UK Lawmakers Urge Action on Nigerian Christian Killings

British lawmakers, part of the Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief (APPG), have called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to address the issue of killings of Nigerian Christians with President Bola Tinubu during his state visit to the United Kingdom. This visit marks the first state visit by a Nigerian sitting president to the UK in 37 years.

Tinubu is expected to host King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle and will attend a state banquet as the guest of honor alongside First Lady Oluremi Tinubu. The lawmakers, including APPG chair Jim Shannon from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), have urged the UK government to pressure Tinubu to enhance human rights protections in Nigeria, which they describe as a dangerous country for Christians due to attacks by armed groups.

They also called for concrete steps to prevent the harassment and persecution of Christians and to ensure that perpetrators are investigated and prosecuted. Additionally, they requested updates on the case of Leah Sharibu, one of the 110 schoolgirls abducted in 2018.