Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the killing of 3,240 Christians in Nigeria since January 2021 by Islamist groups; and what assistance she has offered to protect other Christians in similar situations.

We condemn violence against civilians of all religions in Nigeria. In the North East, terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa have killed individuals from Christian and Muslim communities. These groups target all those who do not subscribe to their extremist views. We are providing a comprehensive package of humanitarian and stabilisation assistance to support communities affected by the conflict.

We are committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. I restated this commitment in a Westminster Hall debate concerning freedom of religion or belief in Central Africa on 23 September. Promoting these rights is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. The Prime Minister discussed a range of issues with President Buhari, including security, in the margins of the Global Education Summit in July. We continue to encourage the Nigerian Government to take urgent action to protect all those at risk of violence and implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence.