NIGERIA TV INFO — INTERNATIONAL / HUMAN RIGHTS

UK Lawmakers Urge Starmer To Confront Tinubu Over Killings Of Nigerian Christians

Lawmakers in the United Kingdom have urged the country’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, to raise concerns about the killings of Christians in Nigeria during his upcoming meeting with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is currently visiting the UK on a state visit.

President Tinubu, accompanied by Nigeria’s First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, is scheduled to be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle on Wednesday. The royal hosts are expected to hold a state banquet in honour of the Nigerian leader during the visit.

Following the royal reception, President Tinubu will travel to 10 Downing Street on Thursday for official talks with Prime Minister Starmer. The trip marks the first state visit by a Nigerian president to the United Kingdom in 37 years.

According to a report by the Daily Mail in the UK, members of the All‑Party Parliamentary Group for Freedom of Religion or Belief (APPG FoRB) have written to the UK Development Minister, Baroness Jenny Chapman, urging the British government to press the Nigerian president on the need to strengthen protections for religious freedom and human rights.

The lawmakers expressed concern over persistent attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria, particularly in parts of the North and Middle Belt, where extremist groups and armed militants have carried out deadly assaults on villages, churches, and religious gatherings.

Nigeria has been repeatedly listed among countries facing severe threats to religious freedom, largely due to violent activities by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which have targeted civilians and religious institutions over the past decade.

Security analysts say the issue is expected to be among the sensitive topics discussed during the bilateral meeting between the British and Nigerian leaders, as both countries continue to cooperate on security, counter-terrorism, and economic development.