Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports his Department has received on alleged human rights abuses committed against supporters of Biafran independence in Nigeria; and if he will make a statement.

The UK position on human rights is firm: they are universal and must apply equally to all people. This includes the right to protest within the rule of law. The UK notes reports of alleged human rights abuses committed against supporters of Biafran independence and the report by Amnesty International into the fatalities suffered by pro-Biafra protestors.

The report has a number of recommendations to the Nigerian Security Forces, including on addressing human rights violations and ensuring due process for detainees. The UK looks forward to seeing how the Nigerian Federal Government responds to these recommendations in order to ensure that any future actions taken by the Nigerian Security Forces are in accordance with international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

We will continue to monitor developments closely.