- Introduction
- Guidance note
- Common analysis
- General remarks
- 1. Actors of persecution or serious harm
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2. Refugee status
- Preliminary remarks
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Analysis of particular profiles
- 2.1. Individuals targeted by Boko Haram
- 2.2. (Perceived) Boko Haram members or supporters
- 2.3. Members of separatist movements and individuals perceived as supporting them
- 2.4. Members of militant groups in the Niger Delta and individuals perceived as supporting them
- 2.5. Members and perceived supporters of political parties
- 2.6. Individuals involved in and affected by conflicts between herders and farmers
- 2.7. Human rights activists, bloggers, journalists and other media workers
- 2.8. Christian and Muslim minorities in specific areas
- 2.9. Individuals accused of witchcraft
- 2.10. Individuals with albinism
- 2.11. Individuals fearing ritual killing
- 2.12. Individuals refusing chieftaincy titles
- 2.13. Individuals targeted by student cults
- 2.14. LGBTIQ persons
- 2.15. Victims of human trafficking, including forced prostitution
- 2.16. Women and girls
- 2.17. Children
- 2.18. Persons with disabilities or severe medical issues, including mental health issues
- 2.19. Individuals accused of crimes in Nigeria
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3. Subsidiary protection
- 3.1. Article 15(a) QD
- 3.2. Article 15(b) QD
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3.3. Article 15(c) QD
- Preliminary remarks
- 3.3.1. Armed conflict (international or internal)
- 3.3.2. Qualification of a person as a ‘civilian’
- 3.3.3. Indiscriminate violence
- 3.3.4. Serious and individual threat
- 3.3.5. Qualification of the harm as ‘threat to (a civilian’s) life or person
- 3.3.6. Nexus/’by reason of’
- 4. Actors of protection
- 5. Internal protection alternative
- 6. Exclusion
- Abbreviations and glossary
- Country of origin information references
- Relevant case law
COI summary
[Targeting, 3.9]
Ritual killings occur in order to obtain human body parts for use in rituals. It appears to be an increasing phenomenon. It is reported that in the first five months of 2018, there have been 72 deaths related to ritual killings. Victims of ritual killings can include anyone, although reports often concern the ritual killing of women (specifically virgins) and babies.
It was reported that deaths due to witchcraft and ritual killings accounted for 1% of all violent deaths between 2006 and 2014.
Risk analysis
The act of ritual killing is of such severe nature that it amounts to persecution.
Ritual killing may affect people indiscriminately and the risk for the individual applicant would normally not reach a reasonable degree of likelihood.
Nexus to a reason for persecution
Available information indicates that there is in general no nexus to a reason for persecution, since the crimes are committed for profit and can affect anyone. This is without prejudice to individual cases where nexus could be established based on additional circumstances.