According to a political science professor who specializes in Nigerian military affairs at the University of Northern Iowa, The Sunday Magazine is published in Lagos (20 June 1997). The professor stated that its editor-in-chief Chris Anyanwu, was arrested in 1995 and charged with plotting to overthrow the government, and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment (ibid.). He indicated that Chris Anyanwu is still in prison (ibid.). The professor further stated that TSM journalists are subject to harassment by State Security Service (SSS) officials, who frequently raid TSM's offices (ibid.). The information that Chris Anyanwu was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and that she is still in prison could not be corroborated by sources currently available to the DIRB.

The May/June 1995 issue on Index of Censorship corroborates the above information, stating that Chris Anyanwu was detained on 15 March 1995, "apparently in connection with her magazine's reporting of the alleged coup attempt. She was later released but TSM's editor, Comfort Obi, has fled fearing arrest" (I 82).

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 1995, provides additional corroboration, stating that Chris Anyanwu as arrested "in response to her magazine's feature article entitled 'Coup Update: Bloodbath Soon' (I 996, 195). Country Reports 1996 states that the "minister of information had made intimidating speeches against the prodemocracy press, and that "there are credible reports" he sent a letter warning the advertising practitioners association against advertising in "such prodemocracy publications as AM News, PM News, TSM, and Tell, (1997, 217).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB 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 sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Index on Censorship [London]. May-June 1995. Vol. 24. No. 3. Index Index, "Nigeria."

Political science professor specializing in Nigerian military affairs, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, 20 June 1997. Telephone interview.

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential [London]. Weekly.

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [London]. Monthly.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Reports. 1996.

Human Rights Watch World Report. 1996-97.

Horn of Africa Bulletin [Uppsala]. Bimonthly.

Jeune Afrique [Paris]. 1995 to present.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. 1994-1996.

New African [London]. Monthly.

West Africa [London]. Weekly.

On-line search on NEXIS database.