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Written question asked by Baroness Cox (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 9 November 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 23 November 2021. It was answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative) on Thursday, 18 November 2021 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.


Nigeria: Fulani

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 5 July (HL1232), what further steps they have taken in Nigeria to (1) "promote intercommunal and interfaith dialogue", and (2) "continue to call for solutions that address the complex underlying causes of violence".

Answer

The Government is concerned by increasing insecurity in Nigeria, including the rise in both criminal violence and intercommunal violence. We are also concerned by increasing vigilantism in response. We condemn all violence against civilians in Nigeria. We continue to promote intercommunal and interfaith dialogue. 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. Most recently, British High Commission officials visited Plateau state in October 2021, where they met with a range of interlocutors, including Christian and Muslim leaders, who recognised the causes of the intercommunal violence are complex and relate frequently to criminality, competition for resources and failures of governance.

On 1 November the Minister for Africa raised insecurity in Nigeria with Foreign Minister Onyeama in the margins of the COP26 summit in Glasgow. The Prime Minister also discussed insecurity with President Buhari in the margins of the Global Education Summit in July. 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.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL3862
Session
2021-22
Related items
Nigeria: Fulani
Monday, 5 July 2021
Written questions
House of Lords
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Ethnic groups Violence Nigeria Fulani
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk