Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, likened this incident to two past incidents involving Muammar Gaddafi, the late former Libyan leader, who attempted to breach protocol during visits to Nigeria.
When Gaddafi attempted to enter Nigeria with weapons
According to Omokri, in a tweet on Wednesday, January 9, during the African Heads of Government Summit on Roll Back Malaria in 2000, Gaddafi’s female bodyguards tried to enter the International Conference Center in Abuja with their weapons. However, they were stopped by President Obasanjo’s Chief Security Officer, who disarmed them at gunpoint. This incident demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining its sovereignty and security.
Another incident occurred in 2006 during the Africa-South America Summit in Abuja. Gaddafi arrived with a large entourage and vehicles loaded with weapons. Nigerian officials refused to allow the weapons into the country, and Gaddafi was forced to return them to his planes under the supervision of the Nigerian Army.
Omokri’s tweet reads in part:
“When President Obasanjo arrived, he played with Gaddafi and told him he was on his way to Lagos, but that his personal representative, Minister Fani-Kayode, would resolve the incident.
“The President then took Mr. Fani-Kayode aside and whispered into his ear in Lukumi Yoruba, ‘You are in charge. Play with him. Be polite and diplomatic. But those weapons are not entering Abuja.”
Difference between Nigeria, Ghana’s security protocol
The former presidential aides used these past incidents to highlight the differences between Nigeria and Ghana in terms of security protocols and sovereignty. He stressed that Nigeria has demonstrated its commitment to maintaining its security and sovereignty, while the recent incident involving Captain Traoré has raised questions about Ghana’s security protocols.
He noted that the recent incident involving Captain Traoré and the past incidents involving Muammar Gaddafi demonstrate the importance of maintaining security protocols and sovereignty. Nigeria has shown its commitment to these principles, and it is essential for other countries to follow suit to ensure their security and sovereignty are maintained.
See Omokri’s tweet here:
Tinubu meets Obasanjo, Jonathan in Ghana
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in Ghana.
Obasanjo has been a prominent critic of Tinubu’s administration, particularly its economic policies. This has prompted the president to recall recently how his predecessor allegedly hindered Lagos’s development.
Despite their political differences, Tinubu met with the former presidents during John Mahama’s inauguration as the new president of Ghana.
