Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, says his investigation in Peru found no evidence linking Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to drug trafficking.
Omokri made the disclosure in a statement posted on X on Wednesday, responding to claims by former Niger Delta militant leader Asari Dokubo that Obi was involved in drug trafficking linked to a woman imprisoned in Peru.
He said he travelled to Lima to verify the allegations after visiting a women’s prison and meeting with Peruvian authorities.
According to Omokri, the trip came after he travelled to the United States in September 2022 to check the academic records of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Chicago State University. He said he released videos, documents and statements confirming that Tinubu attended and graduated from the institution, even though the findings were against his political interests at the time.
He stated that after concluding the investigation in Chicago, he went to Peru to probe claims that Obi sponsored a female courier who was later arrested and allegedly implicated him during trial proceedings.
Omokri said he visited the prison facility in Lima with a witness and a video camera, and also interacted with authorities in the South American country. He added that he later contacted Dokubo and advised him to stop repeating the allegations because there was no evidence to support them.
“As we approach the 2027 election, please can we all refrain from recycling these allegations, which I have already debunked,” he said.
“I proceeded to Peru to investigate this claim you just made against Peter Obi. I went to the women’s prison in Lima, Peru, with a witness who is still alive and a video camera. I also visited authorities in that country, and confirmed that the story that Peter Obi is a drug baron who sponsored a female drug mule to Peru, and that the girl was arrested, tried, and implicated him during her trial is false. I also granted an interview to Arise TV right from Cusco, Peru. This was on Tuesday, November 22, 2022.”
Omokri said he funded the investigations personally out of patriotism and commitment to justice.
“I spent my money and time to establish the facts. Nobody gave me a dime. I did this because of patriotism and commitment to justice, even when it is against my political interests. So it is rather disconcerting to see these allegations being recycled.” [rewritten but sourced from Nigerian Tribune]
