UK MPs Ask Starmer to Challenge Tinubu Over Killings of Christians in Nigeria

UK MPs Ask Starmer to Challenge Tinubu Over Killings of Christians in Nigeria

British lawmakers have urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to confront Nigerian President Bola Tinubu over the killing of Christians in Nigeria during the Nigerian leader’s upcoming state visit to the United Kingdom.

Tinubu, who will be accompanied by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, is scheduled to be hosted by Charles III and Camilla at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, where they are expected to attend a state banquet as guests of honour.

The Nigerian president will later travel to 10 Downing Street for talks with Starmer on Thursday. The trip is expected to mark the first state visit by a Nigerian president to the United Kingdom in about 37 years and comes as both countries seek to strengthen diplomatic, security and economic ties.

Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Freedom of Religion or Belief (APPG FoRB) have written to the UK Development Minister, Jenny Chapman, also known as Baroness Chapman of Darlington, urging the British government to raise concerns about human rights and religious freedom in Nigeria during the talks.

The appeal follows growing international concern over attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria, particularly in regions affected by insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.

According to the lawmakers, at least 163 Christian worshippers were reportedly kidnapped earlier this year in northern Kaduna State, highlighting what they described as a continuing pattern of violence and abductions targeting Christian communities.

READ ALSO:

• Trump Urges UK, China, Others to Send Warships as Iran Threatens Strait of Hormuz Oil Route
• ADC: Appeal Court Did Not Sack David Mark, Aregbesola
• Nigerians Among 141 Injured As UAE Intercepts Iranian Missiles

Chairman of the parliamentary group, Jim Shannon, 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, which includes 209 MPs and peers from across the British Parliament, also expressed concern that Nigerian authorities have not responded to the attacks with what they described as the level of urgency required.

They further asked the UK government to seek updates on the case of Leah Sharibu, one of the 110 schoolgirls abducted in 2018 who reportedly remains in captivity after refusing to renounce her Christian faith.

APPG FoRB also urged Starmer to ensure that human rights concerns remain central to future diplomatic, security and trade engagements between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Church of England is also expected to host events linked to the state visit. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, is scheduled to host Oluremi Tinubu at Lambeth Palace on Thursday.

During the visit, the Nigerian First Lady, who is also a Christian pastor, is expected to attend a prayer service and deliver a sermon. She will also meet representatives of the Church of England and faith-based charities operating in Nigeria, including Christian Aid, at a reception in Lambeth Palace.

The state visit comes amid increasing international scrutiny of Nigeria’s security challenges, including attacks linked to insurgent and militant groups as well as wider concerns about communal violence and religious tensions in parts of the country.

UK MPs Ask Starmer to Challenge Tinubu Over Killings of Christians in Nigeria