James Akinwande, a Nigerian man based in the United Kingdom, has made headlines after replacing a pair of shoes and a wristwatch that were allegedly stolen from Kemi Badenoch’s brother by officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
Badenoch, the leader of the UK’s Conservative Party, recently recounted the incident during an interview, describing the actions of the officers as an abuse of power.
In her December 2024 interview, Badenoch shared a negative experience with the Nigerian police, claiming that her brother’s shoes and watch were stolen by officers during a visit to Nigeria.
“My experience with the police in Nigeria was very negative,” she said.
“The police in Nigeria would rob us. I remember the police stealing my brother’s shoes and his watch. It’s a very poor country, so people do all sorts of things.”
Her remarks have sparked a range of reactions, with some Nigerians, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, accusing her of repeatedly tarnishing the image of her home country.
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In a gesture of goodwill and in response to Badenoch’s claims, Akinwande took matters into his own hands. He filmed a video showing himself purchasing a new pair of shoes and a wristwatch from a UK store. Akinwande then made his way to the Conservative Party headquarters, where he handed the items over to security personnel to be delivered to Badenoch.
The video, which quickly went viral, was accompanied by a message from Akinwande: “On behalf of every proud Nigerian who felt genuinely hurt by those unfounded disparaging remarks about the Nigerian Police.
We ‘buy back’ the stolen shoes and watch! (I hope it fits, tho..).”
While the video gained widespread attention on social media, it has since been taken down by Akinwande. According to his Instagram profile, Akinwande works as the international manager for popular Nigerian comedian, Kenny Blaq.
The act of replacing the stolen items has sparked both admiration and debate, shining a light on the ongoing conversation about the portrayal of Nigeria and its institutions on the global stage.
