An Islamic cleric has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he described as the growing damage to Nigeria’s reputation abroad, arguing that Nigerians are increasingly being subjected to negative perceptions because of controversies surrounding the country and its leadership.
In a video circulating on social media, the cleric expressed frustration over how Nigerians are allegedly perceived when they travel outside the country, particularly amid renewed international attention on drug-related allegations involving the President.
“Now as a Nigerian, you land anywhere around the world and they see you as a drug dealer. I have never seen cocaine, but now they think we all deal with cocaine in Nigeria because of our President,” the cleric said. 
He also questioned the timing of President Tinubu’s overseas vacation, arguing that the President should be more focused on the challenges confronting Nigerians at home.
“And they said he is on vacation. In the midst of all these chaos,” he added.
The cleric’s comments come against the backdrop of renewed controversy over historical allegations linking Tinubu to drug-related investigations in the United States. The issue has generated political and public debate in recent months, with supporters of the President and his critics offering sharply different interpretations of the available records.
The controversy has also coincided with a series of major drug-trafficking cases involving Nigerian suspects. In August, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency announced the dismantling of an international cocaine trafficking network after the seizure of 184.5kg of cocaine allegedly destined for overseas markets.
Days later, the NDLEA also warned Nigerians against accepting packages or consolidated consignments from relatives and associates without knowing their contents, following cases in which illicit drugs were allegedly concealed in shipments.
However, allegations involving individual suspects or political figures do not establish that Nigerians generally are involved in drug trafficking. The cleric’s remarks represent his criticism of the situation and his perception of its effect on Nigeria’s international image.
Tinubu’s European Vacation
President Tinubu left Abuja on August 30, 2026, to begin a three-week annual leave in Europe. According to the Presidency, London was his first destination, with the trip described as a working vacation.
During the European trip, Tinubu travelled to Paris, where he held official engagements despite being on leave. On September 18, the State House confirmed that French President Emmanuel Macron had received him for a private dinner at the Élysée Palace the previous night.
The Presidency has also described other engagements during the trip as part of Tinubu’s working vacation. On September 18, for example, the President met with Vincent Bolloré of the Bolloré Group in Paris to discuss investment in Nigeria’s creative and digital economy.
The cleric’s criticism therefore adds another voice to the ongoing debate over Nigeria’s international reputation, the President’s handling of controversies surrounding him, and whether his overseas engagements while on annual leave are appropriate amid domestic challenges.
