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Written Question
Nigeria: Abduction
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the kidnappings of schoolchildren in Nigeria.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK Government is monitoring the recent kidnappings of schoolchildren in Nigeria and condemns this crime. At the latest UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) dialogue in February, we strengthened our commitment to providing mentoring and capacity-building support to agencies tackling the threat of kidnap within Nigeria. As part of this partnership, the UK National Crime Agency is working with Nigeria to create a Multi-Agency Kidnap Fusion Cell to increase interoperability between security and justice agencies responding to kidnaps. This will help reduce harm to victims and hold those responsible to account.


Written Question
Nigeria: Abduction
Wednesday 28th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that rates of kidnappings for ransom have increased in central Nigeria.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government condemns the abduction and captivity of all persons for ransom. We are aware of a rise in kidnappings in central Nigeria. It is difficult to provide a definitive figure because of differing recording practices across agencies and because not all kidnaps are reported to the Nigerian authorities. At the latest UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) dialogue in February, we strengthened our commitment to providing mentoring and capacity-building support to the agencies with a mandate to tackle the threat of kidnap. This will help reduce harm to victims and hold those responsible to account.


Written Question
Nigeria: Abduction
Friday 1st December 2023

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what information his Department holds on the number of British citizens that have been kidnapped in Nigeria in each of the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We are aware of low numbers of British nationals kidnapped in Nigeria over the past five years. It is difficult to provide a definitive figure because of differing recording practices across agencies and because not all kidnaps are reported to the Nigerian authorities or to the FCDO. Through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we are providing mentoring and capacity-building support to Nigerian Police Force units to improve their anti-kidnap capacity, help reduce harm to victims, and hold those responsible to account.


Written Question
Nigeria: Abduction
Wednesday 17th May 2023

Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the (a) whereabouts and (b) wellbeing of the Nigerian women and girls kidnapped by Boko Haram from Chibok in 2014.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK Government condemns the abduction and continued captivity of children by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) in North East Nigeria. This includes the 2014 kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls, around 100 of whom are understood still to be missing. I [Andrew Mitchell] raised this case specifically with incoming Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, in December 2022. Through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we have also provided mentoring and capacity building for the Nigerian Police Force to improve their response to kidnappings. We remain committed to supporting the Nigerian Government to secure the release of all those held captive.


Written Question
Nigeria: Abduction
Thursday 23rd March 2023

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Nigeria on the kidnapping of Christians in Kaduna State.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Nigeria has experienced an increase in conflict since 2019. I [Minister Mitchell] discussed this challenge with Nigeria's leading presidential candidates in December and January. This included a discussion about insecurity with the now president-elect, who was joined by the incumbent Governor of Kaduna. To address kidnappings and their impact on Nigeria's ability to fulfil its constitutional commitment to Freedom of Religion or Belief, our UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership includes training to develop the Nigerian police and military forces' anti-kidnap capacity. We will continue to work with the Nigerian government and local partners to address the root causes and impacts of violence against civilians, including kidnappings in Kaduna State.


Written Question
Nigeria: Christianity
Thursday 9th February 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the abduction of Christians in Kaduna State, Nigeria on 25 December 2022.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We condemn all violence across Nigeria, including the recent kidnapping in Kaduna state and the murder of Fr. Isaac Achi in Niger state. Events such as these are occurring across Nigeria as conflict and insecurity rises. The Minister of State for Africa & Development recently discussed this challenge with some of Nigeria's leading presidential candidates, and with the Governor of Kaduna. The UK continues to support Nigeria to tackle this issue, and fulfil its constitutional commitment to Freedom of Religion or Belief, by strengthening military capabilities, human rights compliance, policing, and anti-kidnap capacity through our UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership.

The UK Government continues to raise Mr Bala's case with the Nigerian authorities, most recently with the Kano State Government on 19 January.


Written Question
Christianity: Nigeria
Thursday 1st December 2022

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question

To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church Commissioners have had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on taking steps to help tackle (a) violence against and (b) the abduction of Christians in Nigeria in the last 18 months.

Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner

Bishops and officials of the Church of England regularly engage with Ministers and officials at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on a range of thematic and geographic concerns regarding freedom of religion or belief, which include the human rights situation in China, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. Bishops in the House of Lords regularly raise concerns about the same through questions to Government. Details of these can be seen at:

Nigeria: Nigeria – The Church of England in Parliament (churchinparliament.org)

Democratic Republic of Congo: The Church of England in Parliament (churchinparliament.org)

China: China – The Church of England in Parliament (churchinparliament.org)

Most recently on 17th November the Bishop of St Albans led a debate in the House of Lords on allegations of human rights abuses in China.


Written Question
Nigeria: Abduction
Monday 18th July 2022

Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the number of kidnappings for ransom that have occurred in Nigeria in the last two years.

Answered by Vicky Ford

A reliable estimate of the number of kidnaps for ransom in Nigeria in the last two years is hard to calculate, because of the number of agencies involved in kidnap response and recording. However, we are aware that several thousand kidnap for ransom cases are reported each year.

Through our Security and Defence Partnership, the UK is helping Nigeria build its capacity to respond to kidnaps. We are providing mentoring and capacity-building support to Nigerian Police Force units to improve their anti-kidnap capacity, to help reduce harm to victims, and to hold those responsible to account.


Written Question
Nigeria: Abduction and Homicide
Tuesday 5th July 2022

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the response by (1) state, and (2) federal authorities, in Nigeria to attacks on Adara communities in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state, following reports of abductions and murders in that area.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

We are aware of the attacks in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state. Increasing insecurity across Nigeria is having a devastating impact on affected communities. The Government condemns all incidents of violence in Nigeria. We are in regular contact with the Kaduna State Government on instances of conflict and insecurity in the State and we are providing mentoring and capacity-building support to Nigerian Police Force units to improve their anti-kidnap capacity, to help reduce harm to victims, and to hold those responsible to account. We also continue to support initiatives which promote dialogue and mediation between communities in Kaduna, in partnership with the State Government.

We will continue to urge and support the Nigerian Government to take action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence, and we committed to work together to respond to rising insecurity in Nigeria at our Security and Defence Dialogue in February.


Written Question
Nigeria: Methodist Church
Wednesday 22nd June 2022

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

We are aware of the abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria alongside other clerics. They have now been released. The UK Government condemns kidnappings across Nigeria, and calls for the release of those still held captive.

Through our Security and Defence Partnership with Nigeria, we are working together to help build capacity to respond to kidnaps. We are providing mentoring and capacity-building support to Nigerian Police Force units to improve their anti-kidnap capacity, to help reduce harm to victims, and to hold those responsible to account.