A Nigerian woman living in the United Kingdom, identified as @shakels95 on TikTok, shared her unexpected experience of being arrested due to a misunderstanding caused by language differences.
The woman explained that she had gone to a pharmacy to buy medications for her husband when a simple word choice led to her arrest.
While speaking to her husband over the phone, she casually used the word “drugs” instead of “medications,” unaware that those around her misunderstood the context.
She recounted the incident in a TikTok video, stating, “I got arrested yesterday, last night, and got detained. Now, I am going home. Story time. So, yesterday, I went to the pharmacy to get some drugs for my husband.”
She continued, explaining that after making her purchase, she told her husband over the phone, “Ah, I got the drugs, I got two drugs for you. So, when I get home, when you use it, you are going to be strong.”
Unbeknownst to her, people nearby overheard her using the word “drugs” and immediately assumed she was referring to illegal substances. Alarmed by what they thought was a suspicious conversation, they contacted the police.
Shortly after, officers arrived at the scene and took her into custody. Despite her efforts to explain that she was referring to common painkillers, such as ibuprofen, for her sick husband, the authorities were not convinced right away.
“They took me to the police station. They detained me. They asked me questions…” she said.
The situation escalated further when police decided to search her home to verify her claims. It was only after a thorough investigation that they realized the misunderstanding and released her.
