Nigeria has asked France for greater support against escalating violence in its northern regions, French president Emmanuel Macron has said.

The intervention comes as concerns grow over a rise in attacks affecting Christian communities.

According to Reuters, Macron said he spoke with Nigeria’s president Bola Tinubu and that Tinubu had “requested” deeper cooperation as the country grappled with terrorism, kidnappings and sectarian clashes.

The president added that France would “strengthen our partnership” with Nigeria and urged other international partners to step up their engagement.

Macron said the help would focus on supporting affected populations and responding to Nigeria’s security needs.

Nigeria has faced a surge in violence across volatile northern states in recent weeks, including mass kidnappings from schools and an attack on a church.

The crisis formed part of a wider pattern involving Islamist insurgents in the northeast, armed kidnap gangs in the northwest and long-running clashes between largely Muslim herders and mostly Christian farmers in the central region.

The government argued that allegations of Christian mistreatment misrepresented what it called a complex conflict involving armed groups targeting several different communities.

France recently repositioned its Africa strategy to prioritise training, intelligence sharing and assistance offered only at the request of national governments.

France, the United States and Britain have all previously provided various forms of military or intelligence support to Nigeria.