The UK raised its concern about the suspension of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, in a statement on 26 January 2019 and in a meeting with Foreign Minister Onyeama alongside our US and EU colleagues on 28 January 2019. The timing of the suspension, so close to national elections in February 2019, risked affecting both domestic and international perceptions on the credibility of those elections. Our subsequent assessment of the elections was that the Nigerian people could have confidence in the outcome; the result declared by the Nigerian election commission was consistent with the result obtained through the civil society Parallel Vote Tabulation process. However, we were concerned by reports of violence and misconduct. We expressed our deep concern at similar reports from the Bayelsa and Kogi state elections in a joint statement with European and US partners on 17 November 2019. We continue to support Nigeria and its civil society in drawing lessons from these elections and strengthening its democracy.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1559", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir James Duddridge"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochford and Southend East"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Duddridge"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-03-06T11:58:59.477Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nigeria: Politics and Government"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of President Buhari\u2019s suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Nigerian chief justice on (a) judicial freedom and (b) democracy in Nigeria; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "21924"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1180597", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1180597/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK remains committed to working with the Government of Nigeria to help tackle insecurity and address the underlying causes of the instability. This includes supporting Nigeria and its neighbours in the fight against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa. We currently provide a comprehensive package of support to Nigeria, which includes humanitarian and development support, to help tackle this threat. The UK also conducts training and capacity building, including on Human Rights compliance, for Nigerian armed forces deploying to the North East. We regularly express our concern about the increasing levels of violence with the Nigerian Government. Most recently the Prime Minister raised this with President Buhari during the UK-Africa Investment Summit in January, and the President expressed his gratitude for UK support.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1559", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir James Duddridge"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochford and Southend East"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Duddridge"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-03-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-03-02T16:11:55.793Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-02-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nigeria: Politics and Government"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to provide support to his Nigerian counterpart to tackle the security situation in Nigeria; and whether that support has been (a) accepted or (b) rejected.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3958", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fiona Bruce"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Congleton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fiona Bruce"} ], "uin" : "20449"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1001942", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1001942/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are deeply concerned by the ongoing \u200eviolence across Nigeria and the devastating impact it has had on affected communities. It is essential that both the Federal and State Governments in Nigeria address the drivers of conflict by working to develop solutions that meet the needs of all the communities affected. The UK and Nigeria have a security and defence partnership, signed during the Prime Minister's visit. We support the Nigerian authorities in improving security and in order to enable economic growth. The UK is also providing humanitarian and development aid to Nigeria, investing over £300 million over the next five years.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T16:01:54.43Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nigeria: Politics and Government"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in the north of Nigeria; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"} ], "uin" : "187994"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }