Group carpets Boris Johnson for downplaying Nigeria’s security situation

The American Veterans of Igbo Descent, AVID, has carpeted a former British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson for trivializing the security situation in Nigeria.

The body knocked Johnson for saying “I feel perfectly safe in Nigeria” while delivering a keynote address at the Imo State Economic Summit 2025 hosted by Governor Hope Uzodimma, last week in Owerri.

Johnson was quoted to have 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. Thank you, Governor, for what you are doing”.

AVID described the comment as an understatement as it said the security situation in the Eastern part and the entire country calls for concern.

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The President of AVID , Chief Sylvester Onyia in a statement Sunday challenged Mr Johnson to travel on land without security escorts to different states in the country while reminding the former British leader that barely 48 hours before his comment, bandits had abducted 18 passengers on the Imo/Abia border community.

Johnson was asked if he “was aware that few hours before the jamboree, the Advance Team of Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State on its way to Owerri airport came under attack by bandits.”

It read in part:”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?”

AVID alleged that Johnson was hired to launder Nigeria’s image over the Christian genocide and incessant killings in the country.

” How much were you paid to make such a disgraceful comment?” AVID inquired.

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AVID said it was embarrassing that a former British Prime Minister would choose to contradict a travel warning recently issued by his country for pecuniary interests.

It reminded Johnson that his comment was in sharp contrast with the position of the United States of America, which has used its vast intelligence to confirm the growing 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.

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” 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 said Johnson’s comment was detrimental to all Nigerians, and challenged Nigerians to reject any attempt by selfish figures to hold them in perpetual colonialism.

“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. ”

AVID also knocked Gov. 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.

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.