Nigeria: Information on the Civil Liberty Organization (CLO), its leadership, its activities, the arrest of its members and its involvement in demonstrations that followed the annulment of the 12 June 1993 elections
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 March 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | NGA16806.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Nigeria: Information on the Civil Liberty Organization (CLO), its leadership, its activities, the arrest of its members and its involvement in demonstrations that followed the annulment of the 12 June 1993 elections, 1 March 1994, NGA16806.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab3a24.html [accessed 17 May 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. |
According to Country Reports 1993, the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) is one of the most vocal groups involved in the promotion of human rights in Nigeria (1994, 221). The CLO began its activities in 1987 (IPS 26 Mar. 1993). The president of the CLO, Olisa Agbakoba, was one of the leaders of the pro-democracy campaign operating under the umbrella Campaign for Democracy (CD), which organized the 12 August 1993 civil desobedience campaign to protest the nullification by General Ibrahim Babaginda of the 12 June 1993 presidential elections (The Independent 13 Aug. 1993). The CLO was one of the key organizations operating within the Campaign for Democracy (CD) (Reuters 11 Sept. 1993). Following the cancellation of the elections results, many CLO members were arrested and detained for several weeks under harsh conditions and had to be hospitalized following their release from prison (Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony 4 Aug. 1993). At the time of their release they still faced charges for possession of prodemocracy leaflets (ibid.). Although little evidence is available to the DIRB regarding CLO involvement in the desobedience campaign, information on the demonstrations organized by the CD in August and September 1993 and their aftermath is readily available in the attachments to Response to Information Request NGA16171.E of 6 January 1994, which is available at your Regional Documentation Centre. For further information on the CLO and the treatment of its members by the Nigerian authorities, please refer to the attached documents.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB 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.
References
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993. 1994. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United states Government Printing Office.
Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony. 4 August 1994. Holly Burkhalter. "Testimony August 4, 1993 Holly Burkhalter Africa Watch House Foreign Affairs/Africa Nigeria's Political Crises." (NEXIS)
The Independent [London]. 13 August 1993. Karl Maier. "Lagos at Standstill as Millions Join Democracy Strike; Nigerians in Other Areas Call for Three-Day Stay-Away." (NEXIS)
Inter Press Service (IPS). 26 March 1993. Kole Babalola. "Nigeria: Human Rights Groups Winning Over the Politicians." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 11 September 1993. BC Cycle. James Jukwey. "Abiola's Delay Fuels Talk of Nigerian Deal." (NEXIS)
Attachments
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993. 1994. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, pp. 220-22.
Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony. 4 August 1994. Holly Burkhalter. "Testimony August 4, 1993 Holly Burkhalter Africa Watch House Foreign Affairs/Africa Nigeria's Political Crises." (NEXIS)
The Independent [London]. 13 August 1993. Karl Maier. "Lagos at Standstill as Millions Join Democracy Strike; Nigerians in Other Areas Call for Three-Day Stay-Away." (NEXIS)
Inter Press Service (IPS). 26 March 1993. Kole Babalola. "Nigeria: Human Rights Groups Winning Over the Politicians." (NEXIS)
News from Africa Watch [Washington, DC]. 27 August 1993. Vol. 5, No. 11. "Nigeria: Democracy Derailed: Hundreds Arrested and Press Muzzled in Aftermath of Election Annulment," pp. 2-19.
. June 1993. Vol. 5, No. 9. "Nigeria: Threats to New Democracy: Human Rights Concerns at Election Time," pp. 2-23.
. 27 December 1992. Vol. 4, No. 10. "Nigeria: Crackdown on Human Rights and Pro-Democracy Groups as Transition Is Postponed Again," pp. 1-6.
Reuters. 11 September 1993. BC Cycle. James Jukwey. "Abiola's Delay Fuels Talk of Nigerian Deal." (NEXIS)
