between ethnicgroups, whichmaybebasedonpastorpresent relationships between theirnativecountries. Nigeria 418.TheCommittee considered theninthperiodic reportoftheFederal Republic of Nigeria (CERD/C/149/Add.25) atits85lstand852ndmeetings, heldon22August1989 (CERD/C/SR.851 and852). 419.Therepresentative oftheStateparty,introducing hisreport, saidthat duringtheperiodunderconsideration Nigeria hadcontinued itsefforts toprotect therights, dignity andworthoCth~humanbeing,thusmaintaining thetenetsof theConvention ontheElimination ofAllFormsofRacialDiscrimination. Hedrew theCommittee's attention tothecaseslistedinthereport, whichdemonstrated thatcitizens were abl~togobeforethecourts andthatwherejudgements were adverse totheGovernment, itcomplied withtho.. Healsodrewattention tothe information provided underartiCle 5oftheConvention, whichshowedthatefforts werebeingmadetoimprove thelivingstandards ofethnicgroups, aswellas housing andservices, andtoreduceunemployment. 420.Havingnotedthatthereportdidnotanswersomeofthequestions raised duringdiscussion oftheprevious reportanddidnotfullycomplywiththe guidelines elaborated bytheCo~~ittee, members oftheCommittee soughtfurther information 0"thecountry's current r~gimeandthealliance between themilitary andcivilian groups, onthenatureoftherelationship existing between theArmed ForcesRulingCouncil (AFRC)andthefedetal Governmentl onthedemographic composition ofthecountry, notably therelationship between Muslims andChristians andwhether bothgroupsparticipated intheGovernment. Withreference tothe is~ueofthecreation ofnewstateswithintheNigerian federation, itwasasked whether stateswouldbeestablished inresponse toethnic, linguistic orreligious demands andwhether theinformation wasavailable onthedemographic composition andethnicrepresentation ofexisting states. Itwasalsoaskedwhether thesystem ensured thatallethnicgroupswereadequately represented inprovincial governments. Moredetailed information wassoughtontherepresentation ofvarious ethnicgroupswithineachoftwogoverning bodies -AFRCandtheNational Council ofMinisters. 421.Members alsowishedtoknowwhenfullcivilian governm~nt waslikelytobe restored. Atthesametime,itwasstatedthatthereporting ofeventsupto1986 intheninthperiOdic reportwar.tobecommended andthattherecordofthe Government thathadcometopowerinthelatterpartof1985withregardtothe implementation oftheConvention borenocomparison tothatoftheadministration ithadreplaced. Itwasnotedthattheruleoflawwasbeingupheld. Thefearwas expressed thattheCommittee wasattimesoverstepping theboundsofwhatwes required ofitundertheConvention bydelving intogeneral humanrightsissues, whichweredealtwithbyotherbodies. Itwaspointed out,withreference tothe constant requests, addressed todeveloping countries inparticular, forstatistical dataregarding ethnicandreligious groups, thattheestablishment ofrigid distinctions between suchgroupswasnotconducive toharmony andracialand religious i~tegration. Itwasemphasized thatthereportcovered thesituation in Nigeria upto1986,whereas mostoftheCommittee's comments andquestions related -79-todevelopments sincethatdateandwouldconsequently needtobeanswered bythe representative ofNigeria ordealtwithassoonaspossible inthetenthperiodic report. 422.Withreference toarticle 2oftheConvention, additional information was requested ontheimplementation ofprovisions contained inparagraph (c)ofthat article; andonthemeasures beingtakentodefusethe"ethnic, religious and linguistic tensions" mentioned inparagraph 3ofthereport. 423.Withregardtoarticle 3oftheConvention, itwasdeclared thatNigaria played anoutstanding roleintheanti-apartheid movement andwasaninspiration to others. However, details ofthecaseofDr.Patrick Wilmont, reportedly deported forcriticizing Nigerian businessmen whohadsoldNigerian oiltoSouthAfrica, wererequested anditwasaskedwhatactionhadbeentakenagainst these businessmen. 424.Asfortheimplementation ofarticle 4oftheConvention, members regretted thereport's failure toprovide information onNigeria's implementation ofthat article andthehopewasexpressed that t~efollowing reportwouldcontain such information aswellasaresponse tothecomments madeinthatconnection bythe Committee's members duringtheconsideration oftheeighthperiodic report. 425.Inconnection witharticle 5oftheConvention, itwasaskedwhythe Government hadremoved Shariah fromthelistofdebatable itemsintheConstituent Assembly, leavingitinthehandsofthemilitary; whether thatdecision complied witharticle 5(d)(vii)oftheConventionl whatwasthestatusoftheIslamic
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a report about the human rights situation in Nigeria, specifically focusing on the country's efforts to eliminate racial discrimination and ensure the rights of ethnic groups. The report discusses the government's efforts to protect human rights, improve living standards, and reduce unemployment, as well as the challenges and concerns raised by the Committee. The text does not seem to be directly related to economic development, natural resources, or other categories, but rather focuses on human rights and social issues.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Human rights