As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu prepares for a state visit to the United Kingdom (UK), a cross-party group of British legislators has formally requested that Prime Minister Keir Starmer confront the Nigerian President about Christian genocide.
The appeal, spearheaded by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Freedom of Religion or Belief, highlighted that Nigeria remains one of the deadliest places globally for Christians.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that this comes as Tinubu, who will be accompanied by his wife Oluremi, is set to be hosted by the King and Queen at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, where they will attend a state banquet as guests of honour.
Tinubu will then travel to Downing Street to meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir on Thursday, marking the first state visit by a Nigerian president in 37 years.
MPs from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Freedom of Religion or Belief, APPG FoRB, have written to the Development Minister, Baroness Jenny Chapman, calling for the Government to pressure Tinubu to tackle Christian genocide and ensure the protection of human rights in his country.
DUP MP Jim Shannon, the group’s chairman, said Nigeria must ‘take concrete steps to prevent the harassment, persecution and killing of Christians, while ensuring that perpetrators are investigated and prosecuted’.
The group of 209 MPs and peers expressed concern that the Nigerian state has failed to treat the attacks with the level of seriousness required.
They demanded the Government shed light on the case of Leah Sharibu, who was one of the 110 schoolgirls kidnapped in 2018.
She remains held prisoner by the militants as she refuses to renounce her Christian faith.
APPG FoRB also urged Sir Keir to ensure that human rights obligations become fundamental to all future diplomatic, security, and trade discussions.
It has requested a response from Baroness Chapman before the state visit.
The new Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, may also pressure Mrs. Tinubu on human rights as she hosts the Nigerian First Lady at Lambeth Palace on Thursday.
Mrs. Tinubu, who is a Christian Pastor while her husband is Muslim, will attend a prayer service and be invited to preach.
She will also join representatives from the Church of England and faith charities that have provided support in Nigeria, such as Christian Aid, at a reception at Lambeth Palace.
Recall that Nigeria came under intense pressure from Washington to act after United States President Donald Trump accused the West African nation of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants operating in the northwest.
The Nigerian government had consistently denied any systematic persecution of Christians, saying it is targeting Islamist fighters and other armed groups that attack both Christian and Muslim civilians.
Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, fighters have intensified attacks on military convoys and civilians, and the northwest remains the epicentre of the 17-year Islamist insurgency.
Recall also that the U.S carried out a strike in Sokoto State in coordination with Nigerian authorities and reportedly killed multiple ISIS militants.
The strike came after Trump, in late October, began warning that Christianity faced an “existential threat” in Nigeria and threatened to militarily intervene over what he said was its failure to stop violence targeting Christian communities.
