A Nigerian lady based in the UK recently shared her scary experience of being arrested and locked up in a cell over a misunderstanding involving her English.
The incident was revealed in a post that quickly went viral on a popular social media platform.
In the post, the lady explained that she had called her husband after visiting the pharmacy to pick up medication for him.
During the call, some passersby overheard her mentioning the drugs. She didn’t think much of it, as she believed she hadn’t done anything wrong.
However, moments later, the police arrived and began questioning her about the drugs she had mentioned.
In her own words: “I got arrested yesterday and detained. Now I’m going home. Yesterday, I went to the pharmacy to get drugs for my husband. Afterward, I was on a call. I said, ‘I got the drugs, I got 2 drugs for you. When you use them, you’ll get stronger.’”
She continued, “I didn’t know people around me were reacting to the word ‘drugs.’ I wasn’t concerned because I didn’t think I had done anything wrong. But before I knew it, the police arrived and asked, ‘Where are the drugs?’ I was confused and responded, ‘What drugs?’”
As the post spread online, many concerned individuals took to the comments section to share their thoughts on the bizarre situation.
See some reactions below:
@TVNDEY: “My own be say , Why do Nigerians in Uk always make all their videos on the street . If i don’t know few people who live there , i would have thought people in diaspora just work and live on the street all their lives.”
@Mazimum_: “It’s a harsh reminder that even the little things we take for granted—like everyday vocabulary—can land someone in serious trouble. It’s unfortunate, but it also highlights the importance of understanding the nuances of language and how it’s interpreted in different places.”
@KennyNuga: “it’s not about the Nigerian English, it’s the profiling . Some People with our skin color put us in that situation due to their uncontrolled interest.”
@JosephAjuka: “Medication is drug. Drug is also medications. You’re correct, they are correct. I will only fault them for not taking cognizant of the fact that different people from diff countries are in the UK and each person has a particular term for various things or item.”
@hey_watever: “She was just racially profiled… doesn’t make sense!”
@DayoOjo: “There’s a chance that she spoke too loud on the phone. Sometimes Nigerians don’t know how to maintain quietness.”
@KRYPTTOPIA: “wow gotta be more concious with your choice of wrod then , given the environment.”
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