To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to discuss with the government of Nigeria the increased targeting of clergy and church workers following a series of abductions in June.
Answered on
28 June 2022
Rising insecurity in Nigeria, including reports that clergy and church workers have been abducted, is concerning. The UK Government is working with Nigeria to respond. At the first dialogue of our Security and Defence partnership in February, we agreed to work together to respond to security challenges including kidnaps. We are providing mentoring and capacity-building support to Nigerian Police Force units to improve their anti-kidnap capacity, to help reduce harm to victims, and to hold those responsible to account, in support of our shared objective of reducing kidnaps. The Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and our High Commissioner in Abuja, regularly raise insecurity in Nigeria in their meetings with the Nigerian authorities, and will continue to do so in future discussions.
Clergy and church workers deserve to work in safety, and all religious communities should be able to practice their faith without fear. The UK Government will continue to encourage the Nigerian Government to take urgent action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence, whilst also ensuring Freedom of Religion or Belief for all.