Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK Conservative Party, recent revelation of the Nigeria Police robbing it’s citizens instead of protecting them, has sparked a wave of testimonials from Nigerians recounting their own traumatic encounters with law enforcement.
Chronicle NG reports that Kemi Badenoch made these remarks during an interview with a UK journalist, highlighting her negative experience with the Nigeria Police and contrasting it with her positive experiences with the British Police.
She shared, “I do. My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive. The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). 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 and his watch.”
Kemi Badenoch’s comments were met with widespread agreement from Nigerians who shared their own harrowing experiences with police officers.
Social commentator and Christian influencer, Solomon Buchi, tweeted, “The police in Nigeria kidnapped me and my younger bro in Abuja and stole over half a million naira from us. She’s right on this one and I love that she’s saying this on the global stage.”
Emmanuel Obinna (@EmmyBlaq54321) also took to social media, recalling his own ordeal: “….Nigeria police broke into my lodge in school, took my properties unknowingly to me. When I went to the station to ask why, I was detained for 3 days without food or water ????????????. I was later forced to pay 100k, despite the fact that I am a student.”
Jason ID (@JasinID4) shared a similarly disturbing account: “2017 a police man told me in Edo state say if I nor give them 300k them go frame me up add me join robbers wey them arrest, and they took 300k from me. They not let me call or even received call, my wife passed through hell that day because she taught I was kidnapped.”
Tosin.X (@Dontee___) described another shocking incident in Lagos: “Someone died inside Uber in this Lagos and the Uber drove to the nearest station to report. Lagos Police stole his Watch and other valuables before the family arrives, imagine stealing from a young man that died in an Uber after suffering cardiac arrest… Lol.”
A user named Maleek 1.0 (@Maleekoyibo) recounted his experience with police corruption: “About 2 months ago, the Police took possession of some money we were sending to a client, 3 million naira in cash. When we got to the station, after answering series of questions to prove legitimacy of the cash, the officer asked how much we were willing to forfeit, in his words ‘Because the money don get accident’ and we cannot get the whole sum back. It took 3 days before they agreed to collect N250,000. Fuck the police.”
These powerful testimonies shed light on the systemic issues within the Nigeria Police Force, including extortion, illegal detention, and outright theft, which many Nigerians believe has become commonplace.
Kemi Badenoch’s remarks, amplified by the flood of personal accounts, have reignited calls for urgent police reform and better oversight to curb abuse and restore public trust.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to officially respond to the allegations. However, the force has long been criticized for its corrupt practices, and recent movements, such as the #EndSARS protests, have brought global attention to the need for meaningful reform.
