Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri and Media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari have again engaged each other on social media over the plight of Leah Sharibu who has remained in captivity since February 19, 2018.
Omokri had earlier challenged Shehu to spend a weekend alone in Bama, in Borno State without protection and he (Omokri) will pay Shehu for so doing.
The challenge came after Shehu reportedly stated that “Buhari deserves credit for tackling insecurity”.
In likely response to Omokri’s challenge, Shehu wrote on his Facebook handle on Sunday: “My message to anyone who made money using Leah Sharibu’s sad ordeal, and they are flaunting it remains unchanged: This is blood money. I don’t need any of it. Period.”
Omokri then replied Shehu on the comments section of Shehu’s post, on also on his (Omokri’s) Facebook page saying:
“Dear Garba Shehu,
“If you have evidence that I have made money from Leah Sharibu’s ordeal, please expose it. You have access to the media. Alternatively, if any individual, church, foundation, government or country has given me even one kobo for Leah, please speak now, or forever remain silent.
“Leah Sharibu’s father, Nathan, did a video denouncing your false allegation the last time you made this allegation last year. Rather than make money from Leah, I wrote a book about her, which inspired a BBC Documentary, and got the attention of the US government, and I donated all the proceeds to her parents, plus £4000.
“I received an award in Hollywood for my altruistic sacrifice on behalf of Leah.
“Having said that, the issue is not Leah Sharibu. The issue is that you said, and I quote “Buhari deserves credit for tackling insecurity”. If you really believe that, Garba, then I challenge you to go to Bama in Borno, for a weekend, alone, without security. And I will pay you $50,000.
“But if even you believe my money is ‘blood money’, then do it because you believe “Buhari deserves credit for tackling insecurity”.
Garba, you and I used to write anti Buhari material between 2003-2005 when you were HE Atiku Abubakar’s spokesman under an Official Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nigeria Government.
“Today, you are praising the man you once denounced.”
Recall that Leah Sharibu was kidnapped along with some girls from Government Girls Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State. She was held back while others were freed reportedly due to her refusal to renounce her Christian faith.