Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, if any, to the government of Nigeria regarding the student abducted from Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna state in July 2021.

The UK Government condemns all attacks on schools; abductions of children are abhorrent and must stop. We continue to raise attacks on schools with the Government of Nigeria, and the Government of Nigeria has provided assurances that it is making every effort to secure the release of all those still held captive.

The UK is working with Nigeria through our security and defence partnership to help build capacity to respond to kidnaps. We have provided 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. During her recent visit to Nigeria, the Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean raised rising insecurity and its impact on the Nigerian people in meetings with the Vice President and Foreign Minister, and reiterated the UK's commitment to work with Nigeria to address violence, protect human rights, and promote dialogue and respect between different ethnic and religious communities. The Minister hosted a roundtable on conflict and intercommunal violence in Northern Nigeria, which included officials from the Kaduna State Peace Commission, and the discussion covered topics including rising insecurity and kidnaps in Nigeria.