Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Nigerian counterpart on the return of some of the Chibok schoolgirls; and what steps his Department is taking to help secure the safe return of the remaining Chibok schoolgirls.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

​I welcome the recent release of 21 of the Chibok girls. It is vital that they and their families now receive appropriate help and support.

We regularly raise the issue of abducted women and girls with the Nigerian Government at the highest levels. Most recently, I discussed the Chibok girls with the Nigerian Vice President during my visit to Nigeria in September.

Since the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014 the UK has significantly increased its support to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram. This includes training and advice for Nigerian armed forces deploying against Boko Haram, a substantial package of intelligence, military and development support and £5 million to support the Multinational Joint Task Force.

We are resolute in our support for Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, and continue to call for the release of all who have been abducted by this barbaric group.