The Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has strongly criticized UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch for making what she called a misleading and false statement about Nigeria’s citizenship laws.

Badenoch, during an interview, claimed that Nigerian women are unable to pass citizenship to their children, suggesting that her children couldn’t be Nigerian citizens because she is a woman.

However, Dabiri-Erewa has called this completely untrue, citing Section 25(1)(c) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, which allows any child born outside Nigeria to qualify for citizenship if either parent—mother or father—is Nigerian.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, Dabiri-Erewa said it was unacceptable for someone to appear on international media and make false claims about their country.

She stressed that spreading misinformation about Nigeria, especially from someone of Nigerian heritage in such a prominent position, should not go unchallenged.

According to her, Nigeria will always support its diaspora citizens, but denigrating the country in public must be addressed.

She added that there are many Nigerians thriving in UK politics and society, and it’s unfortunate that attention is focused on someone spreading falsehoods.

In the interview that caused the backlash, Badenoch said Nigerian citizenship is nearly impossible to obtain and added that she couldn’t pass it to her children due to her gender.

She contrasted this with what she sees as leniency in the UK’s immigration policy, saying many Nigerians easily obtain British citizenship.

Her remarks quickly sparked outrage among Nigerians and legal experts.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana also weighed in, calling Badenoch’s statement a clear case of ignorance.

He accused her of misleading the public and misrepresenting Nigerian laws just to gain political points in the UK.

This isn’t the first time Badenoch has come under fire for her comments about Nigeria.

Back in December 2024, Vice President Kashim Shettima publicly criticised her for constantly making disparaging remarks about her country of origin.

Around that time, she was also accused of describing Northern Nigerians as “ethnic enemies” and stating that she identifies more with her Yoruba heritage than with Nigeria as a whole.

In another controversial incident, Badenoch claimed that Nigerian police officers once stole her brother’s shoes and wristwatch.

She described Nigeria as a poor country where the police routinely abuse their authority.

The Nigerian presidency dismissed her claims as a fabricated story, while political figures like Femi Fani-Kayode accused her of hypocrisy, pointing out that Nigerian police were still protecting her family in Lagos.

Critics argue that Badenoch has repeatedly distanced herself from Nigeria in an effort to appeal to the UK’s conservative base.

NIDCOM revealed that she has refused to engage with the commission despite several outreach attempts.

Kemi Badenoch recently became the leader of the UK Conservative Party after the party lost in the July general elections.

She won 57 percent of the final vote against Robert Jenrick and made history as the first Black leader of a UK-wide political party.

Though born in London in 1980, she spent some of her childhood years in Lagos and later lived in the United States before returning to the UK at the age of 16, following economic challenges in Nigeria.

While politicians often shape their personal stories to fit their political narratives, facts still matter.

For many Nigerians, her repeated comments about Nigeria feel like an intentional disconnect from her roots.

As Dabiri-Erewa puts it, when someone spreads lies about their country, staying silent is not an option.