Who is making the call?
The All‑Party Parliamentary Group for Freedom of Religion or Belief, which includes around 200 MPs and peers, has formally written to the UK government urging it to raise the issue with Tinubu. DUP MP Jim Shannon, the group’s chair, has said Nigeria must take “concrete steps” to stop the harassment, persecution, and killing of Christians and to prosecute perpetrators.
What violations are being flagged?
The letter highlights repeated attacks by Islamist militant groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province against Christian communities, including kidnappings, killings of worshippers, and mass abductions of schoolgirls. Legislators specifically pointed to the long‑held captivity of Leah Sharibu, a Christian schoolgirl seized in 2018 and still held after refusing to renounce her faith.
Context of Tinubu’s visit
Tinubu is due to visit the UK for a state visit that includes a reception hosted by King Charles III and separate talks with Starmer at Downing Street. This will be the first presidential state visit from Nigeria in nearly four decades, and campaigners argue it is a key moment for the UK to insist that human‑rights protection, including religious freedom, be embedded in diplomatic, security, and trade talks.
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