Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday declared he felt “perfectly safe” during his visit to Nigeria, dismissing negative security reports that had preceded his trip to Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Johnson made the statement while delivering the keynote address at the Imo State Economic Summit 2025 hosted by Governor Hope Uzodimma.
“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,” Johnson said.
Johnson also commended Uzodimma for his push to provide 24-hour electricity in Imo State as part of efforts to drive economic growth.
According to him, artificial intelligence will play a critical role in helping the governor realise that plan, describing AI as “the future.”
“Your focus on electricity is completely right. What is the future? The future is AI. For clean, sustainable electricity—and because of AIit’s going to be colossal.
“I congratulate you for what you are doing to secure clean and sustainable power for Imo State and for the whole of Nigeria,” he said.
Johnson recalled that Nigeria and Britain share deep historic and cultural ties, strengthened by continuous exchanges of skilled professionals.
“I am very proud of what we export to Nigeria. We send you pharmaceuticals, bankers, services of all kinds, and automotive parts. And you send us so much in return, oil and gas, Nollywood movies, brilliant doctors, nurses, technicians, and tech geniuses from Nigeria. We are very, very grateful.
“We send you former United Kingdom prime ministers, and you send us future United Kingdom prime ministers in the form of Kemi Badenoch,” Johnson added.
The summit was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Tinubu, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, businessman Aliko Dangote, Finance Minister Wale Edun, and several state governors.
Johnson’s remarks come at a time when Nigeria is battling a renewed wave of insecurity that has drawn global attention.
In November, gunmen carried out a string of mass abductions across several states, including the kidnapping of more than 300 students and teachers in Niger State, adding to a surge in school attacks nationwide.
Tensions escalated further after US President Donald Trump issued a strongly worded warning accusing Nigeria of failing to protect vulnerable groups, particularly Christian communities.