Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her counterpart in Nigeria on the detention of eight children from the Du Merci Christian orphanage; and whether she is taking diplomatic steps to secure their release.

The UK government welcomed the return of eight children to the custody of the Du Merci Centre. We are aware that a further eight children remain in the custody of Kano State authorities as court proceedings are ongoing. We have raised this case at senior official level with the Nigerian authorities and stressed the need to prioritise the welfare of the children involved. The enforcement of the court ruling is however a matter for the Nigerian authorities.