A Reuters dated 17 April 1991 refers to the Black Axe as one of the many cults believed by police to have sprung up at most of Nigeria's 30 universities within 1991. However, no reference is made to its involvement in student clashes during 1990-91.

On 14 June 1999, a Professor of Religion at the University of Nigeria at Nsukka who is visiting the Center for Study of World Religions at Harvard, and who in 1997 completed a study on cults in Nigeria in the context of a project on university governance, stated that Black Axe cult members were definitely involved in clashes and arrests on campuses. He said that this was not only during 1990-1991 but that there was hardly any time during this period where cult members were not involved in clashes or arrests.

During a telephone interview on 9 June 1999, an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania who is a specialist on Nigeria stated that members of the Black Axe Society cult were "definitely" involved in clashes and arrests during the period 1990-1991. The Associate Professor was present in Nigeria in the late 1980s and mentioned that the cults were already active but that their activities were more "hush hush". He went on to say that at the beginning of the 1990s they were very active on campuses.

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 a list of additional sources consulted.

Center for Study of World Religions, Harvard University, Boston, Massachussets. 14 June 1999. Telephone interview with Professor visiting from the University of Nigeria, Department of Religious Studies.

Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 9 June 1999. Telephone interview with Associate Professor of Anthropology.

Reuters. 17 April 1991. "Nigerian Students Held in Crackdown on Secret Cults." (NEXIS)

New African. 1996-1997.

West Africa. 1996-1997.

Electronic sources: WNC, Global Search, NEXIS.

Internet: Post Express Wired, Africa Policy, BBC News, Mail and Guardian.