Diplomacy Meets Defiance: Obasanjo And Fani-Kayode’s Clash With Gaddafi’s Entourage

Diplomacy Meets Defiance: Obasanjo And Fani-Kayode’s Clash With Gaddafi’s Entourage

Former Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, has recounted two instances when late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was stopped from bringing armed bodyguards and weapons into Nigeria during visits under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s…Diplomacy Meets Defiance: Obasanjo And Fani-Kayode’s Clash With Gaddafi’s Entourage

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Taking to his X handle, Omokri reflected on the strong stance Nigeria displayed in contrast to a recent protocol breach by Burkinabe President Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who allegedly carried a weapon during a meeting with Ghanaian President John Mahama.

Omokri revealed that Nigerian authorities “cut Gaddafi to size” during both incidents, ensuring the country’s sovereignty and authority were upheld.

The first incident occurred during the African Heads of Government Summit on Roll Back Malaria in April 2000, when Gaddafi’s female bodyguards attempted to enter the International Conference Center in Abuja armed but were disarmed by Obasanjo’s Chief Security Officer.

The second, more dramatic, incident took place during the Africa-South America Summit in November 2006. Gaddafi’s entourage arrived in five planes carrying cars loaded with weapons, but Nigerian officials, with support from the Army, blocked their entry into Abuja.

Omokri described how Obasanjo instructed Femi Fani-Kayode, then a government official, to manage the situation diplomatically but firmly, ensuring no weapons entered Abuja. Gaddafi, initially enraged, eventually complied, returning the weapons to the planes.

Omokri emphasized Nigeria’s regional dominance, contrasting it with Ghana, where protocol breaches reportedly occurred. He added that Nigeria’s actions demonstrated its strength as a sovereign nation unwilling to tolerate foreign leaders’ disregard for its authority.

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