Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party) on Thursday, 9 September 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 September 2021. It was answered by James Duddridge (Conservative) on Wednesday, 15 September 2021 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Nigeria: Fulani

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what engagement he has had with his counterpart in the Government of Nigeria on tackling the (a) activity of Fulani militants and (b) attacks by those militants on non-Muslims in that country.

Answer

The UK Government condemns all incidents of intercommunal violence in Nigeria. The underlying drivers of intercommunal violence are complex, the perpetrators do not come from any one ethnic group, and the devastating effects are felt by communities of different faiths and ethnicities. It is inaccurate to attribute sole responsibility to one ethnic group, the Fulani, and terms like militia risk fuelling tensions between communities. We continue to encourage the Nigerian Government to take urgent action to protect all those at risk of violence, bring perpetrators to justice and address the root causes of the violence.

During my visit to Nigeria in April, I [Minister Duddridge] discussed insecurity with the Foreign Minister and the President's Chief of Staff, and raised the importance of protecting all communities. I [Minister Duddridge] met the Foreign Minister again in July, along with Nigeria's Minister of State Education, where we discussed the impact of insecurity on education. In addition, our High Commissioner and her team regularly visit states affected by violence to engage with state governments, civil society, faith and community leaders and affected communities.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
45949
Session
2021-22
Subjects
Violence Nigeria Fulani
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk