According to a September 1996 Africa Research Bulletin report, Radio Kudirat was originally known as Radio Democrat Nigeria International. In a 3 October 1997 telephone interview with the Reearch Directorate, the editor-in-chief and publisher of Ovation, a Nigerian magazine based in London, Radio Kudirat was first known as Radio Freedom. He explained that it was a local pirate radio station, operating clandestinely in Nigeria whose local transmitter was unknown. He added that Radio Freedom then changed its name to Radio Democracy (ibid.). He stated that when Mrs. Kudirat Abiola was assassinated on 4 June 1996, the prodemocracy wing of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), the National Liberation Council of Nigeria (NALICON), "demanded" that the radio be changed to Radio Kudirat in honour of the murdered wife of Chief Moshood Abiola who claimed to be the winner of the annulled June 1993 presidential election (ibid). This information is corroborated by the attached documents.

According to the editor-in-chief of Ovation magazine, Radio Kudirat broadcasts worldwide on short wave frequency and can be heard by listeners in North America during the evening hours (ibid.). He claimed that the radio aims to offer an alternative voice to Nigerian people, and runs programs in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and English. The radio also plays revolutionary music and its mission is to encourage Nigerians to resist the military dictatorship in Nigeria (ibid.). He emphasized however that the location of the transmitter is unknown. He explained that this has resulted in a "witch hunt" by Nigerian authorities for some local people suspected of being associated with Radio Kudirat. He stated that houses have been ransacked in search for operators and people detained without trial, others have been picked up for questioning, including eight students in Ondo state, who had been shot at (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.

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. September 1996. Vol. 33, No. 9. "Opposition Radio Station."

Ovation Magazine [London]. 3 October 1997. Telephone interview with Editor-in-Chief and Publisher.

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. September 1996. Vol. 33, No. 9. "Opposition Radio Station."

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 4 September 1996. "Opposition Radio Now Identifying Itself as Radio Kudirat." (NEXIS)

Radio Netherlands External Service [Hilversum, in English]. 26 June 1997. "Another Opposition Station to Start Broadcasting: 'Radio Nadeco'" (BBC Summary 28 June 1997/NEXIS)