Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UK aid spent on supporting Christian communities facing violence or persecution in central and northern regions of Nigeria.

The UK's humanitarian support in Nigeria focuses on supporting the most vulnerable, including people and communities affected and displaced by violence and conflict. Through our Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (HARP), we have reached approximately 1 million people, increasing resilience for people with the most severe humanitarian needs in North East Nigeria. Additionally, through our Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme (SPRiNG) the UK is providing funding to help tackle the root causes of intercommunal conflict, including security, justice, and natural resource management challenges. Whilst SPRiNG is still in the early phases of implementation, its partnership with the Institute For Integrated Transitions (IFIT) has achieved some encouraging results. Mediation efforts in Nasawara State have fostered a negotiated agreement between the Bassa and Egbura People, enabling the return and resettlement of 5000 internally displaced persons (IDPs).