Information on the Movement for the Advancement of Democracy (MAD) from 2003 to 2006 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. The information provided in this Response is based on sources published between 1993 and 2002.

Mandate

In 2002, the mandate of MAD was to increase awareness among Nigerians of official corruption (P.M. News 8 Feb. 2002, see also Tempo 18 Feb. 2002) and to "free [Nigerian] people from poverty" (Tempo 18 Feb. 2002). No further information on the mandate of MAD could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Activities

According to sources consulted by the Research Directorate, MAD was responsible for the October 1993 hijacking of a Nigerian airliner (OnlineNigeria.com n.d.; NigeriaExchange n.d.; P.M. News 11 Feb. 2002; Tempo 18 Feb. 2002), travelling from Lagos to Abuja (ibid.). The airplane was forced to land in the city of Niamey in the neighbouring Republic of Niger (ibid.), where the four MAD members allegedly responsible for the hijacking were captured by the Niger authorities (L'Humanité 29 Oct. 1993) and imprisoned for nine years (P.M. News 11 Feb. 2002; ibid. 8 Feb. 2002; Tempo 18 Feb. 2002). The members reportedly hijacked the plane to protest against official corruption in Nigeria (OnlineNigeria n.d.; NigeriaExchange n.d.; see also Tempo 18 Feb. 2002).

According to 2002 news articles, the four MAD members involved in the hijacking, also commonly referred to as the "4 MAD Boys" (P.M. News 11 Feb. 2002; ibid. 8 Feb. 2002) and the "Niamey 4" (Tempo 18 Feb. 2002) were released from prison in 2002, at which time they returned to Nigeria (ibid.; P.M News 11 Feb. 2002; ibid. 8 Feb. 2002).

In April 2006, the Daily Trust reported on alleged protests by an activist group called "Movement for the Advancement and Defence of Democracy" (4 Apr. 2006). According to the article, the group was protesting against the Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria who had allegedly insulted former leaders and "highly respected" members of Nigerian society (Daily Trust 4 Apr. 2006). Information on whether this group is connected in any way to MAD could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Membership and structure

No information on the total membership of MAD could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. News articles from 2002 reported on the involvement of four members of the group, including Kenny Rasaq [or "Hassan" (This Day 25 Mar. 2002)] Lawal, Richard Oguderu [also spelled "Ojunderu" (Tempo 18 Feb. 2002) and "Ogundeni" (This Day 25 Mar. 2002)], Kabiru Adenuga, and Daissi [or "Beneth" (This Day 25 Mar. 2002)] Ososanya, in the October 1993 hijacking (Tempo 18 Feb. 2002; P.M. News 11 Feb. 2002). In 2002, these members were reportedly in their early thirties, except for Oguderu, who was in his late twenties (ibid.).

Several sources identified Jerry Yusuf, a former soldier (Reuters 27 Oct. 1993; Lloyd's Information Casualty Report 27 Oct. 1993), as the leader of MAD (ibid.; UN 30 Oct. 2001; P.M. News 19 Sept. 2002; ibid. 11 Feb. 2002; ibid. 8 Feb. 2002). Yusuf, accused of planning the October 1993 hijacking, was arrested in Nigeria "shortly after the hijacking, and was later handed over to the Niger authorities" (Reuters 8 Apr. 1994; see also Reuters 28 July 2000). He was released from prison after seven years (Reuters 28 July 2000; P.M. News 11 Feb. 2002).

Tempo, a weekly Lagos-based newspaper (All Africa n.d.a), identified Richard Oguderu as the "intellectual leader" of the "Niamey 4" (Tempo 18 Feb. 2002). Oguderu, who was reportedly 19 at the time of the 1993 hijacking (P.M. News 11 Feb. 2002), was the youngest member of the group of four (Tempo 18 Feb. 2002).

No further information on the membership and structure of MAD could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Treatment of members by the authorities

In 1994, Jerry Yusuf, the leader of MAD (P.M. News 19 Sept. 2002; ibid. 11 Feb. 2002) was arrested by Nigerian police and turned over to the Niger authorities, even though there was no request for his extradition (Reuters 8 Apr. 1994; ibid. 28 July 2000).

According to P.M. News, a Lagos-based daily newspaper (All Africa n.d.b), in 1993, the "Niamey 4" were arrested in Niger and allegedly tortured by the Niger police in Niamey (P.M. News 11 Feb. 2002). The MAD members were reportedly detained without trial until their release in 2002 (ibid.; Tempo 18 Feb. 2002).

Following the release of the four MAD members from prison in 2002, the Nigerian government sent a letter to the country's security agencies, including its seaports, airports and border crossings, to place them on "red alert" (This Day 25 Mar. 2002). The letter provided the names of the four MAD members, and indicated that their activities should be monitored (ibid.). The letter stated that

[w]hile their international activities are closely monitored, there is a need for the law enforcement agencies to mount adequate surveillance on their activities if and when the ex-convicts [MAD members] decide to return home (ibid.).

No information on the treatment of members of MAD by the Nigerian or Niger authorities since 2002 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

No information on whether MAD has been outlawed in Nigeria 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 for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

All Africa. N.d.a. "Content Providers." http://allafrica.com/publishers.html?passed_name=Tempo&passed_location=Lagos [Accessed 20 June 2006]

_____. N.d.b. "Content Providers." http://allafrica.com/publishers.html?passed_name=P.M.%20News&passed_location=Lagos [Accessed 28 June 2006]

Daily Trust [Abuja]. 4 April 2006. Rakiya A. Mohammad. "2007: IBB's Entry a Good Development - Lar." (All Africa/ Factiva)

L'Humanité. 29 October 1993. "Fin du détournement d'avion au Niger." http://www.humanite.fr/journal/1993-10-29/1993-10-29-687211 [Accessed 19 June 2006]

Lloyd's Information Casualty Report. 27 October 1993. "Aviation - Aircraft Hijacked on Flight from Lagos to Abuja, Nigeria." (Factiva)

NigeriaExchange. N.d. "Key Events in Nigeria (1990 - 2000)." http://www.ngex.com/nigeria/keyevents/post1960c.htm [Accessed 16 June 2006]

OnlineNigeria.com. N.d. "Nigeria History- Summary." http://www.onlinenigeria.com/history.asp [Accessed 16 June 2006]

P.M. News [Lagos]. 19 September 2002. "Police Quiz Activist Over Mad Boys." (All Africa/Factiva)

_____. 11 February 2002. "Home Again After Nine Years in Prison." (All Africa/Factiva)

_____. 8 February 2002. "Movement Boys Return." (All Africa/Factiva)

Reuters. 28 July 2000. "Niger Court Frees Nigerian Held 7 Years for Hijack." (Factiva)

_____. 8 April 1994. "Nigeria Hands Hijack Suspect to Niger." (Factiva)

_____. 27 October 1993. "Leader of Nigerian Hijack Group is Former Soldier." (Factiva)

Tempo [Lagos]. 18 February 2002. Dele Oyewale. "M.A.D. Return." (All Africa/Factiva)

This Day [Lagos]. 25 March 2002. "Hijackers: Government Puts Security Agencies On Red Alert." http://allafrica.com/stories/200203250084.html<< [Accessed 21 June 2006]

United Nations (UN). 30 October 2001. Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). "Focus On Plans for Special Identity Cards for Foreigners." (Factiva)

Oral sources: The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) did not provide information within the time constraints of this Response.
Publications:

Europa World Year Book 2005; Political Handbook of the World 2005-2006; Political Parties of the World; Revolutionary and Dissident Movements of the World.

Internet sites, including: AllAfrica.com, Amnesty International, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), European Country of Origin Information (ECOI) Network, Factiva, Human Rights Watch, Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), RAND Corporation, Small Arms Survey, Terrorism Knowledge Base (TKB), United Kingdom Home Office, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), United States Department of State.