Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK Conservative Party, has knocked Nigeria again. The British politician was recently called out by Vice President Kashim Shettima for disparaging Nigeria.
This time, Badenoch who is of Nigerian parentage, levelled a serious allegation against the Nigeria police, claiming that officers robbed citizens instead of protecting them.
Speaking during a recent interview with a British journalist, Badenoch criticised Nigeria’s police force, which she said had a history of stealing from the very people they are meant to serve.
Badenoch was asked about her experiences with the police in both the UK and Nigeria. She explained how her encounters with the Nigeria Police were deeply negative.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us,” she said, laughing as she recalled a personal experience.Speaking during a recent interview with a British journalist, Badenoch openly criticised Nigeria’s police force, which she said had a history of stealing from the very people they are meant to serve.
“When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well… I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe(s) and his watch,” she continued, shocking the interviewer.
The British journalist expressed disbelief. “They took his shoe and his watch?”
Badenoch responded, explaining the poverty that she believes leads some police officers to act in such a way. “It’s a very poor country. People do all sorts of things. So, giving people a gun is just a licence to intimidate,” she said.
However, she quickly made a comparison to the UK, where she had a very different experience with the police. “But that’s not just the problem,” she added. “When I was burgled, the police were there. They were helpful before they eventually caught the person. This was in 2004, that was 20 years ago.”
Badenoch’s comments have sparked reactions from Nigerians both at home and abroad. Many have praised her for speaking out against the corruption and abuse within the Nigeria Police, while others have criticized her for airing the country’s dirty laundry in public.
Badenoch’s statements come as no surprise to many Nigerians, who have long complained about police corruption, extortion, and brutality. In recent years, there have been widespread calls for reform, especially after the #EndSARS protests in 2020. The protests, which began as a movement against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), grew into a nationwide outcry against police brutality and the abuse of power by law enforcement officers.
The Nigeria Police have been accused of everything from extortion to extrajudicial killings, with numerous reports of officers demanding bribes at checkpoints, assaulting civilians, and even kidnapping for ransom. These issues have been compounded by the fact that many Nigerians feel that police officers are underpaid and poorly trained, leading them to resort to criminal behavior to survive.
Badenoch’s comments have sparked a strong reaction on social media, with many Nigerians agreeing with her description of the police force. “If Nigerian police has not happened to you before, you won’t understand her plight. There are series of cases out there,” wrote one Twitter user.
Another commenter said, “She’s very right, she’s not lying. Everything she has said doesn’t need facts. They are practically the gospel.”
Many Nigerians echoed the sentiment that the police force in the country is not only corrupt but also ineffective in providing security. “From Enugu to Awka, a 65-kilometer road, the corrupt Nigerian police has checkpoints numbering 18…18 harassment points of little trained hungry criminals wearing uniforms and carrying military-grade guns, extorting road users and aiding kidnappers,” wrote one Facebook user.
Others pointed out the broader problem of government corruption and its impact on the police force. “Politicians corrupted & weakened the police force so that they can have no issues in perpetuating economic crimes,” commented one user.
There were also reactions from those who believed that Badenoch should have kept her opinions to herself. One user argued, “Must we know your feeling? Keep it with you. Your feeling is always your feeling. Mark you, they have no permanent friends but they have permanent interests to protect. Be warned!!”
However, her comments are unlikely to sit well with the Nigerian government, which has worked hard in recent years to restore the reputation of the police force.
Authorities in Nigeria have promised to tackle the issues of police brutality and corruption. Still, many Nigerians continue to live in fear of the very institutions that are supposed to protect them.
