Information on the Congress of Progressive Youths (CPY/COPY) is limited. The only information retrieved by the Research Directorate is from 1998. However, there is a 29 September 1999 P.M. News report that refers to a Progressive Youth Movement of Nigeria. According to this report, this organization's "National Coordinator, Raji Oludare and its General Secretary, Samuel Ejodamen accused Chief [Gani] Fawehinmi of declaring different dates as his date of birth on two different occasions" (ibid.)

Some of the reports that mention the CPY refer to its involvement in public activities opposing General Abacha (Theweek 18 May 1998; Post Express 21 Apr. 1998). In April 1998 the group's National Coordinator, Omoyele Sowore, signed a statement supporting the call by the United Action for Democracy for a boycott of National Assembly elections in protest at Abacha's attempts to "succeed himself in office" (ibid.). In April and May 1998 the CPY was one of several groups involved in protests that turned violent in Ibadan (Theweek 18 May 1998). The groups, which included the United Action for Democracy, the Campaign for Democracy, and Youths Democratic Front united on 15 April 1998 in opposition to a planned pro-Abacha rally organized by Lamidi Adedibu and Alao Arisekola:

Chanting anti-government slogans and carrying placards, they approached the stadium from different directions. Incidentally, that was when Arisekola and his convoy were heading towards the rally venue. The bloody clash that ensued was inevitable. In its wake lay four cars completely burnt to ashes with the occupants sustaining varying degrees of injuries as they reportedly tried to flee from the rampaging protesters.

The eventual conformation with armed security agents stationed at the Stadium junction reportedly left no fewer than three persons, including a woman, dead. ...

Apparently smarting from the effect of the April 15 clash in which human casualty weighed against the anti-Abacha campaigners, youths in Ibadan took to the streets, on May 1 to wreak vengeance. Their targets were the two frontline Ibadan campaigners for Abacha's self-succession. At the end of the day, the clash of the previous two weeks seemed like a child's play. Seven persons were reportedly killed, scores injured and property estimated at million of naira destroyed.

This time, the anti-Abacha protesters apparently had an upper hand for when the material losses were counted, Adedibu's six cars and three houses were reportedly razed. On his part, Arisekola had his entire Monitor publishing house and 11 cars parked in the premises completely burnt. However, the police were said to have prevented the torching of his mini flour mill.

Eye-witnesses said that on May Day, angry youths and pro-democracy activists had seized Ibadan city by storm. They reportedly marched through major roads in the ancient city and the gathering, which started "like a tea party" graduated into a festering inferno with thick black smoke clouds from burning property covering the entire city. ...

The scale of the latest violence, the amount of destruction and the human casualties appear to have left the targets and the authorities in Ibadan and Abuja stunned, hence the swift response and apparent reprisals. On Saturday, a day after the violent protests, security agents cracked down on prominent pro-democracy activists (ibid.).

None of those named by Theweek as having been arrested were identified as CPY members (ibid.). For further information on this demonstration please consult NGA30607.E of 18 December 1998.

Student members of CPY were identified as being responsible for organizing security, along with a private security company, at the Abiola home, at the public mourning on the eighth day after Chief Abiola's death (Post Express 20 July 1998)

In November 1998, CPY was one of a number of groups demonstrating at Shell Oil premises in Lagos, "over its alleged complicity in the judicial murder of ... Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders three years ago" (P.M. News 9 Nov. 1998; Post Express 12 Nov. 1998). The groups included: "Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria; Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER), Lagos State branch of Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), [National Association of Nigerian Students] NANS Zone 'D', Chikoko Movement; Oodua's for Nature Conservation, Moshood Abiola Vanguard for Democracy" (P.M. News 9 Nov. 1998).

No further information on the CPY could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

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.

P.M. News [Lagos]. 29 September 1999. Femi Adepoju. "Nigeria; Age Falsification: Group Exposes Gani." (Africa News/NEXIS)

_____. 9 November 1998. Okafor Ofiebor. "Nigeria; Ijaw Leader Assassinated, Youths Arrested." (Africa News/NEXIS)

Post Express [Lagos]. 12 November 1998. Bassey Udo. "Groups Demand $30b for Ogonis as Saro-Wiwa Remembered." www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 19 Apr. 2000]

_____. 20 July 1998. "Thousands Throng Abiola's Home for Fidau Prayers as Police, Soldiers Seal Off TBS." www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 19 Apr. 2000]

_____. 21 April 1998. Jakande Ayu. "Politicians, Groups Differ on Abacha's Adoption." www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 19 Apr. 2000]

Theweek. 18 May 1998. "Echoes of 'Wild Wild West'." (Ethnic NewsWatch/NEXIS)

IRB databases

LEXIS-NEXIS

REFWORLD

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sites including:

The Guardian [Lagos].

Mail and Guardian [Johannesburg].

Nigeria Media Monitor

Nigeria News Network.

Search engines including:

Highway 61

HotBot

Metacrawler