegedly killed by loyalists of Chief Obe (ibid.).

Soldiers based in Warri, about 20 kilometres from Ozoro, were called in to restore order to the town (AFP 26 Feb. 2003), and, in the days that followed, the police were able to make a number of arrests (Vanguard 1 Mar. 2003). Although AFP reported a senior army officer as saying that the fighting had been stopped by 26 February 2003 (26 Feb. 2003), Vanguard said that hostilities continued throughout the day (26 Feb. 2003).

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.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 26 February 2003. "Several Killed in Clashes near Nigerian Oil City: Army." (Dialog)

This Day [Lagos]. 26 February 2003. "Six Die in Warri's Renewed Ethnic Clashes." (allAfrica.com/Dialog)

Vanguard [Lagos]. 1 March 2003. Austin Ogwuda. "Ozoro: Delta Police Arrest Suspects." (allAfrica.com/Dialog)

_____. 27 February 2003. Sola Adebayo. "Death Toll in Ozoro Crisis Rises to 25." (allAfrica.com /Dialog)

_____. 26 February 2003. Sola Adebayo. "15 Feared Dead in Delta Communal Clash." (allAfrica.com /Dialog)

Africa Research Bulletin

Dialog

IRB Databases

Keesing's

Internet sites, including:

Africa Online

AllAfrica.com

BBC Africa

Delta State Government

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)

New Nigerian

Newswatch Nigeria

Nigeria Daily

Platts Global Energy

The Pointer Newspaper

Vanguard

World News Connection (WNC)

Search engine:

Google