Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the Governments of (a) Nigeria, (b) Niger and (c) other neighbouring states with a process to restore security in areas of north-west Nigeria affected by banditry, farmer-herder conflict, and intercommunal conflict.

We are concerned by deteriorating security in North West Nigeria. Intercommunal violence and attacks by criminal groups are having a devastating impact on communities in this region, as well as in the Maradi region of Niger. I discussed insecurity in Nigeria with Foreign Minister Onyeama in a bilateral meeting in November and I will hold further such discussions with the Nigerian Government during the upcoming Security and Defence Dialogue.

We condemn the recent attacks in Zamfara State in North West Nigeria. On 10 January, I publicly expressed my concern about these horrific attacks and reiterated our commitment to working with the Government of Nigeria to support sustainable peace and security. We are working with our Nigerian partners to monitor the situation. In 2020 we supported more than 15,000 displaced people in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria, with cash grants to address food security as well as water and sanitation needs. Furthermore, we are supporting local peace-building efforts, including through our work with the Nigeria Governors' Forum. The UK Government is also supporting the International Organisation for Migration's work with the Governments of Niger and Nigeria to improve border management.