Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports (1) that at least 80 people have been killed in July in southern Kaduna, and (2) that 620 Christians have been killed in the region in the last 18 months; and what they consider to be the major reason for these attacks.

The UK Government condemns all incidents of intercommunal violence in Nigeria, including reported attacks in southern Kaduna State. We are concerned by a recent increase in attacks in the state. These attacks have had devastating effects on communities of all faiths, including Christian communities. We have made clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting civilians and human rights for all. There are many underlying causes to intercommunal violence in Nigeria, which include disputes over natural resources and competition over land exacerbated by climate change and population growth. Religious identity is also a factor in some incidents of intercommunal violence, but we do not assess it to be the principal driver of the violence.