No reports of a conflict at Ketu (also referred to by various sources as the "Mile 12" market of Kosofe local government) market in or around May 1997 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Country Reports 1999 refers to two conflicts at Ketu market during 1999: one that took place in late November, which is also described in NGA33581.E of 11 January 2000 and NGA34906.E of 27 July 2000, and one that took place in April which is described as follows:

On April 14, police in Lagos reportedly shot and killed at least seven persons as a violent riot (resulting in some police injuries) broke out during the attempted demolition of a vegetable market in the Ketu area of northeast Lagos. One press report put the death toll as high as 22 persons (2000, Sec. 1).

On the 14 April 1999 incident, the Post-Express reported:

Violence erupted when a demolition squad from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Task Force attempted to destroy some make-shift structures belonging to traders at the Jakande Market in Ketu. The task force members, assisted by council officials from the Kosofe Local Government, were accompanied by a detachment of armed personnel from the Lagos State anti-crime squad known as "Operation Sweep". According to eyewitness accounts, an attempt by the traders to resist the demolition of their make-shift stalls apparently led to a confrontation between them and the operatives (16 Apr. 1999).

Additional violence at the Mile 12 or Ketu market took place in May 1999, reportedly as a result of "a leadership crisis between leaders of the Ketu Market Association" (ibid. 12 May 1999). Details on that conflict, ongoing disputes at the Ketu market and involvement of the Kosofe local government to resolve them can be found in the above-cited articles from the Post-Express and in reports from The Vanguard (7 Feb. 2001; 24 Jan. 2001).

Another source refers to the arrest of a journalist at Ketu market during an apparent random sweep by "policemen of the 'Rapid Response Squad' (RRS), the Lagos State security outfit inherited as 'Operation Sweep' by the new government of Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu" in June 1994 (Media Rights Agenda April-June 1999).

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.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999. 2000. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Media Rights Agenda [Lagos]. "April-June 1999: The Punch Assistant Editor Assaulted, Arrested and Detained." http://www.kabissa.org/mra/april-.htm [Accessed 15 Feb. 2001]

The Post-Express [Lagos]. 12 May 1999. "More Deaths in Lagos Traders' Clash, Curfew Imposed." http://www.postexpresswired.com/postexpress.nsf/24c35a000fe637798525691a0076c2cb/80080d3434e0d1008525683f00319aff?OpenDocument [Accessed 15 Feb. 2001]

_____. 16 April 1999. Frank Oshanugor, Chinwe Oti. "Five Feared Dead in Lagos As Securitymen, Traders Clash." http://www.postexpresswired.com/postexpress.nsf/24c35a000fe637798525691a0076c2cb/edfcc23f86912bab852567550007c870?OpenDocument [Accessed 15 Feb. 2001]

The Vanguard [Lagos]. 7 February 2001. "A Panel's Thorny Path to Peace." http://www.vanguardngr.com/05022001/f3070201.htm [Accessed 15 Feb. 2001]

_____. 24 January 2001. Olasunkanmi Akoni "Lagos Crisis Tribunal Summons Mile 12 Market Leaders." http://www.vanguardngr.com/22012001/ sw224101.htm [Accessed 15 Feb. 2001]

The Post-Express [Lagos]. 12 May 1999. "More Deaths in Lagos Traders' Clash, Curfew Imposed." http://www.postexpresswired.com/postexpress.nsf/24c35a000fe637798525691a0076c2cb/80080d3434e0d1008525683f00319aff?OpenDocument [Accessed 15 Feb. 2001]

_____. 16 April 1999. Frank Oshanugor, Chinwe Oti. "Five Feared Dead in Lagos As Securitymen, Traders Clash." http://www.postexpresswired.com/postexpress.nsf/24c35a000fe637798525691a0076c2cb/edfcc23f86912bab852567550007c870?OpenDocument [Accessed 15 Feb. 2001]

The Vanguard [Lagos]. 7 February 2001. "A Panel's Thorny Path to Peace." http://www.vanguardngr.com/05022001/f3070201.htm [Accessed 15 Feb. 2001]

_____. 24 January 2001. Olasunkanmi Akoni "Lagos Crisis Tribunal Summons Mile 12 Market Leaders." http://www.vanguardngr.com/22012001/ sw224101.htm [Accessed 15 Feb. 2001]

Africa Confidential [London]. Mar.-June 1997, Mar.-June 1999.

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. Mar.-June 1997, Mar.-June 1999.

Country Reports. 1997-1999.

IRB Databases.

Internet Websites and search engines, including:

Amnesty International

Daily Mail & Guardian [Johannesburg].

Encyclopaedia Britannica [Chicago].

Human Rights Watch

Kilima.com (Nigeria Media Monitor)

NewAfrica.Com

Nigeria Web

The Post Express [Lagos].

The Vanguard [Lagos]

Note:

This list is not exhaustive. Country-specific publications available at the Resource Centre are not included