UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has announced
plans to tighten British citizenship requirements for Nigerians if she remains
in power, citing concerns over immigration policy loopholes.
Speaking in a CNN interview on Sunday, Badenoch stressed the
need for stricter immigration controls, comparing Nigeria’s policies with the
UK’s current system. She argued that the existing framework is too lenient and
vulnerable to exploitation.
“Many Nigerians come to the UK and stay for extended
periods, eventually acquiring citizenship. We must stop being naive,” Badenoch
said. “Under my leadership, we are implementing policies to make obtaining
British citizenship more difficult—it has been far too easy.”
She further claimed that some immigrants abuse the UK’s
current system, potentially compromising national security.
When questioned about Nigerian immigrants forming cultural
enclaves—such as a “mini Nigeria” in the UK—Badenoch firmly rejected the idea.
“That is not right. Nigerians themselves wouldn’t tolerate
such a thing, and most countries wouldn’t accept it,” she said. “Many who come
to the UK engage in behaviors that would be unacceptable in their home
countries.”
Despite her Nigerian roots—born in the UK to Nigerian
parents and having spent part of her childhood in Nigeria—Badenoch’s remarks
have drawn criticism. Opponents accuse her of adopting increasingly hardline
immigration rhetoric and distancing herself from her heritage.
Her comments have ignited debate in both the UK and Nigeria, adding to her history of controversial statements about her country of origin.