Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Islamist dimension to Fulani attacks against Christians in northern and central Nigeria.

We are concerned about growing levels of intercommunal violence between farming and herder communities in Nigeria, and regularly raise these concerns the Nigerian Government at the highest levels. The Foreign Secretary met with Nigerian faith leaders, both Muslim and Christian during his recent visit to Nigeria, to discuss how the UK can support their work to promote interfaith relationships and long-term peace. Our assessment is that religious identity is a factor but the root causes are highly complex and include disputes over land, farming rights, the impact of climate change, grazing routes and access to water. Our High Commission in Abuja is engaging closely with international partners, the Nigerian Government, state governments and the National Economic Council to develop measures, which address the underlying causes of the conflict, including the recently-announced bi-partisan National Livestock Transformation Plan.