Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu has rejected a challenge from a previous presidential aide Reno Omokri to receive $20,000 if he would spend a night in Koshebe, Borno State or Kware in Sokoto State without security.
Mr Omokri had made the challenge following a statement by Mr Shehu that President Muhammadu Buhari had made Nigeria safer.
“Garba Shehu said General @MBuhari has made Nigeria safer. I vow to pay @GarShehu $20000 if he'll spend a night without security in Koshobe, or Kware, verified by an independent journalist. I will give the funds to @DeleMomodu when Garba accepts to go,” he wrote.
Shehu replied, saying he would not accept it if the money was part of donations for the rescue of Leah Sharibu a female student of Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School, Dapchi, kidnapped by Boko Haram on February 19, 2018.
Omokri has been in the forefront of campaigns for the rescue of Sharibu who has been with her captors for refusing to denounce her Christian faith.
“If this is the money from the collections made in the name of Leah Sharibu, the unfortunate Christian girl stolen by Boko Haram, I won’t touch it with a long. Please keep ‘your USD20000,’” wrote Shehu.
If this is the money from the collections made in the name of Leah Sharibu, the unfortunate Christian girl stolen by Boko Haram, I won’t touch it with a long. Please keep “your USD20000”. https://t.co/zn4NC24L9X
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) December 23, 2020
Omokri challenged the presidential spokesman to show proof that he collected money from anyone to campaign for Sharibu’s release.