12 hours ago
1
Days after saying that he “feels perfectly safe in Nigeria”, ex-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has come under fire for “downplaying” the security situation in the West African country.
DAILY POST reports that Johnson, in an address at the 2025 Imo State Economic Summit in Owerri on December 4, had declared that Nigeria is safe, “contrary” to the negative reports he read before his visit.
Addressing the summit, Johnson said, “I want you to know that when I decided to come to Owerri, I read some things, and there were people saying, ‘There may be some security problems in Nigeria.’ Have you heard that? And I said, ‘Well, I am going to go anyway.’ And let me ask you: do you feel safe here today in this conference? Yes, we all feel safe. And I feel perfectly safe.”
However, the former British PM’s comment has been greeted with outrage, with the American Veterans of Igbo Descent, AVID, accusing him of mocking victims of the insecurity in Nigeria.
AVID, an association of retired and serving United States military personnel of Igbo origin, in a statement released on Monday by its President, Chief Sylvester Onyia, described Johnson’s comments as disappointing.
AVID challenged Johnson to travel by land without security escorts to different states in Nigeria before commenting on the security situation in the country.
AVID informed Johnson that barely 48 hours before the he made the “provocative” remarks in Owerri, bandits had abducted 18 passengers in an Imo/Abia border community.
AVID further asked, “If indeed that the South-East is as peaceful as Johnson claims, how come Gov. Alex Otti’s advance team was attacked two days before that day?”
The American Veterans of Igbo Descent alleged that Johnson was hired to launder Nigeria’s image by countering the commentary about alleged Christian genocide and insecurity in the country, in the wake of United States President Donald Trump’s threat of military action in the country.
“How much were you paid to make such a disgraceful comment?” AVID asked the ex-British PM.
The United Kingdom recently issued a travel advisory, warning citizens against travelling to Nigeria because of insecurity.
AVID said it was embarrassing that Johnson, a former UK prime minister would contradict a travel warning recently issued by his country for pecuniary interests.
In the same vein, AVID informed Johnson that his comment was contrary to the position of the United States, which had confirmed the high level of insecurity and killings in Nigeria.
“Is Johnson trying to prove that President Donald Trump is not correct in expressing concerns over the disturbing insecurity in Nigeria? Has he chosen to defend the incompetence and duplicity of Nigerian leaders even when doing so requires lying?
“If he feels safe in Nigeria as he claims, let him travel from Imo State to Borno State on land to see how secure he is in Nigeria.
“England has benefited from the blood of innocent Nigerians as long as the oil and gas are flowing to England. Boris Johnson has never condemned the killings of Christians in Nigeria before.
They have not condemned that. His comment was a mockery to the griefs of innocent Nigerians that have been killed over the years. Britain sees Nigeria as a shopping ground. They can give Nigeria any kind of conflict as long as they benefit from the natural resources of Nigeria.
“Britain has always been on the wrong side of history when it comes to Nigeria. So the actions of Boris Johnson has validated the death of innocent Nigerians,” AVID stressed.
Declaring that Johnson’s comment was detrimental to all Nigerians, AVID challenged Nigerians to reject any attempt by selfish figures to hold them in perpetual colonialism.
The statement added, “Nigerians must rise up now and say enough is enough. Colonialists will no longer hold us down. Britain has turned a blind eye to the activities of bandits in Nigeria,” the group said, further slamming Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma for “using public funds to shop for international image launderers”.
“Governor Hope Uzodinma should stop using money allocated for the people of Imo to service expired agents who come to Nigeria to speak lies against the blood of innocent Nigerians. The actions of Boris Johnson has validated the death of innocent Nigerians.”
Insecurity: ‘Insult to victims’ – AVID slams ex-British PM Johnson for saying Nigeria safe
