Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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192. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action he and his Department are taking to deal with the plight of persecuted Christians in Nigeria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60992/25]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Government strongly condemns persecution on religious or ethnic grounds, irrespective of where it occurs, or who the victims are. This includes where Christians face persecution for exercising the right to practice their faith. Promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief is a priority for Ireland, both nationally and in our international engagements. The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a fundamental freedom, enshrined in international law.

In the UN General Assembly on 24 October, Ireland expressed grave concern at the persecution of people on the basis of their religion or belief and condemned the continued oppression of Christians and those of other faiths.

I am very concerned by attacks on religious, ethnic and minority groups in Nigeria, including Christian communities. Nigeria has suffered from a high level of insecurity and violence across the country, including from terrorist groups. Some of the violence against Christians in Nigeria arises from conflict between nomadic herders and settled farmers. Many of the herders are Muslim and many of the farmers are Christian. Conflict often arises from differences related to access to land. In recent days, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States) have criticised any characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant. Christian leaders in Nigeria do not claim any general persecution.

Our Embassy in Abuja closely monitors developments in Nigeria and actively advocates for the protection of human rights, including the free expression of thought, conscience and religion. Ireland, bilaterally and as a Member State of the EU, also works with the Nigerian authorities and with UN partners to promote peace and security in areas affected by armed groups and insecurity. In January 2024, in the UN Human Rights Council, Ireland expressed concerns about the lack of accountability for human rights violations, including by security forces. We urged Nigeria to address recurring intercommunal violence by conducting impartial, comprehensive investigations into systematic attacks and bringing those responsible to justice, encouraging peacebuilding and ensuring redress for victims and survivors.

Through the Irish Aid programme, we provide humanitarian and development support to those affected by conflict in Nigeria. We provided over €2.5 million bilaterally last year, including funding to several partner organisations, including Christian Aid and the International Service for Human Rights.