Correspondence from the National Secretary General of the Fasehun section of the Oodua People's Congress, indicates that members are issued with identity cards signed by Dr. Fasehun, the OPC Chairman (17 Sept. 2000). The following information about the membership card was obtained from a photocopy of the card received from the National Secretary General (21 Sept. 2000). The size of the card is about 3 3/4 x 2 1/2 inches. The card includes a picture of the member and an identifying number. To the left at the top of the card is a crest and adjacent to that, and in the center, there is "OODUA PEOPLE'S CONGRESS" with the organization's Lagos address underneath. The card includes the member's name, signature, address, and position, as well as the date of issue. The back of the card includes a declaration that the bearer is an OPC member, as well as the signature of the Chairman.

Reports from Post Express also state that the Fasehun section of the OPC issues membership cards (16 Sept. 1999; ibid. 23 Apr. 1999). Referring to statements by Dr. Frederick Fasehun, this newspaper wrote that "he reaffirmed that every legitimate member of the OPC carries an identity card and that he was the one who issued them the cards" (ibid.). In a report on an OPC disturbance at the Lagos sea ports, for which Fasehun claimed responsibility and Adams denied involvement, among those arrested were youth who possessed "OPC identity cards with residential addresses of villages in Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun and some parts of Lagos state" (ibid. 16 Sept. 1999).

A 23 February 2000 Tempo report referred to statements made by the Lagos state police commissioner concerning the arrest of criminals and the infiltration of the OPC by "area boys." He said that "two out of the seven shot robbers have [an] OPC identity card on them. You can see that some of these robbers have infiltrated the rank and file of OPC" (ibid.).

During a 1 September 2000 telephone interview with the Secretary General of the Ijaw Youth Council she said that she believed that the Gani Adams faction of the OPC issues cards to its members. She described the card as made of cardboard, slightly larger than a credit card. She said that she believes "a lot of screening" is done by the group prior to issuing the cards in order to ensure that the group is not being misrepresented by those to whom the cards are issued. The screening includes investigating the applicant's past and present activities, groups they have belonged to, as well as the applicant's understanding of what the OPC represents.

No further information on OPC identity cards 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.

References

Ijaw Youth Council. 1 September 2000. Telephone interview with Secretary General.

Oodua People's Congress, Lagos. 21 September 2000. Photocopy of membership card received from National Secretary General.

_____. 17 September 2000. Correspondence from National Secretary General.

Post Express [Lagos]. 16 September 1999. "Killing, Maiming at the Nation's Seaports." www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 12 Sept. 2000]

_____. 23 April 1999. Paul Ohia. "Faseun Commends Group." www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 12 Sept. 2000]

Tempo [Lagos]. 23 February 2000. "Nigeria; 'We Don't Kill OPC Members." (Africa News/NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

LEXIS-NEXIS

REFWORLD

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sites including:

Nigeria Media Monitor

Nigeria News Network

Post Express [Lagos].