A Nigerian lady living in the United Kingdom (UK) has narrated how a little linguistic mix-up landed her in police custody.
In a TikTok video, she recounted how a comment during a phone call at the pharmacy while picking up medication for her sick husband unexpectedly triggered a visit from the police.
“I was on call to say, ‘Ah, I got the drugs, I got two drugs for you. So, when I get home, when you use it, you are going to be strong, okay?’ Not knowing people closer to me were like, ‘drugs, drugs, drugs,’” she added, hinting at illicit substances.
In the UK, “drugs” typically refer to narcotics while “medication” or “medicine” is used for prescribed or over-the-counter treatments.
“But I wasn’t bothered because I felt I didn’t do anything wrong. Before I knew it, the police came,” the lady continued.
“When they came, they were like, ‘Where are the drugs?’ And I said ‘What drugs?’
“This was literally what I was referring to as drugs because I went to get this for my husband because he wasn’t feeling well.
“I told them ‘oh drugs, I meant this,’” she added, displaying two packs of what she said were medications to treat fever.
According to the woman, her explanations did not hold water for the police.
“They took me to the police station. They detained me. They asked me questions,” she said.
“They didn’t release me until they had searched my house. This Nigerian English is not just putting me into trouble, but in big mess.”
The lady said she would post a video showing the state the UK police left her home in.
Chronicle NG did not identify such a video on her page.
