No reports of the Ogboni "cult," nor of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (ROF), being involved with acts of cannibalism could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. In a 19 August 1999 Post Express article on a reception organized by Bola Oyeledan, secretary of the ROF, the guest speaker denied that members engage in cannibalism. Otunda Olu Awopetu

who is a legal practitioner ... said that Ogbonism is a way of life which the members have chosen, stressing that members are not cannibals who feed on human flesh. He pointed out that those who accused his members of feeding on human flesh are ignorant of the tenets of ROF, adding that members believe in the doctrines of the Bible (ibid.).

Another ROF member, who was among several honoured at the reception after completing "a year's tour of the ROF centres across Nigeria," said that there are "plans for more reforms" in order to make the ROF

more generally acceptable. He said that Ogboni, though syncretic in nature, is neither a cult nor a secret society.

He further said that all it stands for is to make a "good man a better man, a good Christian," and stated that he was born a Baptist and have not and cannot denounce his faith or denomination."

The meeting which was held at Excellence Hotel in Ikeja was well attended by eminent Nigerians who are members. (ibid.)

In the sources consulted by the Research Directorate, two separate incidents of alleged cannibalism in Nigeria were found. Neither incident involved any reported connection between the alleged cannibalism and any "cult" or group. In January 1996 The Herald reported from Lagos that:

Nigerian villagers prayed and fasted for three days to atone for a kinsman who allegedly killed and ate his nephew. The ceremony sought forgiveness for Livinus Ndigwe, who was arrested and accused of killing and eating his 17-year-old nephew Ebuka in November (22 Jan. 1996).

The other incident occurred in Lagos in February 1999 and attracted wide media and public attention (Post Express 9 Feb. 1999; ibid. 6 Feb. 1999; Mail and Guardian 12 Mar. 1999; Tempo 29 Dec. 1999; P.M. News 3 Mar. 2000). In this incident a man, Clifford Orji, was discovered by a passer-by under a bridge in a crude shelter roasting human limbs on a fire (Mail and Guardian 12 Mar. 1999). He and another man, Tahiru Aliyu, were arrested after being chased down by a mob that had been alerted by the passer-by (ibid.). They were later

arraigned on charge number D/61/99 for the alleged murder of one Madam Awawu Lawal on February 3.

The police charge read: "That you Clifford Orji and Tahiru Aliyu on the third night of February, 1999 at about 1.30 a.m. by the Toyota Bus-stop, fly-over, along Oshodi-Airport Road, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Lagos magisterial district did kill one Awawu Lawal and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 316 and punishable under section 319 of the criminal code cap. 31 volume II, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 1973."

The police prosecutor also applied for the court's permission to transfer the suspected cannibals to a psychiatric hospital to ascertain whether they are sane. According to Ochogwu, the police made the application under section 12 and 15 (1) of the lunacy law of Lagos State (Post Express 12 Feb. 1999).

Thousands of people were reported to have visited the scene over the following days to "...'see for themselves' the bizarre scene" (ibid. 6 Feb. 1999; Tempo 29 Dec. 1999; Mail and Guardian 12 Mar. 1999). On 16 April 1999 NigeriaNews.net reported that the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board had banned a film based on this incident, stating that "the film glorified cannibalism and exposed African people to ridicule." The film was "banned from public release and commercial sale, lending or exhibition" (ibid.).

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

The Herald [Glasgow]. 22 January 1996. "No Headline Present." (NEXIS)

Mail and Guardian [Johannesburg]. 12 March 1999. Chris McGreal. "Nigeria; Nigerian Cannibal Caught Red-Handed." (NEXIS)

NigeriaNews.net. 16 April 2000. "Board Bans Films on Cannibalism and the Clifford Orji Saga." http://www.nigerianews.net [Accessed 30 Aug. 2000]

P.M. News [Lagos]. 3 March 2000. "Nigeria; Today in Nigeria Newspapers." (NEXIS)

Post Express [Lagos]. 12 February 1999. Chris Ndiribe, Sisaa Agboh and Sola Ogundipe. "Suspected Cannibals Arraigned for Murder." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 30 Aug. 2000]

_____. 9 February 1999. Onuoha Ukeh. "Calendars, Posters of Suspected Cannibals Sell Like Hot Cakes." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 30 Aug. 2000]

_____. 6 February 1999. Kelechi Onyemaobi and Sisaa Agbo. "Bizarre Killings in Lagos: Suspected Cannibals to Undergo Psychiatric Tests." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 30 Aug. 2000]

_____. 19 August 1997. Michael Omeife. "Ogboni Chief Urges Cultists to Resist Expulsion from Churches." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 30 Aug. 2000]

Tempo [Lagos]. 29 December 1999. "Nigeria; Sani Ahmed Yerima: The Ayatollah Alhaji." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

LEXIS-NEXIS

REFWORLD

World News Connection (WNC)

Unsuccessful attempts to contact two non-documentary sources

Internet sites including:

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge].

Nigeria Media Monitor

Nigeria News Network

Post Express [Lagos].

United Nations, Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN).

Search engines including:

Dogpile

Google

Odili.net