Written question asked by Baroness Cox (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 12 October 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 26 October 2021. It was answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative) on Monday, 25 October 2021 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Nigeria: Christianity

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the intensification of jihadist attacks against Christians in Nigeria, as reported by the Gatestone Institute on 10 October; whether they will discuss these attacks with the government of Nigeria; and what further steps, if any, they will take.

Answer: We condemn all violence across Nigeria, the devastating effects of which are felt by communities of different faiths. We are aware of the Gatestone Institute report. Jihadist ideology is a driver of the conflict involving terrorist groups in the North East. We assess that the drivers of intercommunal violence elsewhere in Nigeria are complex and frequently relate to competition over resources and criminality. We regularly visit states affected by intercommunal violence to engage with state governments, civil society, faith and community leaders and affected communities. The Prime Minister discussed a range of issues with President Buhari, including security, in the margins of the Global Education Summit in July. We continue to encourage the Nigerian Government to take urgent action to protect all those at risk of violence and implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence.

Secondary information