Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance is being provided to the government of Nigeria with regard to the continued abduction and maltreatment of women and girls by Boko Haram.

In 2014 DFID doubled UK investment in north east Nigeria conflict resolution programmes to make communities safer. DFID’s Nigerian Stability and Reconstruction Programme is providing support to civil society organisations working on conflict management and on violence against women and girls. This includes offering support specifically to victims of sexual violence in Borno State.

DFID is providing technical assistance to the Government of Nigeria to support them to meet the immediate needs of the population and address underlying grievances. This is key to stabilising north east Nigeria. The UK Government is also delivering direct training to the Nigerian army and supporting regional intelligence sharing to support the Government of Nigeria tackle Boko Haram.