Human rights activist turned politician, Aisha Yesufu, has criticised the leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, over her incessant criticism of Nigeria.
Yesufu, in a statement on Sunday, criticised the UK politician for constantly speaking ill of Nigeria during her interviews.
Asking Badenoch to “grow up,” Yesufu mentioned that Badenoch “should not use her Nigerian poverty mentality to lower” the integrity of Nigeria abroad.
She made the remark while reacting to Badenoch’s recent statement about the Nigerian police.
Chronicle NG reports that the UK politician described the operatives of the Nigeria Police as “robbers” who prey on innocent Nigerians.
Speaking in an interview on The FP Honestly, Badenoch alleged that during her stay in Nigeria, operatives of the Nigerian police stole her brother’s shoes and wristwatch.
Responding to questions about her trust in the UK police, she said, ”My experience with the police in Nigeria was very negative, but coming to the UK, my first experience with the police was very positive.
”The police in Nigeria were robbers. When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m Black and all that, I’m like, ‘What the f—.’.
”I remember the police stole my brother’s shoes and his watch. They took his shoes and his watch.
”It is a very poor country where people do all sorts of things, and giving people a gun is just a license to intimidate.”
However, she applauded the UK police, saying, ”But that’s not the bar we should use for British police; it should be much higher, but my experience was so positive.
”When I was burgled, for example, the police were there; they were very helpful, and they eventually caught the persons. Since 2004. So 20 years ago, the police did catch criminals.”
Reacting to Badenoch’s claims, Yesufu in a statement on X said, “Kemi Badenoch should grow up and move on! Context is everything! She was asked if she trusted the British police. How is what happened with Nigerian police a reason for her to know if she will trust her British police or not? What also brought in our poverty?
“If the UK doesn’t give an enabling environment for people to loot Nigeria’s wealth and take it there, the poor and Nigeria will not be in the same sentence.
“So because the bar is low in Nigeria, it doesn’t mean that she should lower the bar for their police there. She should not use her Nigerian poverty mentality to lower the bar there,” she said.
“@PoliceNG, do you see your life? Always disgracing us up and down,” she added.
