Niger Delta People's Liberation Front

No information on the Niger Delta People's Liberation Front could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Sources consulted, however, made reference to the following two groups with similar names: the Niger Peoples Liberation Front (NPFL) (All Africa 3 Jan. 2005) and the Niger Delta People's Salvation Front (NDPSF) (Vanguard 11 Nov. 2005; All Africa 29 July 2005; All Africa 14 Nov. 2005; NDPVF 20 Sept. 2005).

The Niger Peoples Liberation Front is based in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, and its activities involve disrupting oil exploration in the region (All Africa 3 Jan. 2005). The "militant movement" is led by Alhaji Asari Dokubo (ibid.), recognized as the Niger Delta's "most influential militia leader" (UN 17 Jan. 2006) and head of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF) (All Africa 14 Nov. 2005; La Croix 17 Jan. 2006). Dokubo's goal is to bring together the various nationalities in the Niger Delta region to join in a "common struggle" for "self-determination" and "resource control" (All Africa 29 July 2005).

The Niger Delta People's Salvation Front (NDPSF) is a political wing of the NDPVF (NDPVF 20 Sept. 2005; All Africa 29 July 2005) and is also led by Alhaji Asari Dokubo (ibid.; NDPVF 20 Sept. 2005; Vanguard 11 Nov. 2005). The leader describes the political organization as a "party of the people" that has "no relationship with the Nigerian political system" (All Africa 29 July 2005).

The NDPSF is based out of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria (NDPVF 20 Sept. 2005) and its goals are to establish sovereignty of the Ijaw people (All Africa 29 July 2005) and to improve the situation of the "poverty stricken" Niger Delta people (NDPVF 20 Sept. 2005) who have allegedly not benefited from oil exploration in the region (ibid.; All Africa 29 July 2005).

Alhaji Asari Dokubo, the leader of these two organizations, was arrested in September 2005 (UN 17 Jan. 2006) on charges of treason (Vanguard 11 Nov. 2005; UN 17 Jan. 2006) and in January 2006 remained in custody (ibid.). No further information on the treatment of members of the Niger People's Liberation Front or on the treatment of members of the Niger Delta People's Liberation Front could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Niger Delta Youth of Nigeria

No information on the Niger Delta Youth of Nigeria could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate; however, reference was made to the Niger Delta Youth (VOA 20 Dec. 2005; Platts Oilgram Price Report 12 Oct. 2004).

The Niger Delta Youth are involved in the disruption of oil exploration in the Niger Delta region (ibid.; VOA 20 Dec. 2005). The leader of the Niger Delta Youth is Joseph Ekah (Platts Oilgram Price Report 12 Oct. 2004). In October 2004, Joseph Ekah was quoted as saying,

"Any oil workers moving across the Niger Delta will be dealt with. Move out of the Niger Delta or we will attack or kidnap you. We have mobilized our people and we are battle ready" (ibid.).

In December 2005, local officials suspected the Niger Delta Youth of a dynamite attack on a Royal Dutch Shell pipeline near Andoni in Rivers State (VOA 20 Dec. 2005). No further information on the Niger Delta Youth 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. 14 November 2005. Tony Ita Etim. "Dokubo Blames Beko for Arrest." (Factiva)

_____. 29 July 2005. Théophane Patinvoh. "Biafra War Echoes in Claims for Resource Control, Independence." http://allafrica.com/stories/200507290721.html [Accessed 18 Jan. 2006]

_____. 3 January 2005. Olalekan Bilesanmi. "Celebrity: the State of Our Poverty Is Pathetic, Says Nuhu Aliyu." (Factiva)

La Croix. 17 January 2006. Erika Gelinard. "Shell évacue quatre sites de production au Nigeria. Crise. Une prise d'otages et l'attaque d'une station de pompage font chuter la production pétrolière dans le delta du Niger." (Factiva)

Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF). 20 September 2005. Niger Delta People's Salvation Front. Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari. "The Unfinished Business of Compensating Victims of the January 1998 Idoho 24" Pipeline in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria - Protest Against Unfair Intimidation, Oppression and Deprivation of Legitimate Dues Through Judicial Manipulations." http://www.akumafiete.org/Call_Exxon_Mobil_To_Order_Now___.pdf [Accessed 23 Jan. 2006]

Platts Oilgram Price Report. 12 October 2004. Vol. 82, No. 196. Jacinta Moran. "Nigerian Strike Has No Impact on Exports." (Factiva)

United Nations (UN). 17 January 2006. Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). "Nigeria: Militants Threaten to Cripple Oil Exports if Demands Not Met." http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=51166&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=NIGERIA [Accessed 18 Jan. 2006]

Vanguard [Lagos]. 11 November 2005. Ise-Oluwa Ige. "AAGM: Fresh Charge in Addition to Treason for Dokubo." (Factiva)

Voice of America (VOA). 20 December 2005. "Nigerian Pipeline Attacked with Dynamite; Casualites Reported." (Factiva)

Oral source: Academic Associates PeaceWorks (AAPW) did not provide information within the time constraints of this response.

Publications, including: Europa World Year Book 2005, Political Handbook of the World 2005-2006, Political Parties of the World 2005.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International (AI), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI net), Freedom House, Global Security; Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group, Jeune Afrique, Nigeria.com, Radio France Internationale (RFI), US Department of State.