Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has faulted Afrobeats star Davido for drawing international attention to the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, arguing that widespread publicity could hinder efforts to secure their release.
The debate arose after Davido appeared at the FIFA World Cup countdown concert wearing a customised outfit bearing the names of victims abducted from Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The singer’s jacket and shirt also carried inscriptions identifying those who remain in captivity and those who have died, as part of a campaign urging authorities to act swiftly.
Responding on X on Thursday, Omokri said public campaigns surrounding terrorism-related incidents often produce the opposite effect from what advocates intend. According to him, extensive media attention can empower terrorist groups rather than compel them to free their captives.
“Publicity Helps Terrorists. It Does Not Pressure Them. They Treasure it!” he said.
Omokri maintained that many people wrongly assume global outrage places pressure on armed groups, insisting that such organisations benefit from the attention generated by high-profile campaigns.
“It is a very big mistake to think that publicity, or global outrage, pressures terrorists. Quite the contrary. They relish it! They thrive on it,” he said.
Citing former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, he noted that, “Publicity is the oxygen of terrorism,” arguing that terrorist groups rely on visibility to spread fear and extend their influence.
He further contended that heightened international focus often redirects pressure from the perpetrators to governments.
“If you do not know about their terrifying acts, they can’t have the power of terror over you,” he said, stressing that publicity increases fear and strengthens terrorist leverage.
Drawing from his personal experience, Omokri said previous advocacy efforts had been criticised by security officials who believed they complicated attempts to secure the release of hostages.
“I was informed by top level security officials that my activities were actually making Leah Sharibu’s release less likely,” he said.
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According to him, increased public attention can raise the value of hostages in the eyes of abductors, making negotiations and rescue efforts more difficult.
“By raising her profile, I was making her too valuable as a hostage to her captors,” he said.
Omokri also revisited the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign, suggesting that the widespread attention surrounding the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction may have made rescue operations more challenging.
“If #BringBackOurGirls had not been made such a global phenomenon, their abductors would not have increased security around the girls,” he said.
Despite his criticism of public advocacy campaigns, Omokri said authorities are actively pursuing the rescue of the abducted Oyo pupils and teachers. He expressed confidence that security agencies are working to secure their freedom, pointing to previous cases in which victims were successfully recovered.
“This is not to say the Nigerian government is resting on its oars in the present case. Every effort is being made to secure the release of the children and their teachers,” he said.