Fact Check Exposes Reno Omokri’s Lie About Peter Obi And Security Personnel

On June 29, Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, claimed that Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, had never spoken up for security personnel killed in the Southeast by unknown gunmen. Omokri, who has a significant following of about 2.5 million on X (formerly Twitter), made this assertion while criticizing Obi’s call for the federal government to release detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu…….CONTINUE READING

During a press briefing in Onitsha, the Labour Party chieftain stated that he believed agitators should be engaged in dialogue rather than imprisoned. He emphasized that Nnamdi Kanu, who had been granted bail by the court, should not be in detention.

Reno Omokri responded to Obi’s statement on his X handle, alleging that Obi had shown allegiance to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and had never spoken up for security personnel killed by unknown gunmen, suspected to be IPOB members. Omokri suggested that Obi’s call for Kanu’s release was an exposure of his true allegiance.

“By calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu today, Peter Obi finally exposed himself and his Obidients and where their allegiance lies. Don’t worry, Peter. Nigerians heard you in Ibadan, Kano, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, and Abeokuta. You, who have never for once spoken up for the over one hundred officers and men of our military and paramilitary forces killed by unknown gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, are now calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who made public broadcasts calling for his supporters to kill military, police, and paramilitary men,” Omokri wrote.

The following day, Omokri urged security agency officers to shun Obi if he contests in the 2027 general election, accusing him of not valuing the lives of security agents and not believing that attacks on them warranted punishment.

“I hope officers and men and women of the Nigerian Army, Airforce, Navy, Police, Department of State Security, Nigerian Intelligence Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency, Immigration, Customs, Prisons, and Civil Defence hear what Peter Obi said. If they have not, let me help them. He said: ‘There is no reason for Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention.’ This is a man (Nnamdi Kanu) who made public broadcasts instructing his supporters to kill security forces and burn down their facilities. Since then, more than a hundred military and paramilitary men have been killed in the Southeast by unknown gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra movement. However, Peter Obi does not think that this warrants any punishment. Will you accept a Commander-in-Chief who values your life so little? Remember this statement when Peter Obi asks for your votes in 2027?” Omokri added.

However, on May 31, Peter Obi condemned the killing of five soldiers at Obikabia Junction Checkpoint in Abia State by gunmen suspected to be IPOB members, describing the incident as a “dastardly act.” He expressed his sorrow and condemned the attack, calling for accountability and justice.

“I am appalled and saddened by the attack on our brave soldiers in Abia State yesterday, resulting in the death of five soldiers. This dastardly act remains condemnable as it is a stark reminder of the escalating insecurity and violence that has continued to plague our nation under our collective watch. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten, and we owe it to them to demand accountability and justice. Our failure as a nation to protect our citizens and security personnel is a clear dereliction of duty and sign of deficiency of the Nigerian state,” Obi wrote on his X handle.