Cormac Devlin
Ceist:5. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the hostage situation in Nigeria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67303/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 2 December 2025
Ceisteanna (5)
Freagraí scríofa
I am deeply concerned at the of the abduction of over 300 children, and 12 teachers, from St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State in Nigeria on Friday 21 November. The Government joins all calls being made for the swift and safe release of the children and staff. We also condemn other abductions of school children which have taken place in recent weeks in Nigeria.
Many parts of Nigeria, particularly rural and semi-urban areas, do not have a significant police presence, which makes the task of providing security to populations in those areas challenging. Ireland, bilaterally and as a Member State of the EU, works with the Nigerian authorities and with UN and international partners to promote peace and security in areas affected by armed groups and insecurity. I understand that all efforts are being made to locate and secure the release of the abducted students and staff members of St Mary's School.
The severity of last Friday’s event, and the sharp escalation in violent attacks and mass kidnappings which has been experienced in Nigeria over recent weeks, has been recognised by the Government of Nigeria. Following his decision not to attend the G20 Summit and the African Union-European Union Summit in order to focus on a response to the security situation, President Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency in Nigeria on 26 November and ordered the recruitment of additional police and army personnel.
Ireland has a long history in Nigeria, not least through the work of many Irish missionaries. St. Mary's School has close links to Irish missionaries. The Ambassador and officials at our Embassy in Abuja are monitoring the situation engaging closely with the Nigerian authorities on developments, as are our EU partners.
Through the Irish Aid programme, Ireland provides some €2.5 million annually for humanitarian and development projects in Nigeria, implemented by Christian Aid, Misean Cara, the International Service for Human Rights and others. We will continue to prioritise the strengthening of peace and security in Nigeria and the broader region, as well as addressing persistent poverty levels. In the coming days and weeks we will work with all relevant partners in the country to support St Mary's School and all those affected by this terrible situation.