On recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria

B90119/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria

(2024/2552(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas on Christmas Eve 2023, at least 160 people were murdered by Fulani militants in the Christian-majority Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi areas of Plateau State in Nigeria;

whereas more than 300 people suffered injuries or lost their homes, reportedly 8 churches were incinerated and 15,000 people were internally displaced because of the attacks;

whereas since 2010, heavily armed militia have persistently targeted farming and herding communities in Middle Belt states; whereas while the motives of the militia groups are diverse, a significant portion of them are driven by ethnoreligious factors, disproportionately targeting Christians;

whereas Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) specifically target Christians and Muslims who reject extremism, while the government’s security response is ineffective;

whereas the attacks have long-term social, economic, and political implications, posing significant challenges to peaceful coexistence and stability within the Federal State of Nigeria;

whereas the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) report from February 2023 revealed that in the three-year reporting period up to 2022, 12,793 Christians and 4,497 Muslims had been killed in Nigeria in the context of attacks by ‘terror groups’;

Whereas the implementation of blasphemy laws and the implementation of Sharia law exacerbate a culture of mob violence against Christians and other religious groups;

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Strongly condemns the recent acts of violence, loss of life, and destruction of property against the Christian population in Central Plateau State in Nigeria;

Calls on the Nigerian authorities at all levels to swiftly take concrete measures to end the attacks and to pursue effective security measures to protect the life and property of the people of Plateau State and provide guarantees of non-recurrence;

Calls for a thorough investigation to identify the sponsors, actors, routes, and modus operandi of the attackers and to hold the perpetrators and those suspected of being complicit in the crimes accountable, in order to bring justice to those affected by the attacks;

Calls on the authorities to ensure that essential humanitarian assistance is provided to the devastated communities and to provide adequate compensation to all people who have suffered losses from the attacks;

Reiterates its call on the Nigerian Federal authorities to repeal the blasphemy laws at federal and state level;

Calls on the EU and the Members States to address the failure of security in rural parts of Nigeria in its exchanges with the Nigerian authorities at all levels;

Calls on the Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) to visit Nigeria and meet with relevant actors to promote religious freedom and peaceful interreligious coexistence in Nigeria;

Regrets that the High Representative/Vice President did not make a formal statement following the attacks on 24 December;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU Institutions, the Member States and the Government and Parliament of Nigeria.