News
Renowned Twitter Influencer, Omojuwa, Under Fire For Taking PR Job To Whitewash Colombian Money Launderer
- For Omojuwa, the imbroglio was an avenue for pecuniary gains as he began supervising a campaign of himself and other Nigerian social media influencers
Nigerian social media contractor Japheth Omojuwa has come under intense scrutiny and vilification for spearheading a social media campaign that sought to curry public favour and control the narratives in the case involving embattled Alex Saab, a Colombian money launderer.
The role Omojuwa played in the publicity scandal came to the public knowledge on Thursday after he was exposed as a major recruiter in a coordinated media campaign seeking the release of Saab who’s facing criminal charges in Cape Verde and could be extradited to the United States.
According to a trenchant and explosive report published by Buzzfeed, Alpha Reach, a public relations firm run by Omojuwa, reportedly paid Nigerian influencers and mercantile journalists to push the campaign for public sympathy with Saab’s case ongoing in Cape Verde and ECOWAS Court Headquarters in Abuja.
Saab was arrested and detained for alleged corruption by Interpol and security operatives on a U.S. arrest warrant in Cape Verde during a stopover to refuel while travelling from Venezuela to Iran in June 2020.
The kingpin, an associate of the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, was identified as the country’s diplomat on a “humanitarian mission” to Iran, and is fighting an extradition order to the U.S.
For Omojuwa, the imbroglio was an avenue for pecuniary gains as he began supervising a campaign of himself and other Nigerian social media influencers that sought to trend hashtags against the extradition of Saab to the U.S., Buzzfeed found.
Earlier this week, Twitter suspended over 1500 accounts linked to the campaign, including those of popular influencers like Pamilerin Adegoke, for receiving payments to tweet about the Colombian citizen who is currently under house arrest in Cape Verde.
Restrictions on many of those accounts have now been lifted, but Omojuwa did not appear to be affected by the gale of suspension.
“Engaging in platform manipulation — regardless of the intent — is a violation of the Twitter Rules. This includes gaming hashtags, artificially boosting content, or paying for fake engagement,” Twitter said
“As a result of these behaviours, we’ve suspended more than 1,500 accounts associated with these hashtags and our investigations continue,” the company averred.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: UN Probe Links Venezuelan President To Crimes Against Humanity
Influencers and three Nigerian journalists were paid for the trending hashtags to influence public opinion and court proceedings in Nigeria and Cape Verde. There are also reports that some Nigerian media outlets were paid as part of the image laundering arrangement and some of them had started taking down the links after Twitter’s measures became public.
By the same token, former minister of education has sued Omojuwa for making her the director of his incorporated company without her consent.
Well. Well. Well.
My lawyers will go all the way on this with @cacnigeria1 and @Omojuwa .REVELATIONS: Omojuwa says Oby Ezekwesili not on Alpha Reach Board as CAC documents reveal She's on the board – Technocrat Media Nigeria https://t.co/XGMXQsLMg0
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) April 9, 2021
However, reactions have continued to trail the saga even as Omojuwa denied his involvement in the media campaign saying he was being unfairly persecuted and targeted by a coterie of antagonists.
He opined that he does not deserve the kind of treatment that is being meted out to him.
I don’t deserve all these hatred. I completely understand it but I don’t deserve it at all. But keep serving it, because I understand it.
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) April 9, 2021
Below are some the reactions:
Madam Oby Ezekwesili is suing Omojuwa for listing her as a director of Alpha Reach Limited without her consent pic.twitter.com/sBMCjkNgDD
— Naija (@Naija_PR) April 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/BrianJDennis/status/1380573110655651842?s=19
One thing one can learn here is that "Omojuwa has a relationship with the US Embassy".
So what is the nature of this "relationship"? How was it leveraged during height of his involvement in politics in the build up to the 2015 elections? https://t.co/H7ZL68pr1G
— Onye Nkuzi (@cchukudebelu) April 9, 2021
Clearly Omojuwa knew that this deal was dirty, instead of staying completely away from it, he posted "a few supportive tweets" 🤣 because he doesn't want to undermine his relationship with the US Embassy, but still grabbed the deal for his company. https://t.co/CZ0XHkw0Zc
— Nicholas 'The Brave' Ibekwe (@nicholasibekwe) April 9, 2021
Omojuwa that him and his gangs founded the current toxicity we see on Twitter NG is here trying to claim victim. Iranu
— Oke Umurhohwo (@OkeStalyf) April 9, 2021
Omojuwa's case is a typical example of what goes around comes around. The hate & propaganda that Omojuwa & his gang spread on social media between 2012 and 2015 was scary, compare to what he's getting atm, he can only be forming victim of hatred for newbies on twitter.
— Uncle AJ (@UNCLE_AJALA) April 9, 2021
Never thought a day would come when Omojuwa would play a victim card.
He was very loud that year that many have been waiting for this day. Now the TL is against him, Oby denied him and APC boys can't defend.
Nobody hates him, People are just paying him back his coins.— Premier (@SodiqTade) April 9, 2021
Omojuwa, you deserve the hate because you campaigned with undiluted hate to bring a disaster into our fledging democracy. Let's not even call that hatred. What you are getting is the reward for the seed of hatred you planted long ago. Political campaign has consequence.
— FS Yusuf (@FS_Yusuf_) April 9, 2021
For those that don't know, Falana is the lawyer of Oby, Falana is the Lawyer of Alex sabb, Falana is the lawyer of Omojuwa..
Besides Falana address that latter to Alpha Beta. That's not Omojuwa's company.
Make this people no try us, if not they will see crazy 😁😁
— Emma ik Umeh (Tcee )🇳🇬 (@emmaikumeh) April 9, 2021
I am very happy with the gbas gbos Omojuwa is collecting from all angles!!!Those that were not here between 2011-2015 won't understand. That guy is the most vile & demonic human marauding this earth. I am so happy. Make una press all him eyes! Lord of Karma, Thank you so much. 🥳 pic.twitter.com/TjpvVhMbmA
— Aji Bussu Onye Mpiawa azụ 🇨🇮 (@AfamDeluxo) April 9, 2021
At this Rate, Omojuwa is bad PR for anyone contesting for a political seat in Nigeria.
— CHISOM (@_chisomokafor) April 9, 2021
Apparently Omojuwa has the IQ of a goldfish.
— Morris Monye (@Morris_Monye) April 9, 2021
Omojuwa and his friend Ogbeni Dipo and their little cohorts of academia rebranded and packaged Buhari from a sinner to a saint for Nigerians in 2015.
And for 50$/day, he and his company worked covertly to influence the Alex Saab case.
Lord Omojuwa Littlefinger Baelish
— Mazi Nathan (@rukky_nate) April 9, 2021
It's quite telling that of everyone else in Nigeria, Omojuwa decided to incorporate his company with Oby as a Director. I mean, would you use someone you weren't familiar with? Someone you didn't have any close relationship with?
Shows the kinda circles Madam moved (or moves) in
— Jamal (@JajaPhD) April 9, 2021
One thing one can learn here is that "Omojuwa has a relationship with the US Embassy".
So what is the nature of this "relationship"? How was it leveraged during height of his involvement in politics in the build up to the 2015 elections? https://t.co/H7ZL68pr1G
— Onye Nkuzi (@cchukudebelu) April 9, 2021
Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:
Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.
Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.
Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611
