On recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria
B-9-2024-0119
on behalf of the ECR Group · Rapporteur: Anna Fotyga, Karol Karski, Angel Dzhambazki, Ryszard Czarnecki, BertJan Ruissen, Assita Kanko, Bogdan Rzońca, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Witold Jan Waszczykowski, Elżbieta Rafalska, Charlie Weimers, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Dominik Tarczyński, Adam Bielan, Andżelika Anna Możdżanowska, Beata Kempa, Eugen Jurzyca, Hermann Tertsch
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Parliament's resolution condemns the Christmas Eve 2023 attacks in Plateau State, Nigeria, in which at least 160 people were murdered and 15,000 displaced.¶¶¶ It calls on Nigerian authorities to end the attacks, investigate and hold perpetrators accountable, provide humanitarian aid and compensation, and repeal blasphemy laws.¶¶¶ It asks the EU and member states to raise the security failure with Nigeria, and the Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief to visit Nigeria.¶¶ It regrets the High Representative/Vice President made no formal statement after the attacks.¶
Key points
- Strongly condemns the violence, loss of life and destruction of property against the Christian population in Central Plateau State.¶
- Calls on Nigerian authorities at all levels to take concrete measures to end the attacks and pursue effective security measures to protect life and property, with guarantees of non-recurrence.¶
- Calls for a thorough investigation to identify sponsors, actors, routes and modus operandi, and to hold perpetrators and suspected accomplices accountable.¶
- Calls on authorities to ensure essential humanitarian assistance to devastated communities and adequate compensation to all who suffered losses.¶
- Reiterates its call on Nigerian Federal authorities to repeal blasphemy laws at federal and state level.¶
- Calls on the EU and member states to address the failure of security in rural parts of Nigeria in exchanges with Nigerian authorities.¶
- Calls on the Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief to visit Nigeria and meet relevant actors to promote religious freedom and peaceful interreligious coexistence.¶
- Regrets that the High Representative/Vice President did not make a formal statement following the attacks on 24 December.¶
Who is affected
- Nigerian authorities at all levels, who are asked to end attacks, investigate, provide aid and compensation, and repeal blasphemy laws.¶¶¶
- The EU and member states, asked to address the security failure in rural Nigeria in exchanges with Nigerian authorities.¶
- The Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief, asked to visit Nigeria and meet relevant actors.¶
- The High Representative/Vice President, whose lack of a formal statement after the attacks is regretted.¶
Figures and deadlines
- at least 160 people murdered on Christmas Eve 2023 in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi areas of Plateau State¶
- more than 300 people suffered injuries or lost their homes¶
- reportedly 8 churches incinerated
- 15,000 people internally displaced
- since 2010, heavily armed militia have targeted farming and herding communities in Middle Belt states¶
- ORFA report from February 2023: in three-year reporting period up to 2022, 12,793 Christians and 4,497 Muslims killed in Nigeria in attacks by 'terror groups'¶