storm of controversy has erupted across social media after reports emerged that Reno Omokri, a well-known social media personality and supporter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), allegedly misled Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, by introducing an American visitor as an official representative of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.
The incident came to light following a viral post by public affairs analyst, Dr. Sam Amadi, who accused Omokri of deceiving top government officials and questioned the judgment of the NSA for falling for the ruse.
“I’m not sure how intelligent Nuhu Ribadu is if Reno Omokri could deceive him this easily,” Amadi wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “How does anyone believe that someone like this can assist the government in serious matters? It shows a worrying lack of discernment.”
Amadi added that the embarrassment should not be directed at Omokri “because he is a joke” but rather at the Nigerian government for being duped so easily.
How the Controversy Began
The uproar traces back to a press briefing held in Abuja, where Omokri hosted what was described as a “fact-finding mission” from the United States. The delegation, which included Mayor Mike Arnold from Blanco, Texas, and filmmaker Jeff Gibbs, was introduced as a U.S. team connected to Senator Ted Cruz.
The event was widely publicized as an official report from an American delegation allegedly dispatched by Senator Cruz to verify claims of religious persecution and “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.
However, investigations later revealed that the so-called “representative” of Senator Cruz was not a U.S. government official. Instead, he was an ordinary American citizen with no formal link to the senator, the U.S. Congress, or any diplomatic institution. This revelation sparked outrage online, with critics suggesting that high-ranking Nigerian officials including NSA Ribadu had been misled.
Omokri’s Defence
In response to the backlash, Reno Omokri denied any wrongdoing. He insisted that the group was an independent U.S. delegation on a self-funded mission, not official envoys of the U.S. government.
According to him, the visitors including Mike Arnold, a Republican mayor from Blanco, Texas, and Jeff Gibbs, an American filmmaker were part of a team investigating Senator Cruz’s earlier claims that a “Christian genocide” was taking place in Nigeria.
Omokri explained that the delegation met with Christian and Muslim leaders such as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), as well as internally displaced persons (IDPs), before concluding that Cruz’s claims were inaccurate.
He maintained that the visit helped correct misconceptions about religious persecution in Nigeria.
Contradictions and Online Reactions
Despite Omokri’s clarification, a different account has been gaining traction online. Social media users and commentators allege that Omokri misrepresented the credentials of his guests and inflated their political relevance.
In a separate statement, Mike Arnold reportedly clarified that he was never a diplomatic envoy and had no official business with Senator Ted Cruz. He also claimed that Omokri promised meetings with high-profile Nigerian leaders including President Bola Tinubu, NSA Ribadu, and the Sultan of Sokoto but that those meetings never took place.
Similarly, a detailed post on the online forum Nairaland, titled “The Truth About Reno Omokri Is Sad Mike Arnold,” alleged that Omokri presented Arnold as a “Republican mayor” and another guest as a “Republican filmmaker” to give the impression of an official American mission. ... further pointed out that mayoral elections in Blanco, Texas, are non-partisan, undermining the political image Omokri attempted to project.
Public Perception and
Government Silence
As of now, neither the NSA’s office nor the presidency has issued any formal statement regarding the alleged deception. However, the controversy has reignited debates about the government’s vulnerability to misinformation and the ease with which individuals can gain access to top officials under questionable pretenses.
While some commentators have defended Omokri, describing the issue as a misunderstanding blown out of proportion, others view it as an embarrassing episode that highlights the government’s failure to properly vet visitors presented as foreign dignitaries.
For Omokri, who has often portrayed himself as a strong voice on governance and religious tolerance, the incident has dented his credibility at least in the eyes of critics who now accuse him of seeking attention through deceit.