UK Government Ministers reply to questions about the continuing atrocities in Nigeria.

Sep 16, 2020 | News

Questions to Government Ministers from David Alton (Lord Alton of Liverpool) about the continuing atrocities in Nigeria.

Baroness Sugg, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL7583):

Question:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the commitment given in the 2018 UK-Nigeria security and defence partnership that Nigeria would implement a new crisis response mechanism, similar to the UK’s COBR system, has been implemented. (HL7583)

Tabled on: 02 September 2020

Answer:
Baroness Sugg:

The UK and Nigerian Governments signed the Security and Defence Partnership in August 2018 with the objective of working together to tackle regional and global threats including terrorism, conflict and intercommunal violence, human trafficking, serious organised crime, cybercrime and piracy.

Through our Security and Defence Partnership, the UK Government has worked with Nigeria to implement a new crisis response mechanism. In 2019, the UK Government facilitated the publication of a National Crisis Response Doctrine in Nigeria, establishing a clear cross-government approach to crisis management. We also trained the secretariat for the Presidential Communications Command and Control Centre and the Joint Operations Room. The Presidential Communications Command and Control Centre is the Nigerian equivalent to COBR. The Joint Operations Room brings together the key directors of operations from across the Nigerian Government during a national crisis.

The use of the Doctrine is regularly tested and refreshed. The High Commission in Abuja ran a workshop in February 2020 for current directors of operations from across the Nigerian Government, to establish new guidelines for use during a national crisis. The Presidential Communications Command and Control Centre has been used throughout the COVID-19 crisis response in Nigeria.

Date and time of answer: 16 Sep 2020 at 16:19.

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Baroness Sugg, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL7584):

Question:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the aim set out in the 2018 UK-Nigeria security and defence partnership that Nigeria would “cut the number of new recruits joining Boko Haram by tackling the lies and false information spread by the group to attract new members – including by working with communities to push out counter-narratives and drawing on the UK’s experience of countering terrorist propaganda at home and as part of the global campaign against Daesh” has been achieved. (HL7584)

Tabled on: 02 September 2020

Answer:
Baroness Sugg:

The UK remains committed to helping Nigeria tackle the terrorist threat posed by groups including Boko Haram and Daesh-affiliated Islamic State West Africa. Working with the Nigerian Government, we aim to cut the number of new recruits joining the groups and tackle the misinformation they spread.

The UK is a leading member of the Global Coalition against Daesh, co-leading the Coalition’s strategic communications alongside the UAE and USA. Partners share information, enhance border security, strengthen legal regimes, adopt strategies to counter violent extremism and break up plots by known Daesh facilitators. We also host the Global Coalition’s Counter Daesh Communications Cell at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Cooperation among member countries has been significant. However, Daesh remains a global threat, including in Nigeria. We will continue to work closely with Nigeria to address the threat.

Date and time of answer: 15 Sep 2020 at 12:50.

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Baroness Sugg, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL7582):

Question:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the commitment given by the government of Nigeria in the 2018 UK-Nigeria security and defence partnership to deliver a £13 million programme to educate 100,000 children living in that country’s conflict zone has been met. (HL7582)

Tabled on: 02 September 2020

Answer:
Baroness Sugg:

Since 2017, UK support to education in emergencies in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states has created access to formal and non-formal education for over 200,000 children, with an evidenced 90% retention in school (prior to Covid-19 related closures).

Date and time of answer: 15 Sep 2020 at 12:49.

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Baroness Sugg, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL7585):

Question:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the 2018 UK-Nigeria security and defence partnership in addressing (1) insecurity, (2) violence, and (3) extremism, in Nigeria. (HL7585)

Tabled on: 02 September 2020

This question was grouped with the following question(s) for answer:

  1. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the UK-Nigeria security and defence partnership signed in August 2018 has achieved its objectives. (HL7581)
    Tabled on: 02 September 2020

Answer:
Baroness Sugg:

The UK and Nigerian Governments signed the Security and Defence Partnership in August 2018 with the objective of working together to tackle regional and global threats including terrorism, conflict and intercommunal violence, human trafficking, serious organised crime, cybercrime and piracy. To achieve this, we agreed to deepen our collaboration in a range of areas, including through capacity building for the Nigerian Police and Armed Forces; funding and operational support to the Multi-National Joint Taskforce; and funding for Nigerian-led stabilisation work in North East Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin: the region affected by extremist terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa. Additionally, we agreed to support psychosocial activities and community reintegration efforts as part of Operation Safe Corridor, a Nigerian-run demobilisation, de-radicalisation and rehabilitation (DDR) programme for repentant, low-level members and associates of these groups.

We assess that progress has been made in many areas. For example, UK military personnel trained over 11,500 Nigerian military personnel on topics including human rights compliance, rules of engagement, countering-IEDs and first aid in 2019/20. Many of those trained have been deployed on operations to tackle the terrorist threat in North East Nigeria. Furthermore, in July 2020, 601 men completed the DDR programme and are awaiting community reintegration. This is in addition to 280 males who have already completed the programme and returned to their communities.

However, insecurity, violence and extremism in Nigeria remain a serious concern. We will continue to work closely with Nigeria to address these issues.

Date and time of answer: 15 Sep 2020 at 12:45.

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