Written question asked by Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party) on Wednesday, 15 March 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 17 March 2023. It was answered by Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 March 2023 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Nigeria: Abduction

Question: 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.

Answer: 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.

Secondary information