Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has been under fire on social media after a newspaper interview where Nigerians took offence to him implying that his countrymen are criminals.
In the interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph on February 6, Buhari said: “We have an image problem abroad and we are on our way to salvage that.
“Some Nigerians claim that life is too difficult back home, but they have also made it difficult for Europeans and Americans to accept them because of the number of Nigerians in prisons all over the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking.
“I don’t think Nigerians have anybody to blame. They can remain at home, where their services are required to rebuild the country.”
On Twitter, the #IamNotaCriminal started trending. Chidi Iwuchukwu C. (@BChidiiwuchukwu) said: “My name is Chidi iwuchukwu. I am a banker, entrepreneur, mentor and social activist. I am a Nigerian. #IamNotaCriminal.”
The tweets continued in this manner. Nigerians voiced their qualifications, their work ethics and their pride of being Nigerian. Omagbemi G. Kakayor (@GeorgeKakayor) tweeted: “@NGRPresident, I am a #Nigerian. I’m a geologist, developing oil and gas. I work very hard for every Kobo. My taxes funds your trips. #IamNotaCriminal.”
Others were simply disappointed, like Pippoh Qash (@pippohqash) who tweeted: “When Buhari paints us as criminals abroad, the majority of us who strive to launder our image by being good citizens are disgraced. #IamNotaCriminal.”
It also brought up bad memories of the past. Tweeps referred to 1984, a year after the military coup led by the now current President Buhari, when former civilian government minister Umaru Dikko who was living in the UK was drugged, kidnapped and shipped in a crate en route to Nigeria. The transportation of the crate was unsuccessful.
@Famoyegun_S tweeted: “’Nigerians are useless, Nigerians are senseless, Nigerians are indiscipined’ Sound familiar? Welcome back to 1984. #IamNotaCriminal.”
Those were the words of Buhari in 1984 when he was Major General Muhammadu Buhari, according to Vanguard, a Nigerian media outlet.
Fadahunsi Adeniyi (@FadaunsiAdeniyi) tweeted: “#IamNotaCriminal. Only a real criminal will try to smuggle someone called Umaru Dikko from the UK via a box in 1984.”
On February 10, Buhari made a statement saying that his words were taken out of context and he didn’t mean that Nigerians were criminals.
Buhari has now stated that he wants to address the issues that Nigerians face at home and internationally.