To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Nigerian counterpart on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
Answered on
10 April 2019
We regularly engage faith-based organisations and raise appropriate concerns with the Nigerian government on the persecution of Christians by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa. Our assessment remains that religious identity is one among a number of factors in recent incidents of intercommunal violence across parts of Nigeria, although the root causes are complex, and include disputes over land, farming rights, the impact of climate change, grazing routes and access to water. Our High Commission in Abuja is engaging closely with international partners, the Nigerian Government, state governments and the National Economic Council on the development of measures to address the underlying causes of the conflict.