Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the Nigerian Government in protecting minority groups vulnerable to persecution by Boko Haram.

Boko Haram have led a brutal campaign of violence against civilians in the Lake Chad region. UK assistance is designed to help those affected, and assist Nigeria and its regional partners to tackle the threat. During their visit to Nigeria last week the Foreign Secretary and the International Development Secretary saw firsthand some of the support that the UK is providing. The conflict in the region requires a comprehensive response, tackling the threat posed by Boko Haram and the humanitarian crisis through the full range of security, political and humanitarian, and in the longer term, development work. The UK is a lead player, providing a substantial package of military, intelligence and development support to Nigeria. This includes training for the Nigerian armed forces and £5 million for the Multinational Joint Task Force, the regional force tackling Boko Haram. The UK was one of the first donors to respond to the humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria and we have scaled up our support from £1 million in 2014 to £100 million this year. During their visit the Foreign Secretary and International Development Secretary announced an additional £200 million of humanitarian aid over the next four years.