ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- British lawmakers have called on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to confront Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the persistent killings of Christians in Nigeria during the latter’s ongoing state visit to the United Kingdom.
Tinubu, who is visiting with Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, is scheduled to be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle on Wednesday for a state banquet.
The Nigerian president is also expected to hold talks with Starmer at 10 Downing Street on Thursday in what is described as the first state visit by a Nigerian president to the UK in 37 years.
Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Freedom of Religion or Belief (APPG FoRB) have written to the UK Development Minister, Jenny Chapman, urging the British government to press Tinubu on the protection of human rights and religious freedom in Nigeria.
The lawmakers said their concerns were heightened by reports that Nigeria has become one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians due to repeated attacks by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
According to the group, at least 163 Christian worshippers were kidnapped earlier this year in Kaduna State by armed gangs, adding to the wave of abductions and attacks targeting Christian communities in northern Nigeria.
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Chairman of the group and Democratic Unionist Party MP, Jim Shannon, said Nigeria must take decisive action to protect vulnerable communities.
“Nigeria must take concrete steps to prevent the harassment, persecution and killing of Christians, while ensuring that perpetrators are investigated and prosecuted,” Shannon said.
The group, which includes 209 MPs and peers, also expressed concern that Nigerian authorities have not responded to the attacks with the level of seriousness required.
They further demanded clarity on the case of Leah Sharibu, one of the 110 schoolgirls abducted in 2018 by insurgents who reportedly remains in captivity after refusing to renounce her Christian faith.
The lawmakers urged Starmer to ensure that human rights commitments remain central to future diplomatic, security and trade engagements between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
They also requested an official response from Chapman ahead of the Nigerian president’s visit.
Meanwhile, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, is expected to meet with the Nigerian First Lady during her visit to Lambeth Palace on Thursday.
Oluremi Tinubu, a Christian pastor, will attend a prayer service and is also expected to preach during the event.
She will later meet representatives of the Church of England and faith-based charities, including Christian Aid, which have been involved in humanitarian support efforts in Nigeria.
The development comes amid increasing international scrutiny over claims of widespread persecution of Christians in Nigeria, an issue that has drawn global attention in recent months.