MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Nigeria, notably the recent terrorist attacks

14.1.2020 - (2020/2503(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Kati Piri, Carlos Zorrinho
on behalf of the S&D Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0056/2020

B9‑0062/2020

European Parliament resolution on Nigeria, notably the recent terrorist attacks

(2020/2503(RSP))

 

The European Parliament,

-  having regard to its previous resolutions on Nigeria, notably that of 18 January 2018;

 

-  having regard to the Statement by the Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria on “the Boko Haram terrorist attack in Borno, North East Nigeria” of 29 July 2019;

 

-  having regard to the statement of the UN Security Council on “Acts of Terrorism in North East Nigeria” of 31 July 2019;

 

-  having regard to the UNHCR Nigeria Regional Refugee Response Plan 2019 - 2020;

 

-  having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
 

-  having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966, ratified by Nigeria on 29 October 1993;
 

-  having regard to the second revision of the Cotonou Agreement, ratified by Nigeria on 27 September 2010;
 

-  having regard to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights of 1981, ratified by Nigeria on 22 June 1983;
 

-  having regard to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
 

-  having regard to Rule 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure.

1. Whereas Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and an important partner for the European Union;

 

2. whereas the country is in its 11th year of a regionalised armed conflict, with violent attacks, murders and kidnappings being perpetrated by insurgents from the Islamist group Boko Haram in the north-east of the country;

 

3. whereas the violence has spilled over into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger; whereas the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), estimated to have between 3,500 and 5,000 members, operates in the region and regularly carries out raids on security forces;

 

4. whereas a terrorist attack by Boko Haram in the north-east of Nigeria in July 2019 claimed the lives of 65 mourners attending a funeral; whereas several civilians were reportedly executed and many more abducted by armed groups between Borno and Yobe states in December 2019;

 

5. whereas ISWAP claimed responsibility for the execution of 11 people in video released on 26 December 2019; whereas the group claimed all those killed were Christians in retaliation for the death of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria; whereas it has been reported that regional experts expect some of those killed were likely Muslim;

 

6. whereas a terrorist attack perpetrated by ISWAP killed 3 Nigerian soldiers in Monguno in Borno State on 7 January 2020; whereas this attack followed the ambush of several buses carrying civilians, and a grenade attack on a refugee camp in the town;

 

7. whereas a young child and 8 other people were killed on 7 January 2020 from the explosion of a grenade which the child found in a rubbish bin on a bridge on the Nigeria-Cameroon border; whereas 26 people were also injured in the blast;

 

8. whereas Chad has withdrawn its 1,200 troops from Nigeria which were part of a joint mission with the Nigerian army resisting Boko Haram; whereas authorities in Chad announced this was to redeploy the troops in the Lake Chad region and strengthen security on the border;

 

9. whereas the EU, the Federal Republic of Germany and ECOWAS launched a project on Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) in October 2019; whereas the objective of the project is to strengthen ECOWAS’s mechanisms and ability to manage conflict and support a post-conflict environment in West Africa; 

 

10. whereas over 36,000 people have been killed in Nigeria since 2009; whereas women and girls face sexual violence, abduction, trafficking and forced marriage;

 

11. whereas at least 1.8 million people are internally displaced, and 7.1 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, predominantly in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states;

 

12. whereas violence and insecurity in neighbouring states have placed additional pressures on Nigeria; whereas around 100 people died in a terrorist attack in Inatès in Niger on 11 December 2019; whereas almost 42,000 refugees from Cameroon have been forced into exile in Nigeria;

 

13. whereas at least 9 humanitarian aid workers lost their lives in 2019 while working in Nigeria;

 

14. whereas climate change has led to irregular weather patterns, drought, flooding and crop shortages in Nigeria; whereas these pressures have reduced the availability of arable land for farmers and safe routes for pastoralists, particularly in the Middle Belt; whereas increasing tensions and competition over resources has intensified conflicts in the north-east of Nigeria.

 

 

1. Deplores the terrorist attacks which have taken place in the country; reiterates its concern for the protracted crisis in Nigeria and the volatile security situation in the north-east; expresses its sympathy for victims of the acts of terrorism perpetrated by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province;

 

2. Recalls that Nigeria’s population is almost evenly split between Christians and Muslims; reiterates calls for the Government of Nigeria and international partners to intensify efforts to bring the violence to an end and protect religious freedom;

 

3. Supports the objectives of the Peace and Security Architecture Operations project led by the EU and ECOWAS; encourages strong support from member states to contribute to capacity-building and conflict resolution in West Africa led by ECOWAS;

 

4. Encourages further security sector reform in Nigeria to strengthen the capacity of national and regional actors in combatting terrorism; calls on the EEAS and member states to continue technical assistance from EU in this regard;

 

5. Expresses its alarm at the deteriorating humanitarian situation; calls for increased support and donor coordination with civil society to address internal displacement, food insecurity, malnutrition, and healthcare needs, especially for children and pregnant women;

 

6. Emphasises the importance of education for children in Nigeria and calls for a particular focus on the education of girls, internally-displaced children and children in refugee camps; further recalls that education and economic opportunities are powerful tools against radicalisation and urges international partners to support the provision of accessible, quality education as part of an anti-terrorism strategy in the region;

 

7. Acknowledges the pressures Nigeria and neighbouring countries are under from regional displacement; calls for increased support for the refugee population in Nigeria, including additional financial resources from the international community; draws particular attention to the financial needs in the region highlighted by UNHCR to provide basic services and increase resilience of refugee populations and the host communities across Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon;

 

8. Expresses deep concern at the situation for women and girls in the country; notes the importance of a tailored response to the challenges of the crisis including mobile clinics and appropriate resources to address sexual and reproductive health needs; urges greater support for the victims of the widespread sexual and gender-based violence, including psychological support;

 

9. Recalls the principles of International Humanitarian Law and urges President Buhari and the Government of Nigeria to ensure the safety of aid workers and a secure environment for humanitarian organisations to carry out their essential work; expresses concern at threats to shut down international aid agencies operating in the north-east of the country and calls for increased support and security assistance from the Nigerian state;

 

10. Is extremely concerned at rapidly intensifying climate change and its impact on lives and livelihoods particularly in the Middle Belt; reiterates that long-term solutions need to be found for protection of and access to natural resources; recalls that tackling the climate emergency is a vital component of securing economic stability and peace in the region;

 

11. Urges the Nigerian Government to negotiate a national policy framework that would protect the interests of both farmers and pastoralist; calls on international partners to increase investment in preventing and resolving intercommunal conflicts between cattle pastoralists and farmers by supporting cooperation through shared economic and natural resource management initiatives;

 

12. Urges the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Commissioner to address seriously these challenges in the upcoming Africa Strategy, including cooperation on joint objectives on peace and security, tackling terrorism and mitigation measures on climate change;

 

13. Recalls that Nigeria is the biggest country by population and by economy in West Africa and that regional cooperation and solutions are essential to ensure the stability of the region; urges in this regard continued cooperation and coordination between EU and ECOWAS;

 

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the European Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, the ACP-EU Council, the institutions of the African Union, representatives of ECOWAS, and the Government and Parliament of Nigeria.