Resolution on the situation in Nigeria

The European Parliament adopted by 44 votes to 0 with 1 abstention a resolution on the situation in Nigeria.

The resolution was tabled by the Greens/EFA, ECR, EPP, ALDE, and S&D groups.

It strongly condemns the escalation of violence on the part of Boko Haram, which continues to target Christians, moderate Muslims and other religious groups, whom it is driving out of the country's majority-Muslim north. Members also condemn the Nigerian military for using disproportionate force in its clashes with Boko Haram, particularly in its raids on Baga on 16 and 17 April 2013, and they urge both government and sub-state actors to exercise restraint and seek peaceful means to resolve differences between religious and ethnic groups. They call on the Nigerian Government to prevent further escalation of the conflict, and urge both the Nigerian Government and Boko Haram to respect freedom of the press and media and to allow journalists and reporters access to the front lines.

The resolution calls for a fuller examination of the root causes of the conflict, including social, economic and ethnic tensions, avoiding over-general and simplistic explanations based on religion alone, which cannot provide the basis for a long-term, lasting solution to the problems of the region. The Nigerian Government is asked to ensure fair access to resources, sustainable development at regional level and redistribution of revenues through the state budget.

Noting that EU assistance to Nigeria over the 2008-2013 period totals EUR 700 million, some of which has been diverted to dealing with the increasingly problematic security situation in northern Nigeria, Parliament calls upon the Vice-President / High Representative to urge the Nigerian Government to exercise respect for human rights in its counterterrorism operations. It expresses its readiness to follow closely the evolution of the situation in Nigeria, and asks the Commission to do the same. It proposes restrictive measures in the event of non-compliance with the Cotonou Agreement, in particular Articles 8 and 9.

Members condemn the execution of Daniel Nsofor by the Nigerian authorities for crimes committed when he was under 18 years of age, and also condemn the execution of four prisoners in Nigeria in June 2013. They call on the Nigerian authorities to uphold their recent commitments, as expressed in the framework of the EU-Nigeria human rights dialogue, to maintain the de facto moratorium on executions, and urges the country to abolish the death penalty.

Lastly, Parliament regrets the adoption of the Same-Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, which makes it a crime to be in a same-sex relationship, support the rights of LGBT people, operate a gay-friendly venue or display affection between two people of the same sex, and it calls on the President of Nigeria not to sign the law passed by the House of Representatives, which would put LGBT people at serious risk of violence and arrest.