By Josephine Uzorh
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide on social media, Reno Omokri has said that attempts to put a tag of fraud on him by goons of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by twitter influencer, Japhet Omojuwa has failed.
Omokri has been fighting for the release of Leah Sharibu, the lone girl left behind in the hands of Boko Haram terrorists when they kidnapped 107 school girls in Dapchi, a community in Yobe State on February 19, 2018.
While Leah Sharibu remained with her captive because she refused to denounce Christianity, 106 of the kidnapped girls were released.
Omokri published a book on Leah Sharibu titled “Leah Sharibu: the girl Boko Haram left behind”, where he claimed to reveal the cover-up by the Buhari-led administration. He also produced a custom made T-shirt designed #FreeLeahSharibu.
Earlier in April this year, Reno revealed that some Nigerians have purchased the #FreeLeahSharibu T-shirt, and paid the money directly to the parents accounts.
The former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; a former finance minister, Senator Nenadi Usman; a former spokesman for ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, Umar Sani are among those who were said to have bought the T-shirt and paid to Leah’s parents.
But on June 21, twitter went buzzing with different comments from Nigerians over the allegations made against Omokri, stating that he collected grants from foreign sources for his personal use in Leah Sharibu’s name.
A hashtag; #RenoUndarted was promoted by Omojuwa and other people who accused Omokri of enriching himself with the plight of Leah Sharibu.
“If Reno Omokri is a pastor, Aliko Dangote is my driver. #RenoUndarted,” Omojuwa said.
Adeoye Kehinde David, tweeting @RisingStars-Ait went personal, doubting the claim that Omokri’s book ‘Fact vs Fiction, the story of Jonathan days in government’ was a best seller.
“What prove do you have to make us believe your book sold as much, judging by the nonsense you wrote in their. I doubt new York Times have space for bullshit….and hey, God did not appoint you, stop deceiving your followers. #RenoUndarted,” he said.
But Omokri said he never collected money from any organisation to promote the #FreeLeahSharibu movement, and all the profits from the book and the T-shirts went to Leah’s parents.