Former lawmaker, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, has accused a section of the country of making it difficult for Nigerians to legitimately move around the world.

Na’Allah, who represented Kebbi South Senatorial District for 16 years in the National Assembly, said the unnamed region of the country erroneously believed drugs and scams were the only gateways to riches.

In a post on his X handle on Wednesday, the former lawmaker said it was becoming increasingly difficult for Nigerians to legitimately move around the world because of the conduct of few citizens, predominantly from a section of the country.

He said: “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for Nigerians to legitimately move around the world because of the conduct of a few of the country’s citizens, predominantly from a section of the country, who erroneously believe drugs and scams are the only gateways to riches.”

However, the post attracted a condemnation from a Nigerian journalist, Jaafar Jaafar.

Jaafar said he didn’t know what NaAllah wanted to achieve with the statement.

The journalist instead opined that Boko Haram and bandit terrorism have cast more blight on the image of Nigerians than drugs.

He said: “As a leader, I don’t know what Senator Bala Na’Allah wants to achieve with this tweet. In truth, I’d rather be an Escobar than Shekau.

“Boko Haram and bandit terrorism have cast more blight on our image as Nigerians than drugs. Since the case of the underwear bomber, developed countries have started serious background checks on Nigerian travellers before issuing visas. There are cases of Nigerian travellers being detained or subjected to close scrutiny because their names matched someone on terror list. Nigeria lost foreign investments and tourism revenue not because of drug trafficking but due to terrorism.”