Nigeria: Whether the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) writes letters of support on behalf of its members who claim asylum abroad
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 2 March 2009 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | NGA103105.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Nigeria: Whether the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) writes letters of support on behalf of its members who claim asylum abroad, 2 March 2009, NGA103105.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4b20f029c.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Additional information to that found in Response NGA102877 dated 24 June 2008 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. The relevant information from that Response is provided below.
During its March 2006 fact-finding trip to Nigeria (Abuja, Lagos and Benin City), Norway's Landinfo – Country of Origin Information Centre interviewed the lawyer for the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Festus Keyamo (Norway Aug. 2006, 16). On behalf of MASSOB's leader, Keyamo made the following statement regarding letters issued to MASSOB members:
The MASSOB leadership has decided that members should stay in Nigeria and fight for self-determination within the country. No decision has been taken to send MASSOB activists abroad to continue the struggle from outside.... When people contact MASSOB for support and substantiations of their asylum claims (either while still in Nigeria or from abroad), MASSOB turns them down. This is also the case when (potential) asylum seekers offer MASSOB money for such letters of support.... The MASSOB policy is to stay in Nigeria to dare all consequences and fight for self-determination. (ibid.)
Corroborating or further information could not 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 sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Reference
Norway. August 2006. Landinfo – Country of Origin Information Centre. Fact-Finding Trip to Nigeria (Abuja, Lagos and Benin City) 12-26 March 2006.
Additional Sources Consulted
Publications: Political Handbook of the World 2008; Report on Human Rights Issues in Nigeria: Joint British-Danish Fact-Finding Mission to Abuja and Lagos Nigeria, 19 October to 2 November 2004; Revolutionary and Dissident Movements of the World.
Internet sites, including: AllAfrica, Amnesty International (AI), Biafraland.com, Biafranet.com, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Factiva, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Nigeriaworld.com, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Reuters – Alertnet, Small Arms Survey (SAS), United Kingdom Home Office, United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), United States Department of State, Vanguard [Lagos].