Nigeria – Questions Answered in Parliament – including plight of people from Yewa in Ogun state Nigeria seeking refuge in the Republic of Niger; the abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church; failure to share evidence of religiously motivated atrocity attacks with the International Criminal Court; and the immolation of Ahmad Usman in Abuja on 5 June and Deborah Emmanuel in Sokoto state on 12 May.

Jun 22, 2022 | News

Question in Parliament June 22nd 2022

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL746):

Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the need for people from Yewa in Ogun state Nigeria to seek refuge in the Republic of Niger, following attacks on their villages in 2021. (HL746)

Tabled on: 08 June 2022

Answer:
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park:

Increasing insecurity across Nigeria is having a  devastating impact on affected communities. We continue to urge and support the Nigerian Government to take action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence, and we committed to work together to respond to insecurity in Nigeria at our Security and Defence Dialogue in February. We are also monitoring the strain that the conflict in Nigeria is placing on neighbouring countries such as Niger. The UK is providing ongoing support to Niger to meet the acute humanitarian needs of over 1.6 million people including refugees, and we will continue to work with international partners to monitor the impacts of the conflict in Nigeria on neighbouring countries.

Date and time of answer: 22 Jun 2022 at 16:44.

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Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL745):

Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria. (HL745)

Tabled on: 08 June 2022

Answer:
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park:

We are aware of the abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria alongside other clerics. They have now been released. The UK Government condemns kidnappings across Nigeria, and calls for the release of those still held captive.

Through our Security and Defence Partnership with Nigeria, we are working together to help build capacity to respond to 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.

Date and time of answer: 22 Jun 2022 at 16:43.

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Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL748):

Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, whether they have shared any evidence of atrocities in Nigeria with the International Criminal Court; what assessment they have made of whether religious discrimination is the cause of attacks on Nigerian churches and communities; and whether they have shared any evidence of religious discrimination in any evidence submitted to the International Criminal Court. (HL748)

Tabled on: 08 June 2022

Answer:
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park:

We have not shared any evidence of atrocities or of religious discrimination in Nigeria with the International Criminal Court.

We are aware that places of worship have been targeted in incidents of intercommunal violence in Nigeria, and condemn all such attacks; the motives behind these attacks vary, and are not always clear. In a country with a highly religious population, we recognise that religious identity can be a factor in incidents of violence, but the root causes are often complex and frequently relate to over resources, historical grievances, and criminality. The UK will continue to play a constructive role in calming these tensions and supporting solutions which meet the needs of all affected communities.

Date and time of answer: 22 Jun 2022 at 16:42.

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Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL747):

Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria following the immolation of Ahmad Usman in Abuja on 5 June and Deborah Emmanuel in Sokoto state on 12 May. (HL747)

Tabled on: 08 June 2022

Answer:
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park:

The recent murders of Ahmad Usman in Abuja and of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto State were barbaric and heinous acts. The UK Government condemns their killings and will continue to urge the relevant authorities to ensure the perpetrators face justice in line with the law. The Minister for Africa expressed her profound sadness at their tragic deaths in the House on 6 June and our Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja raised Deborah’s murder in a meeting with the Nigerian Government last month.

The UK Government engages regularly with members of the Nigerian Government on insecurity in Nigeria, and the need to protect and promote human rights for all, including the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). The Minister for Africa raised FoRB in a call with the Nigerian Foreign Minister in May and, during her visit to Nigeria in February, she discussed, among other issues, the deteriorating security situation with the Vice President and Foreign Minister.

Date and time of answer: 22 Jun 2022 at 16:42.

Lord David Alton

For 18 years David Alton was a Member of the House of Commons and today he is an Independent Crossbench Life Peer in the UK House of Lords.

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