Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the UK’s Conservative Party, has shared her unforgettable experience with the Nigerian police, which she described as deeply negative. In an interview with The Free Press, a US media outlet, Badenoch revealed that officers from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had stolen her brother’s watch and shoe during an encounter.
Badenoch, born Olukemi Adegoke to Nigerian Yoruba parents in the UK, grew up in Nigeria before moving back to the UK at the age of 16. She married a Scottish banker, which led to her adopting the last name "Badenoch." Despite her ties to Nigeria, Badenoch’s comments about the country have drawn criticism from many Nigerians, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who rebuked her for what he called her tendency to "denigrate" her homeland.
While Badenoch did not specify when the incidents involving the Nigerian police took place, she emphasized how giving people firearms can lead to intimidation. She said, “My experience with the Nigerian police was very negative. The police in Nigeria will rob us. 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.”
Badenoch further criticized the Nigerian police, saying, “It’s a very poor country. People do all sorts of things. So, giving people a gun is just a licence to intimidate. But that’s not just the problem.”
In contrast, she spoke positively about her experience with the British police. Badenoch recalled a burglary she experienced in 2004, explaining how helpful the police were in catching the culprit. She said, “The police were there. They were helpful before they eventually caught the person.”
Badenoch’s contrasting experiences with the police in both countries highlight her frustrations with law enforcement in Nigeria and her more favorable views of the British police