§ Mr. HANNON (by Private Notice)asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is in a position to make a statement to the House on the circumstances under which Mr. Christopher Matthew Barlow, an Administrative Officer of the Nigerian Political Service, has recently been assassinated in Northern Nigeria?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. Lunn)I have been asked to answer this question. All the information which has so far been received is to the effect that Mr. Barlow died on the 9th February as a result of injuries received in an attack by pagan tribesmen in the Shendam Division of the Northern Provinces, and that his death was due to a fracture of the skull following a blow by a, stone. Six police constables were also injured at the same time. Shendam is in a remote part of the Protectorate, and some time must elapse before full information can be sent by mail, but in any case there can be no connection between this occurrence and the disturbances in the Southern Provinces in the month of December.
§ Mr. HANNONMay I ask the hon. Gentleman whether, having regard to the difficult and embarrassing duties of these political officers, the Colonial Office takes any special precautions to safeguard 931 their lives when they are discharging their services in remote parts of His Majesty's Dominions?
§ Mr. LUNNI have no doubt that the Colonial Office takes every care possible in the case of officers carrying out such important duties as this gentleman did.