Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the remarks by the Bishop of Gboko Diocese in Nigeria, William Amove Avenya, about the level of violence committed by Fulani tribesmen and the inadequacy of the response to it.

We are deeply concerned by the ongoing ‎violence across Nigeria and the devastating impact it has had on affected communities. We regularly raise the issue with both the Federal Government and the governments of affected states to express our concerns about clashes between pastoralists and farmers of all faiths. Urgent action is needed by the Nigerian authorities to prevent further loss of life and we encourage the government to address the underlying causes and develop a solution that meets the needs of all affected communities. The UK continues to explore options for how we could best assist the Nigerian government in achieving this. The Prime Minister discussed the violence between pastoralists and farmers with President Buhari during her visit to Nigeria, emphasising the need to tackle the crisis through mediation and reconciliation, eschewing religious rhetoric.