Nigeria: Christianity

(asked on 11th May 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the murder and abduction of Christians in Nigeria; and what discussions they have had with the government of Nigeria about these reports.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 24th May 2021

The Government condemns violence against civilians of all religions in Nigeria. In the North East, terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, have abducted and killed individuals from Christian and Muslim communities. These groups target all those who do not subscribe to their extremist views. We are deeply concerned for the welfare of those still held in captivity by these groups. The UK Government is providing a comprehensive package of humanitarian and stabilisation assistance to support communities affected by the conflict. We are also concerned by recent criminal attacks on schools in Northern Nigeria, which have targeted students of all religions. We continue to raise these cases with the Nigerian Government.

Intercommunal violence also has a devastating impact on affected communities. The underlying drivers of violence are complex, and frequently relate to competition over resources and increasing criminality. The Minister for Africa visited Nigeria in April and discussed increasing insecurity across the country with the President’s Chief of Staff, Foreign Minister and community leaders. We continue to encourage the Nigerian Government to take urgent action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence.

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