UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
Nigeria: Civil Liberties Organization, 1/2, 1/7/98

Nigeria: Civil Liberties Organization, 1/2, 1/7/98

Nigeria: Civil Liberties Organization, 1
Date distributed (ymd): 980107
Document reposted by APIC

CORRECTION: In the posting on January 2, 1998, the URL reference to a site on El Nino contained a misprint (nooa instead of noaa).The correct URL is:
http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/enso/africa.html

+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++

Region: West Africa
Issue Areas: +political/rights+
Summary Contents: This posting contains part 1 of a year-end summary report on human rights from the Civil Liberties Organization, Nigeria, as well as pointers to other recent documents on Nigeria.The CLO report was originally posted on the Usenet newsgroup soc.culture.nigeria by the Nigerian Democratic Movement (NDM; e-mail: ndmorg@cldc.howard.edu), as OPPRESSION WATCH 22 (December 20, 1997).This and other postings on Usenet newsgroups can be located on the Web by using a search engine which includes Usenet (such as http://www.dejanews.com). Part 2 is in the next posting.

+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For recent news on Nigeria, see
http://www.africanews.org/west/nigeria

For a even wider variety of news sources see
http://odili.net/newswires.html

For an archive of action-oriented documents from the shell-
nigeria-action listserv, see
http://www.essential.org/listproc/shell-nigeria-action/

Important documents recently distributed on that listserv include news articles on the Abacha regime's lobbying efforts involving businessman Gilbert Chagoury, National Baptist leader Rev. Henry Lyons, and DC Mayor Marion Barry; the World Council of Churches September 1997 statement on Nigeria; news of the successful naming of Kudirat Abiola Corner in New York City; and comments on other current developments in Nigeria. To subscribe to the listserv send the message "subscribe shell-nigeria-action [your name]" to listproc@essential.org.
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A CIVIL LIBERTIES ORGANIZATION (CLO) SPECIAL REPORT

HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE ON NIGERIA

NIGERIA: ONSLAUGHT ON THE OPPOSITION INTENSIFIES

* YAR'ADUA, USIKPEKO DIE IN PRISON
* OBASANJO IN COMA
* ANXIETY MOUNTS ON FATE OF OTHER PRISONERS
* PERSECUTION HEIGHTENS

INTRODUCTION

From direct threats of hostility to actual consummation of same, the Gen. Sani Abacha regime has clearly acquired the image of a regime that harbours, a most insignificant if any tolerance at all for the opposition.

The list of political detainees lengthens virtually daily even as relations of those government considers as rebels suffer untold harassment, sometimes culminating in detention that stretches for weeks and even months. This year alone, Mrs Ladi Olorunyo has been arrested and detained twice for no other reason than the fact that she is married to Dapo Olorunyomi, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Independent Communication (publishers of The News and Tempo) who is currently in exile.

Today, activists in exile are in fact, as many as those in detention, each of them having to escape into safety after series of unmistakable threats to their lives even after some of them had been detained for several months. Pa Anthony Enahoro (in his 70s) and Chief Cornelius Adebayo, both leaders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) were in 1995 detained for more than eighty days without any charge. Before they were picked up, Chief Frank Kokori, former Secretary General of NUPENG had been and he is still there. Although the likes of Chiefs Enahoro and Adebayo had to forcibly abandon the comfort of their homes, others like Pa Alfred Rewane and Alhaja Kudirat Abiola (wife of detained Bashorun Abiola, winner of the June 12 Presidential election) were not lucky. They were hacked to death by those suspected to be government agents. Till date, the Nigerian Police has not come up with any discovery on the death of these two prominent Nigerians.

YAR'ADUA'S DEATH AND PRISON CONDITIONS

The death, on Monday December 8, 1997 of the former Number two citizen of Nigeria, Retired Major Gen. Shehu Musa Yar'adua, has further confirmed reports by Human Rights activists, former prisoners and even the prison authorities about the deplorable situation of Nigeria prison system. Recounts Chima Ubani, Head of Human Rights Education Project of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) detained between July 1995 and October 1996;

BEGIN QUOTE:

"It is quite easy to see how a detainee or prisoner can die in custody. First of all in Ikoyi Prison there is no standard medical facility. During the periods I was there, Ikoyi prisons had no doctors at its clinics. All they had was a matron who did he diagnosis which at best is incompetent. Based on that, she will make prescription and then the medicine will not be there. Then the prisoner is now required to find a way of buying the medicine. And in prison, you have no income and have no access the outside world.

What this translates to is that the prisoner now has to find a way of contacting his relations with this prescription and wait until his people bring the medicine. In the process, valuable time that can make difference between life and death is lost.

If you are a political detainee it is worse because prisoners had visiting days on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays from morning to 3.pm. Crowds usually come for these visits. But for the political prisoners he is not entitled to any visit by Decree 2. at sickness you are at the mercy of the matron. If you are lucky they may have panadol or chloroquine. At a point when I was sick the matron diagnosed malaria and prescribed chloroquine.

The drug is not even given to you. The notion is that you might take overdose and commit suicide with it in your cell. The matron gave me some tablets two of which were chloroquine, one capsule say of tetracycline and the other were panadol. As a lay man, I know that a dosage is 4 tablets of chloroquine. So I complained and then she made it four. Ikoyi is supposed to be a highbrow prison. So if it is this bad, you can imagine what goes on in Abakaliki prison.

The theory here is that if the condition is not bad you are supposed to be taken to Kirikiri where they have a doctor. But I never went there so I can't verify. But in practice I saw a lot of inmates sick to the point of death and there were no federal vehicles to take them to Kirikiri. Even to take persons to court it was BlackMaria. There was a time of epidemic that caused stooling contacted by a lot of awaiting-trial persons. They were stooling and vomiting, that was in late 1996, August or September. Sometimes you will have 2-3 deaths in a day until it got to an unbearable situation when the inmates rioted and broke open the roof into the yard. Mobile policemen were brought in to quell the riot and the deputy controller of Ikoyi prisons was removed.

Even with the best medical facilities, the conditions are at horrible levels. Nutrition is appalling which affects ones immunity to sickness. Throughout three weeks I was at Ikoyi, I was served beans for breakfast, not the type properly prepared and th it was of small quantity. This was breakfast everyday. In the afternoon, everyday except on Sunday it was eba with very watery soup and in the evenings it was either amala or eba with same kind of watery soup. On Sunday afternoon we were served coloured rice called jollof rice. Taken together, it is a starvation diet. It is easy to see how a man's immune system can collapse.

This lack of proper diet is complimented by unhygenic living conditions. At least I can speak authoritatively on the awaiting trial sections. Cells are congested without toilet and bathroom facilities. In my own cell called 'B ward single' which is ordinarily meant for one person had eight persons. It was even considered privilege because it had a waste bin serving as toilet. And when you want to ease yourself you can use the blanket to screen off yourself. The filled bucket stays there throughout the day until the following morning when it is evacuated by some of the convicted prisoners. Another corner of same cell-served us as bathroom, drained by a hole at the wall. It was meant for passage of water. Wale Oshun former Secretary of NADECO, Chief Adisa Akinloye and John Odum of NUBIFIE had passed through this same cell. For those of us who were considered privileged, we had blanket, mattresses and bed. But for others there was nothing like these and for the vast majority not even mats. In such cells there were about 80 to 100 persons. I know this because every morning the warder will come to take inventory of every member of each cell to ensure no escape and how many to feed. And this is announced to the hearing of us all.

Ventilation was another thing, except for fancy blocks with holes. In the general cell there are windows mostly one each, so there is no cross ventilation. This made spread of skin rashes, tuberculosis fast, which is why most inmates are walking skeletons.

Warders pilfer prison food. Senior warders diverted prisoner's food. When the riot of 1996 broke out, the Controller-General of Prisons in Lagos visited the prison. Because the inmates were up in arms, he set up a forum in which each cell nominated ea person to testify about the cause of the riot. The single cell nominated me. One of the allegation inmate made was the pilfering of inmates food and funds meant for them. At the end, prison officials were either retired and redeployed. It was during his period that I was released. Basic toiletries such as soap, insecticide etc are provided for in the budget but never released. And a vast majority of these inmates have been abandoned by their people. Perhaps, after getting tired of waiting long fo their release.

Prisons need to be decongested. There are more inmates than the prisons were built to accommodate. It seems there are more inmates the government can cope for either because it cannot provide for them or deliberately keeping them in those conditions as art of a general punishment.

In Ikoyi prison, the Monday following the last Saturday of every month you see youngmen and women. They have been picked up on environmental sanitation days. And believe you me some may stay for years. So such persons whose offences are of such nature should be released."

END QUOTE

Only on October 5 this year, Reth Adeloye of Fame Magazine died two weeks after he was released from police custody. His death was believed to have stemmed from the unhealthy condition of the environment in which he was detained. In 1995 also, a MOSOP a activist, Clement Tusima, detained in Port Harcourt died inside prison on August 14, 1995 due to harsh prison condition and series of torture by the agents of Internal Security Task Force (ISTF). The late MOSOP activist was said to have fed on small quantities of food and dirty water glaringly unfit for human consumption.

YAR'ADUA

Fifty-four (54) year old Gen Yar'Adua retired from the Army at the age of 39 in 1979 after he had been appointed as the Supreme Headquarters in the Gen. Obasanjo regime. After his retirement, Yar'Adua went into politics and reached a prominent height during the government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida when he sought to become the President on the ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) before Babangida annulled the primary election in which he beat Chief Olu Falae and others.

Yar'Adua bounced back into a heightened political activism in 1994 when he and some of his political associates in the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) contested and won the delegates to the National Constitutional Conference convened by the Gen. Abach government. On December 6 1994, a major agenda of Yar'Adua and his lieutenants crystallised into reality when the conference passed a motion calling on the Abacha government to hand over power to democratically elected president in January 1996. Four months later, Gen. Yar'Adua was arrested by a 16-man team of uniformed and plain-clothed security agents on the trumped charge of being involved in the alleged 1995 coup. It was the beginning of his journey to the end.

Yar'adua died after he had slumped twice on Sunday December 7 and December 8, 1997. Following the alarming degeneracy that his health suffered on those two days, Yar'adua was rushed to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu 4.30p.m on December 8, 1997 in a convoy of military and police vehicles. He reportedly died before the hospital team could attend to him. "We were actually assembled by the CMD (Chief Medical Director). But we could not do anything because by the time we came to the man, he was already dead" a hospital source was quoted as saying (The Guardian, Thursday, December 11, 1997). The Guardian further reported that a doctor at UNTH who pleaded anonymity said the late Yar'adua had intermittently taken ill for about one year before his death. Ebonyi State Administrator, Commander Walter Feghabor was said to have informed the Federal Government on December 1 that Yar'adua needed medical attention. It is not clear if any steps were taken by the Government to provide adequat treatment for Yar'Adua.

Although Yar'adua was said to have been intermittently ill over time, the spokesman of UNTH Donatus Egere in an interview with The Punch stated that "official records do not show that Gen. Yar'adua or anybody else like that was a patient here". (The Punch, Thursday, December 11, 1997).

In its reaction to Yar'Adua's death, the United Action Democracy (UAD) a coalition of human rights and pro-democracy groups declared that it placed "the responsibility for this death squarely at the door step of Abacha dictatorship" adding that he may no have received prompt and adequate medical attention?."

The CLO asks "How many more" must die behind bars or in chains because the military dictators of this country refused to do the right thing?

National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) summed them up: "if it could happen to Yar'Adua who is a prince, a former army general and an advocate of justice, then nobody is safe"

OTHER POLITICAL DETAINEES

OBASANJO

Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, reportedly slumped into coma after hearing the story of Yar'adua's death. According to PM News edition of December 12, 1997, Gen Obasanjo was so devastated that he fainted immediately the news was broken to him and even slumped to coma. The paper further reported that the presidency was immediately notified and has since dispatched a medical team to Yola Prisons, where Obasanjo is being held.

ABIOLA

Relations of the detained winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election Bashorun MKO Abiola on Wednesday December 10, 1997 raised alarm on the fate of the detained politician. In a statement signed by Adebisi, Abiola's wife, the family claimed that was shocked by Gen. Yar'adua's death adding that it is a source of "genuine fears about Abiola's condition". The letter reads in part:

"The news of the death of Major-General Shehu Musa Yar'adua at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, while serving a 25-year jail term at Abakaliki Prisons came as a rude shock to the family of Bashorun M.K.O Abiola, and we are yet to come to terms with the reality of his demise... Meanwhile, I seize this opportunity to appeal to General Sani Abacha to allow the immediate family, as well as the personal physician, Dr. Ore Falomo, access to Bashorun Kashimawo Olawale Abiola to ascertain the state of his health. Persistent request from us to see the Bashorun have been turned down by The Presidency. Dr. Ore Falomo was last allowed to see him in March - about eight months ago! With the sudden death of General Yar'Adua, due to health complications, I have genuine fears about Abiola's condition. In the true spirit of national reconciliation, General Abacha should release all detainees immediately. I beg all Nigerians to join us in pleading with General Abacha to set our husbands, fathers, brothers and sisters free while they are alive. The nation cannot afford to see Bashorun MKO Abiola and all other political detainees die in detention camps and prisons. Please, Abacha let them go!"

Meanwhile, Dr. Ore Falomo has stated (Weekend Concord December 13, 1997) that "Abiola has always been in danger because he is in detention... he is safer in his house than being in prison... Nothing is better than his own house and his own bed. No matte what they try to do to make him comfortable, he would be better off in his house". Reacting to the question on the possibility of Abiola' being injected with AIDS virus, Falomo remarks that "anything is possible". He added "The HIV... have been injecte by a medical man into a woman whom I think had a quarrel... Now under detention anything is possible".

OGAGA IFOWODO

He is CLO's Project Officer in charge of Annual Report Project. Ogaga was arrested at Seme Border town on November 7 when he was returning from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which held in Scotland in October 1997. He was kept at 15 Awolowo Road Ikoyi office of the State Security Service (SSS) for about two weeks. He has since been moved to another detention facility called Inter-Centre. The duo of Abdul Oroh and Chima Ubani- Executive Director and Head of Human Rights Education project of CLO respectively - spent nine months there. Since his incarceration, Ogaga has been denied access to his lawyers, doctors and relations who have all made efforts to visit him.

PERSECUTION HEIGHTENS

The Gen. Sani Abacha-headed military government has in the recent time intensified efforts to further reduce the opposition, especially the independent press, to a more insignificant size. This it has been doing by outrightly abducting and arresting mo journalists, human rights activists and political activists.

In some other cases still, victims are threatened to leave the country or lose their lives. The situation adds another dimension to the strategy it employed in February and March 1997 when it conducted the Local Government election. Then, a number of opposition politicians and human rights activists were arrested and hurriedly arraigned before a court for having hands in the spate of bombing incidents the nation was witnessing. All those so arraigned are still in detention (except those already in exile.)

In the prevailing circumstance, no charges have yet been framed even as the election into the state houses of assembly has been concluded while no explanation are offered either.

[continued in part 2]

FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES CONTACTMR TUNDE AKANNI, HEAD OF CAMPAIGN, CIVIL LIBERTIES ORGANISATION DECEMBER, 1997

CLO, 24 Mbonu Ojike St., Off Alhaji Masha Road, Surulele, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel: 015-840288, 848513, 836972; fax: 5876876.
************************************************************

Nigeria: Civil Liberties Organization, 2

Nigeria: Civil Liberties Organization, 2
Date distributed (ymd): 980107
Document reposted by APIC

+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++

Region: West Africa
Issue Areas: +political/rights+
Summary Contents: This posting contains part 2 of a year-end summary report on human rights from the Civil Liberties Organization, Nigeria. The CLO report was originally posted on the Usenet newsgroup soc.culture.nigeria by the Nigerian Democratic Movement (NDM; e-mail: ndmorg@cldc.howard.edu), as OPPRESSION WATCH 22 (December 20, 1997).This and other postings on Usenet newsgroups can be located on the Web by using a searchengine which includes Usenet (such as http://www.dejanews.com). Part 1 is in the previous posting, which also includes pointers to other recent documents on Nigeria.

+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A CIVIL LIBERTIES ORGANIZATION (CLO) SPECIAL REPORT HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE ON NIGERIA

(continued from part 1)

FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY

On September 18, 1997 the send-off party organised by human rights and pro-democracy groups in Lagos in honour of the immediate past Ambassador of the United States of America (USA) Walter Carrignton was forcibly halted by a team of the Operation Sweep, special security squad of the Lagos State Government. Although the party was holding in the private residence of a NADECO chieftain, the gun wielding security agents broke their way in and forced all the guests to disperse immediately.

Weeks later, Master of Ceremony at the occasion, Barrister Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, was arrested together with his 75-year old man by soldiers from the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI). He is still being held allegedly for refusing to retract his statement that soldiers manhandled him while trying to arrest him.

On Thursday December 11 1997, a press conference organised by the United Action for Democracy (UAD) a coalition of human rights and pro-democracy groups was stopped a group of police detective. The conference, billed to address the implication of Yar'adua's death in prison, was holding at the Social Centre of the Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

STATE OF THE MEDIA

The attack on Freedom of Expression increases by the day. While no fewer than 30 journalists are languishing in various prisons - non convicts and convicts alike - several others have been in and out of prison intermittently. The supposedly free journalists are not faring any better as state security operatives keep 'hovering' media establishments.

Shortly after the Abuja Bureau Chief of African Concord Magazine, Mohammed Adamu, was detained, a renewed offensive was launched against the magazine with SSS operatives 'visiting' the premises daily. The entire staffers subsequently abandoned the official premises forcing them to discontinue the production of magazine. The discontinuation not withstanding, Midweek Concord of Wednesday December 3, 1997, reported that the duo of Messrs Lewis Obi and Obie Chukwumba, Managing Director and Deputy Editor of th magazine respectively are being desperately sought after by State Security operatives. This, according to the newspaper has forced Mr Chukwumba to flee his home.

As in the case of African Concord, Tell staffers have since had to abandon their office at ACME Road, Ogba-Ikeja since their Managing Editor was nabbed. Some reporters of the magazine told CLO in an interview that they now meet at secret locations to be able to continue producing their magazine.

According to a statement issued on October 29 signed by the magazine's managing editor, a shadowy organisation parading itself as above the law and even above compiled a list of about 22 names of Tell staffer as their 'hit' targets. The statement furthe stated that the threatening body was demanding huge sums of money as ransom for each of the named staff.

Mr Osifo-Whiskey's detention brings to two the number of Tell staffers currently incarcerated. The other persons, Mr George Mbah, an Assistant Editor is currently serving a 15-year jail term following his conviction by the Gen. Patrick Aziza Tribunal on he trumped up charge of being "accessory after the fact of coup".

Thisday Newspapers' journalists are not faring any better. November 14, 1997 the publisher, Mr Nduka Obaigbena was arrested in Abuja. On release four days later, he was directed to report back to the Directorate of Military Intelligence with four of th journalists on his papers who worked on the Abacha-regime's fourth anniversary story published by the paper titled: Four Men Behind Abacha. One of the journalists so invited who demanded anonymity told CLO in an interview: "The officer who handled our case flatly told us that any attempt to write on Abacha again is at the risk of our lives. After abusing us severely, he told us with air of finality. Next time I have cause to invite you here I won't hesitate to waste (kill) you".

YOBE TELEVISION STAFF

Eight staffers of the Yobe State Television (YTV) in Damaturu were on October 6, 1997 severely beaten by the State Security Agents on the order of the State Military Administrator, Wing Commander John Ben Kalio. Their offence was the airing of the 45-minute documentary on the achievements of the immediate past Military Administrator of the State, Police Commissioner Dabo Aliu relayed by the station.

BENUE STATE

Two journalists were on October 1, 1997 arrested and detained by Policemen in Makurdi. The journalists Tenkum Kokoh of Democrats Newspaper and Folu Oyewusi of Daily Sketch were arrested while covering a seminar on "Nigeria '98 and the Principles of Rotati onal Presidency" organised in commemoration of Nigeria's 37th Independence Anniversary. No reason was given for their arrest and detention. They were released few days later.

KADUNA STATE

The Kaduna State correspondent of The News and Tempo, Henry Ugbolue was arrested on December 10 by State Security agents attached to the Government House Kaduna, he was severely assaulted and later detained. No reason was given for his arrest. He was neither charged nor accused of any offence till he was released days later.

ARRESTS AND DETENTION

MOHAMMED ADAMU

He is the Abuja Bureau Chief of African Concord magazine owned by detained June 12, winner Basorun MKO Abiola. He was arrested on Sunday July 27, 1997 for allegedly contributing to the cover story his magazine did on one of the aides of the head of state, Major Al Mustapha. Since he was incarcerated, Adamu has been held incommunicado, denied visits by relations, lawyers and doctors. He is yet to be charged.

SOJI OMOTUNDE

He is the editor of African Concord Magazine. He was arrested on October 25, 1997 while driving along Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja. Though still using walking stick following a recent accident in which he was involved, Omotunde was reportedly beaten and severely harassed before he was taken to unknown location by the State Security Service operatives who arrested him.

THE NEWS EDITORS

On August 6th 1997, State Security Service (SSS) operatives invaded the premises of Independent Communications publishers of PM News, The News and Tempo Weeklies. They ransacked the editors' offices and arrested Messrs Bayo Onanuga and Babafemi Ojudu, Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor respectively. No explanation was offered for the action. Shortly afterwards three other editors in the group, Messrs Demola Abimboye, Gbenga Alaketu and Jenkins Alumona were also picked up. While Messrs Abimboye and Alaketu were later released, Mr Fakeye was not. On Monday November 17 1997 Mr Ojudu was picked up again at Seme Border town while returning from Kenya where he had gone to attend a conference. He is currently being detained at No. 15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi office of the State Security Service (SSS).

Two days after Mr Ojudu was detained, an administrative staff of Independent Communications, Mr Rafiu Salawu, who went to Apapa to see Mr Ojudu was equally arrested and detained without any charge since.

A week after Mr Ojudu was detained, PM News, a daily evening newspaper reported that a shoot-at-sight order has been issued on Mr Onanuga.

1.30a.m Monday November 3, DMI officers stormed the residence of Mrs Ladi Olorunyomi asking her to produce Mr Onanuga since the former is the wife of Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, Mr Onanuga's deputy at Independent Communications. Being unable to help with their mand, she was immediately arrested and taken to DMI. She was released two days later. She had been similarly arrested twice in the year apparently in lieu of her husband.

Mr Onanuga has since fled the country following the order on his head.

TELL EDITORS

Wednesday September 10, 1997, operatives of a supposedly special security squad of the Lagos State Government Operation Sweep, forced their way into the residence of the editor-in-Chief Tell weekly magazine, Mr Nosa Igiebor. With one of them pointing h gun at the head of Mr Igiebor's daughter, Obosa they demanded to see Mr Igiebor immediately. Refusing to believe Mrs Igiebor that her hubby who was out o the country, was not around, they arrested her. She was released later that day.

Some weeks after the residence of the Igiebors was sacked, the Tell management issued a statement that the lives of all its editors were in danger. They alleged that they had received series of frightening calls to that effect. Finally on Sunday Novemb 9 1997, the Managing Editor of the Magazine, Mr Onome Osifo-Whiskey was arrested on his way to church.

AKIN ADESOKAN

A senior correspondent with The Post Express newspaper and a 1996 winner of ANA (Association of Nigeria Authors) award, he was arrested together with Ogaga Ifowodo. Akin was returning from Graz, Australia where he had gone on a two and a half month writing fellowship. Akin was previously in the United States on Writers-in-exile fellowship. Like Ogaga, he was first detained at 15, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi office of the State Security Service (SSS) before he was moved to the InterCentre. His doctor, lawyers and relations have equally been denied access.

LIST OF DETAINEES

* Find stated below the updated list of political detainees
in Nigeria

Name + Position + Place of Arrest + Date of Arrest + Detained
At + Remarks

POLITICIANS

1. Chief Bashorun MKO Abiola + President Elect + Lagos 23/6/94
+ Abuja + Detained for declaring himself as President and
winner of June 12 1993 election
2. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo + Former Head of State + 19/3/95
3. Chief Frank Kokori + NUPENG Secretary General + Lagos
20/8/94 + Bama
4. Chief Milton Dabibi + former Sec.Gen PENGASSAN + Lagos
5. Otunba Biyi Durojaiye + Lagos + 12/8/96
6. Dr Beko Ransome Kuti + Chairman, CD + Lagos + 27/7/95
7. Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki + Sultan of Sokoto + Sokoto + 4/21/96
+ Zing in Taraba State + Yet to be charged to court or accused
of any offence
8. Mr Polycarp Nwite + Ex-Senator + Lagos 6/8/97 + unknown +
Arrested and detained without any reason

JOURNALISTS

9. Mrs Chris Anyanwu + Publisher, The Sunday Magazine (TSM)
Lagos + 4/6/95 + Convicted by + Patrick Aziza led tribunal for
being accessory after the fact of coup
10. Mr Kunle Ajibade + Editor, The News Mag. + Lagos + 23/5/97
11. Mr George Mbah + Asst. Editor, Tell Mag. Lagos + 5/5/97
12. Mr Ben Charles Obi + Editor, Classique + Lagos 4/5/97
13. Mr Alumona Jenkins + Editor, The News Mag. + Lagos +
8/11/97 + DMI
14. Mr Onome Osifo-Whiskey + Editor, Tell Mag. Lagos + 9/11/97
+ DMI
15. Mr Hamid Danlami + Publisher of Al-Mazan, a Muslim
Newspaper
16. Mr Babafemi Ojudu Editor, The News Mag. + Seme Border +
11/17/97 + DMI
17. Mr Akin Adesokan + Snr Writer, Post Exp + Seme Border +
7/11/97
18. Mr Tokunbo Fakeye + Def. Correspondent of the News
19. Mr Salawu Rafiu + Admin Manager The News + Lagos +
11/14/97
20. Mr Bagauda Kaltho + Kaduna Correspondent + unknown +
7/27/97 + of the News Mag.
21. Mohammed Adamu + Abuja Correspondent of African Concord
Magazine
22. Mr Moshood Fayemiwo + Editor, Razor Weekly +
Refug.Camp/Cotonou + 4/1/97 + DMI + Arrested and detained
without any reason
23. Mr Soji Omotunde + Editor,African Concord Lagos + 10/25/97
+ unknown + No reason has been given for his illegal arrest
and detention

MOSOP ACTIVISTS

24. Mr Bariture Bawo Lebe + MOSOP activist Ogoni Area 5/1/94
+ Port Harcourt
25. Mr Banatu John + MOSOP activist Ogoni Area + 5/1/94 + Port
Harcourt + Charged before a Port Harcourt Magistrate Court for
murder of four Ogoni chiefs after a prolong preventive
detention
26. Mr Barbara Vizor + MOSOP activist Ogoni Area + 5/1/94 +
Port Harcourt
27. Mr Popgbara Zorzor + MOSOP activist Ogoni Area + 5/1/94 +
Port Harcourt
28. Mr Gbaruwa Friday + MOSOP activist Ogoni Area + 5/1/94 +
Port Harcourt
29. Mr Nvieda Nasikpo + MOSOP activist Ogoni Area + 5/1/94 +
Port Harcourt
30. Mr Baadom Elijah Leekie + MOSOP activist + Ogoni Area + 5/1/94 + Port Harcourt
31. Mr Blessing Israel + MOSOP activist Ogoni Area + 5/1/94 + Port Harcourt
32. Mr Mousi Taaghalo K. + MOSOP activist + Ogoni Area + 5/1/94 + Port Harcourt
33. Mr Kagbara Bassel + MOSOP activist + Ogoni Area 5/1/94 + Port Harcourt
34. Mr Kaa Adam + MOSOP activist + Ogoni Area + 5/1/94 + Port Harcourt
35. Mr Ntiguee Sampson + MOSOP activist + Ogoni Area + 5/1/94
36. Mr Gbodor Godwin
37. Mr Asigba Samuel
38. Mr Nwabare Papah
39. Mr Kobani Benjamin
40. Mr Baribuma Kumanne
41. Mr Ngba Baori

COUP CONVICTS

42. Trooper Anang I. Offem + Soldier + Lagos + 4/26/90 +
Kirikiri + Arrested and detained + in connection with the
April 22, 1990 aborted coup. Granted Amnesty since October 1991, but still in jail
43. L.Cpl Iviero Lucky + Soldier + Lagos + 4/26/90 + Kirikiri
44. L.Cpl Pullen Blacky
45. Wo2 Jomo James
46. Trooper Miebi Christopher
47. WO2 (rtd) Mukoro David
48. Trooper Fakolade Taiwo
49. Sgt Gartie Ortoo
50. Trooper Adelabu Olajide
51. Wo1 Elo Samson
52. Wo2 Ogbewe Augustine
53. Col. Ajayi G.A. Army Officer + Lagos + 4/3/95 + unknown + Convicted by the Aziza military tribunal for treason. Sentence communed to six months
54. Major Obalisa E.U Army Officer + Lagos + 1/3/95 + Lagos + Garrison
55. Ms. Alagoa Lewis Q + Friend of Col. Lawan Gwadabe Lagos + 9/3/95
56. Lt. Col. Mepaiyeda S.B + Former ADC to IBB Lagos + 10/3/97
57. Major Edeh I.O + Army Officer + Lagos + 10/3/97
58. Corporal Ogbinowa G. Army Officer + Lagos + 8/3/97
59. L.Cpl. Onwe Joseph + Army Officer + Lagos + 10/3/97
60. Lt Col Usman D.A.D + + Lagos + 10/3/97
61. Mr. Adaji Ben + Staff of The News Lagos + 11/14/97
62. Major Akinloye Akinyemi + Brother to Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi + Lagos + 26/1/95
63. Col. Lawan Gwadabe + Former Principal Staff Officer to the
Head of State + Lagos + 1/3/95
64. Col. Bello Fadile + Director of Army Legal Services + 1/3/95
65. O. Oloruntoba + Army Engineering Officer + 1/3/95
66. Col. Ndubueze + Gen. Staff Arm. div + Jos + 1/3/95
67. Col Roland Emokpae + Army Deputy Provost Marshall + 1/3/95
68. Col Isah + Military Officer + 4/3/95
69. Col Olu Craig + Army Officer + 1/3/95
70. Lt. Col. K.H. Bulus Academy Adjutant NDA + 4/3/95
71. Col. R.D. Obiki + Army Officer + 4/3/95
72. Col V.O Bamgbose + Army Officer + 4/3/95
73. Lt. Col. C.P. Izuorgu + Army Officer + 4/3/95
74. Maj. Oyewole + Army Officer + 4/3/95
75. Col. M.A. Ajayi + Army Officer + 4/3/95
76. Col. M.A. Igwe + Army Officer + 4/3/95
77. Col. D. Usman + Army Officer + 4/3/95
78. Col. Obasa + Army Officer + 4/3/95
79. Col. A.A. Ogunsuyi + Army Officer + 5/3/95
80. Lt.Col. Imo Fabiyi + Defence Counsel to Col Fadile + 29/7/95
81. Mr. Turner Ogboru + Lawyer and Businessman + April 1990
82. Mr. Felix Ndamaigida + March 1995
83. Mr. Peter Ijaola + March 1995
84. Mr Mathew Popoola + March 1995
85. Mr Moshood Yahaya + March 1995
86. Mr Julius Badejo + State Security Officer + March 1995
87. Mr Patrick Usikpeko + Army Officer + March 1995
88. Mr Sanusi Mato + March 1995
89. Capt Moshood Adekunle Raji + 06/1/97 + Detained for
writing Mr Warren Christopher of the United States on the
issue of June 12.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

90. Mr Ogaga Ifowodo + CLO Staff/Lawyer + Seme Border +
7/11/97 + SSS Annex, Ikoyi
91. Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa + Human Rights Lawyer + Lagos +
4/11/97 + DMI
92. Shehu Sani + CD, Vice Chairman + 1/3/95

OTHERS

93. Mr Musa Oko Iya-Afon + unknown + Ilorin + 5/3/97 + Police CID + Arrested and detained for an alleged bomb blast in Ilorin discharged by the court but never released 94. Moshood Nurudeen + March 1995 95. Mr Muhammed S. Lafiagi + unknown + Ilorin + 5/31/97 [see Iya-Afon] 96. Ms Asuku Halima + unknown Abuja + 10/11/97 + unknown + Detained for allegedly peddling rumour against Mrs Abacha. 97. Alhaji Musideen Ajadi + Lagos + 2/12/96 98. Mr Festus Adeboye + Personal Asst. to Dr. Omotshola 26/11/96 + Lagos + 99. Mr. Femi Adeyemiwo + Lagos + 26/11/96 100. Mr Moses Akele Associate of Dr Omotshola + Lagos + 27/11/96 101. Mr Lewis Aimona + unemployed + Lagos + 7/1/97 102. Mr Moshood Yaya + unknown + Ilorin + 5/31/95 Police CID Alagbon Lagos + Arrested and detained for an alleged bomb blast in Ilorin, discharged by the court but never released. 103. Mr Jonathan Alayemo + 18/7/96 + SSS Detention Centre + Alleged to be NADECO agent 104. Chief A. Adegboruwa + 75-yr old father of Ebun-Olu 105. Mr. Ibrahim Y. + Muslim Activist El-ZakZaky, Zaria 12/9/96 + Port Harcourt + Detained incommunicado for 10 months and charged to court on July 31, 1997 with inciting public disaffection and sedition 106. Mr Abubakar Danladi Muslim Scholar + Zaria 12/9/96 + unknown 107. Mr Mohammed Shittu

EXILES

1. Professor Wole Soyinka + NALICON leader
2. Chief Anthony Enahoro + NADECO leader
3. Gen. Alani Akinrinade + NADECO leader
4. Mr Dapo Olorunyomi + Dep. Editor-in-Chief, Independent
Communications
5. Mr Ike Okonta + Former Asst. Editor, The News
6. Mr Sunny Ofili + Former journalist of the African Guardian
Mag.
7. Mr Dele Momodu + Former journalist of the Concord Press
8. Mr Bayo Onanuga + Editor-in-Chief, Independent Communications
9. Chief Bola Tinubu + NADECO leader
10. Chief Ralph Obioha + NADECO leader
11. Rtd Commodore Dan Suleiman + NADECO leader
12. Alex Kabba + Former Abuja Bureau Chief, The News Magazine
13. Tokunbo Afikuyomi + NADECO leader
14. Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi + NADECO leader
15. Austin Abada + Former Student activist
16. Dr Owens Wiwa + MOSOP
17. Mr. Ledum Mitee + MOSOP Leader

AND SEVERAL OTHERS

CLO CALLS FOR:

* IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL DETAINEES
* CESSATION OF THE PROCESSING OF ALL ANTI-MEDIA LAWS
* COMPENSATION OF THE FAMILIES OF OGONI NINE

WRITE YOUR LETTERS OF CONCERN TO:

1. Gen. Sani Abacha Head of State & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES CONTACT MR TUNDE AKANNI, HEAD OF CAMPAIGN, CIVIL LIBERTIES ORGANISATION DECEMBER, 1997

CLO, 24 Mbonu Ojike St., Off Alhaji Masha Road, Surulele, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel: 015-840288, 848513, 836972; fax: 5876876.

************************************************************

From: apic@igc.org Message-Id: <199801071811.KAA24304@igc3.igc.apc.org> Date: Wed, 7 Jan 1998 12:34:51 -0500 Subject: Nigeria: Civil Liberties Organization, 2

Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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