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Calls on the President of Nigeria to grant clemency and pardon Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a young Sufi singer sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.
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Ms Eshalomi paid tribute to the Member for Strangford for securing the debate, highlighting its importance. She declared her interest as an officer of the all-party parliamentary group on Nigeria and discussed the Nigerian diaspora in the UK, noting 215,000 Nigerian-born people living there based on ONS figures. She mentioned her family heritage from Nigeria and emphasised the freedom to practise religion in contrast with persecution faced by Christians in Nigeria, citing reports of religiously motivated kidnappings and violence. She also raised concerns about women and girls being disproportionately targeted in such incidents. Acknowledged that figures on religious persecution in Nigeria are disputed, emphasising the importance of highlighting diversity and working with communities of different faiths to address these issues. She thanked the Minister for passing on comments to other Ministers and highlighted the scarcity of cash in Nigeria, where the outgoing President has announced the withdrawal of 1,000, 200, and 500 naira notes to curb money laundering and fraud. This decision has led to real issues and violence on the ground.
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The hon. Gentleman intervened to discuss the case of a Nigerian prisoner and called for his pardon, expressing support for the MP's remarks.
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Acknowledging the complexity between Fulani herdsmen and Christian farmers, questions whether killings are motivated by farming differences or religious reasons.
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Nigeria, with a population of over 230 million, is officially divided almost in half between Christians and Muslims. However, despite constitutional guarantees, religious freedom remains unfulfilled for many, particularly in northern states where some implement sharia law and the death penalty for blasphemy. Christians face violence, dispossession, and displacement from groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP. Women and girls are especially vulnerable to persecution, sexual assault, and forced marriage. Non-religious people also face significant challenges due to fear of imprisonment and threats of violence.
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The UK's security partnerships with Nigeria need to better complement efforts to provide security across the country. The speaker raised concerns over human rights violations by Nigerian armed forces and the impact of cuts in international development funding. She asked for an update on Mr Bala's appeal, progress on the Accra initiative, and how the difficulties caused by contested elections are being navigated.
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Persecution of religious minorities, including Baha'i faith members, remains an issue. The UK Government should exert greater diplomatic influence to pressure Nigeria for better treatment of minorities. The hon. Lady highlighted discrimination against Baha'i communities and mentioned the case of Mubarak Bala, a human rights activist sentenced to 24 years for posting blasphemous content on Facebook. The characterisation of Nigeria as a secular state is simplistic, as religion becomes increasingly politicised and politics influenced by religion. Atheists in Nigeria also face persecution, highlighting that religious freedom issues often stem from control rather than genuine religious conflict.
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Freedom of religious belief, or none, is a fundamental right that needs to be spread across the world. Nigeria, despite its potential for prosperity, faces increasing tensions along religious lines, with Christians being targeted at a ratio of 7:1 compared to Muslims. There are incidents like the Palm Sunday church attack and the ongoing persecution highlighted by Mubarak Bala's case under blasphemy laws. The international community needs to pressure the Nigerian Government to improve conditions.
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He congratulated the hon. Member for Strangford on securing the debate and highlighted Nigeria's potential as a global economic powerhouse if peace and stability are maintained. He expressed concern over the rise of militant factions such as Boko Haram, the attack at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, and the case of Mubarak Bala, an atheist activist sentenced to 24 years for insulting the Prophet Mohammed on Facebook.
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The right hon. Member raised the case of Deborah Samuel, a Christian student murdered for blasphemy in Sokoto state and expressed her concerns about police inaction.
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The situation is sad because Nigeria has tremendous potential but remains disfigured by attacks on Christians. Deborah Yakubu's murder in 2022 highlights the ongoing tragedies.