§ Mr. GaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from Nigeria concerning the impact of Sharia law in northern states on non-Muslims; and if he will make a statement. [159410]
§ Mr. WilsonWe continue to monitor closely the situation in northern Nigeria. Officials from the High Commission travel regularly to the region.
736WMost Nigerian states' legislation introducing the Sharia penal code provides that it will not apply to non-Muslims unless they so choose. We understand this is generally respected. But we have seen some reports that churches have had difficulty in obtaining land to build on. We believe a very small number of non-Muslims may have been attacked by vigilante groups. We welcome the efforts of the Nigerian authorities to crack down on these groups.
§ Mr. GaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Nigerian authorities over the increase in violence against Christians in(a) Gombe, (b) Yobe, (c) Sokoto, (d) Borno and (e) other states of Nigeria. [159411]
§ Mr. WilsonThe root causes of much of the conflict in northern Nigeria are long-standing differences between ethnic groups. These differences are over a range of issues, including control of territory and resources, and are not primarily religious.
We welcome the efforts of the Nigerian authorities (both at federal and at state level), and of community groups, to reduce tension.