On the recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria
B-9-2024-0114
on behalf of the PPE Group · Rapporteur: Vladimír Bilčík, Liudas Mažylis, Andrius Kubilius, Luděk Niedermayer, David McAllister, Janina Ochojska, Tomáš Zdechovský, Željana Zovko, Ivan Štefanec, Michaela Šojdrová, Andrzej Halicki, Antonio LópezIstúriz White, Jiří Pospíšil, Miriam Lexmann
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Parliament's resolution on the Christmas Eve attacks in Plateau State, Nigeria, condemns the attacks on Christian communities and the wider rise in religious and ethnic violence.¶¶ It condemns militant Islamist groups exploiting the farmers-herders conflict and warns against using that conflict to spread religion-based hatred.¶ It acknowledges climate change, in the form of droughts and floods, as aggravating the farmers-herders conflict.¶ It welcomes the Nigerian Parliament's debate, urges the government to improve security and foster dialogue, and calls for deeper EU-Nigeria cooperation on security, mediation and peace-building.¶¶ It welcomes Nigeria's condemnation of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the EU's EUR 900 million Global Gateway package, and Nigeria's ECOWAS chairmanship.¶¶¶
Key points
- Strongly condemns the Christmas attacks on Christian communities in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Mangu in Plateau State, which caused deaths, injuries and displacement.¶
- Reiterates concern about the worsening security situation in Plateau State and the cycle of violence.¶
- Condemns the rise in violence against ethnic and religious communities, including targeting of religious institutions and worshippers.¶
- Extends condolences to victims' families and expresses solidarity with the Nigerian people.¶
- Strongly condemns militant Islamist groups exploiting the conflict and warns against instrumentalising the farmers-herders conflict to spread religion-based hatred.¶
- Acknowledges the role of climate change, in the form of droughts and floods in northern Nigeria, in aggravating the farmers-herders conflict and pushing herders south.¶
- Welcomes the Nigerian Parliament's debate and encourages the government to enhance security, foster dialogue and conflict mediation, and commit to socio-economic recovery.¶
- Welcomes the EU-Nigeria partnership and calls for deepening it in security, mediation and peace-building.¶
- Welcomes Nigeria's condemnation of Russian aggression against Ukraine in multilateral fora.¶
- Welcomes the EU's EUR 900 million Global Gateway package announced in October for Nigeria's green and digital transition, and notes the government's priority on economic diversification.¶
- Welcomes Nigeria's assumption of the ECOWAS chairmanship and reiterates the positive role of ECOWAS regional integration for West Africa.¶
Who is affected
- Christian communities in Plateau State, targeted in the Christmas Eve attacks.¶
- Nigerian government, urged to improve security, foster dialogue and commit to recovery.¶
- EU and Nigeria, called to deepen cooperation on security, mediation and peace-building.¶
- Ethnic and religious communities in Nigeria facing violence and targeting.¶
Figures and deadlines
- 52,000 Christians killed since 2009, according to Nigerian NGOs.¶
- 34,000 Muslims killed since 2009, according to Nigerian NGOs.
- 18,000 churches burned down, according to Nigerian NGOs.
- 2,200 Christian schools burned down, according to Nigerian NGOs.
- Over 200 Christians killed in Plateau State on Christmas Eve.
- Over 250 ethnicities in Nigeria.¶
- Nearly 30 million Christians living in northern Nigeria.
- EUR 900 million Global Gateway package announced in October.¶