Former presidential aide and Ambassador-Designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has defended his criticism of music star Davido, arguing that global platforms should not be used to draw attention to terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria. In an open letter addressed to the award-winning singer, Omokri expressed surprise at Davido’s reaction to……
Former presidential aide and Ambassador-Designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has defended his criticism of music star Davido, arguing that global platforms should not be used to draw attention to terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria.
In an open letter addressed to the award-winning singer, Omokri expressed surprise at Davido’s reaction to an earlier post in which he sought to counter comments made by presidential candidate Peter Obi regarding the repatriation of Nigerian prisoners from Ethiopia.
Omokri also faulted Davido for allegedly insulting him during their exchange on social media, describing the language used by the singer as unbecoming of an international celebrity.
According to Omokri, his criticism of Davido stemmed from concerns over remarks the singer reportedly made during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he referenced insecurity in Nigeria.
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While acknowledging that Davido’s intentions may have been to draw attention to the country’s challenges and pressure the government to act, Omokri argued that such comments on a global stage could inadvertently aid terrorist groups.
“I did that because while your intention may be good and you think you are pressuring the government, the actual effect of what you did is to give publicity to the terrorists and help them spread fear, recruit new members, and raise funds,” he wrote.
The former presidential aide contrasted Davido’s actions with those of American streamer IShowSpeed, who he said promoted Nigeria positively during the same event by wearing a Nigerian jersey and speaking favourably about the country.
Omokri further argued that publicity often benefits terrorist organisations, citing international examples, including the October 7, 2023 abduction of civilians in Israel. He noted that celebrities in countries affected by the incident had largely refrained from using major global events to spotlight the attacks, claiming that excessive publicity could undermine rescue efforts and embolden perpetrators.
Drawing parallels with the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, Omokri referenced comments previously attributed to former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, who had claimed that security forces had located the girls before international attention intensified around the case.
According to Omokri, the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign complicated rescue efforts by increasing the profile of the kidnappers and prompting them to disperse the captives.
“We saw that in Nigeria. The #ChibokGirls were abducted on April 14, 2014. The then Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, revealed that the military had located the girls and were ready to rescue them. However, after Michelle Obama held up the #BringBackOurGirls banner in May of 2014, the publicity resulted in Boko Haram separating the girls into different groups and keeping them in various camps, while increasing security around them, which made it literally impossible to rescue them.
“Thereafter, Boko Haram’s recruitment was boosted, and their finances exploded, and six months later, ISIS announced that they had merged with Boko Haram to form ISWAP. That is what I was trying to explain to you. Just like Margaret Thatcher said, “publicity is the oxygen of terrorism,” he said.
He also cited guidance contained in UNESCO’s handbook on terrorism coverage, which cautions against providing undue publicity to terrorist groups.
Omokri maintained that his comments were motivated by concerns about national security rather than political considerations, urging Davido to reconsider the broader implications of discussing terrorism-related issues on international platforms.
“I hope you now understand my point of view,” Omokri wrote, while thanking the singer for his feedback and wishing him well.
TVC New Online reports that the interaction between the duo had commenced after Nigerian music star Davido mocked Omokri’s explanation for the delay in resuming duties as Nigeria’s envoy to Mexico.
The exchange followed Omokri’s appearance on TV, where he dismissed claims circulating on social media that the Mexican government had rejected his diplomatic appointment.
During the interview, Omokri explained that the delay in his resumption was due to Mexico’s involvement in hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup and not a rejection of his posting.
Davido later shared a clip of the interview on Instagram and ridiculed Omokri’s explanation.
President Bola Tinubu had appointed Omokri as Nigeria’s non-career ambassador to Mexico in March 2026. However, the delay in his deployment has continued to generate debate online.
