Nigeria: Violence

(asked on 21st June 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of escalating Islamist-related violence in (1) South-western, and (2) South-eastern Nigeria; and in particular the impact on food security.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 5th July 2021

The Government condemns all incidents of violence in Nigeria. We are following with concern the increased insecurity in the South West, where there has been a rise in both criminal violence and distinct clashes between farmers and herders. We are also concerned by the increasing vigilantism in response. Narratives that define the violence by ethnic groups risk fueling tensions and further violence, as well as undermining efforts to address the complex root causes, which include competition for resources and rapid population growth.

The Government is also concerned by the increasing levels of violence in the South East. We are working in Nigeria to promote intercommunal and interfaith dialogue, and continue to call for solutions that address the complex underlying causes of violence. Officials at the British High Commission regularly meet faith and community leaders and civil society organisations in both the South East and South West. During his visit to Nigeria in April, the Minister for Africa met the President's Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, and the Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, to discuss insecurity. The Minister raised the importance of protecting all communities across Nigeria. Across Nigeria, the UK is also concerned about the plight of the estimated one million civilians living in inaccessible areas to humanitarian workers, of whom 880,000 have very limited access to food and to basic services such as healthcare.

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