A former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has stated that Nigeria experienced what he described as its first peaceful festive season in over a decade, covering Christmas, New Year, and Eid el-Fitr celebrations.
In a post shared on X on Sunday, Omokri said the 2025 Christmas celebration passed without the usual reports of bombings, killings, abductions, or disruptions.
“This is the first time in 12 years that Nigeria has celebrated Christmas, New Year, and Eid-el-Fitri in peace,” he said.
Referencing remarks by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okoh, Omokri noted that the 2025 Christmas period was particularly calm.
“On Friday, December 26, 2025, which was Boxing Day, Reverend Daniel Okoh revealed that the Christmas of 2025 was the first time in many years that Nigeria had celebrated that day in peace, without bombings, killings, abductions, or disruptions,” he stated.
He added that the development received little attention in the media.
“Of course, since it was good news, that piece of significant, nationally strategic information did not receive much media attention,” he said.
Omokri also criticised Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of focusing more on negative narratives.
“Peter Obi did not amplify it because it did not fit into his narrative of de-marketing Nigeria. He had eagerly anticipated bad news during the Yuletide to feed his propaganda machine. Alas, there was none,” he said.
He further stated that the New Year celebrations were also peaceful.
“Nigeria entered New Year’s Day without incident: no deaths, threats, or anything to negatively affect the health of Nigerians on that day,” he said.
According to him, the recent Eid el-Fitr celebrations were equally conducted without any reports of violence.
“And now, we have celebrated Eid el-Fitri and the durbars that followed without a single incident of killing, maiming, harming, or any damning event,” he said.
Omokri noted that such a development had not been recorded in over a decade.
“Do you know the last time this happened? The last time was twelve years ago,” he added.
He also pointed out that there were no fuel shortages during the festive periods, describing it as unprecedented.
“Not only that, but there were no Yuletide or Eid fuel shortages. That is an all-time record. There has been no precedent for that in independent Nigeria,” he said.
However, he criticised what he described as the silence of some activists and commentators on the development.
“However, you do not see the usual suspects, activists, and professional pessimists highlighting this fact. They are silent. Good news is not to be celebrated,” he said.
Omokri attributed the peaceful celebrations to the efforts of Nigeria’s security agencies.
“They were made to happen through the planning, actions, and sacrifices of our armed forces and intelligence services,” he said.
He added that troops made significant sacrifices to ensure citizens’ safety.
“Our troops slept in bushes, deserts, forests, gutters, and other utterly nasty places so we could sleep in our beds and enjoy peace and bliss,” he said.
The former aide also listed several bandit leaders he claimed had been neutralised or arrested, including Kachalla Ali Kawaje, Halilu Sububu, Damina, Dangote, Jafaru, Barume, Shehu, Tsoho, Yellow Mai Buhu, Yellow Sirajo, Dan Muhammadu, Makasko, Yellow Hassan, Boderi, Dan Ba Birki, and Auta Dan Mai Jan Kai.
He further mentioned the arrest of a suspected bandit identified as Sule Yellow.
“The notorious TikTok bandit, Sule Yellow, was arrested by troops of the Nigerian Army so he can expose his fellow marauders,” he said.
Omokri also referred to the arrest of a suspect linked to the Owo church attack.
“Just three weeks ago, the Department of State Services captured the sixth Owo Church attacker, one Sani Yusuf, who is a high-value ISWAP asset,” he said.
He credited the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services for the progress made.
“It is because of the proactiveness of the NSA’s office and the DSS’s structure that these breakthroughs occurred,” he said.
While acknowledging that some Nigerians may disagree with his position, Omokri maintained that the peaceful festive period remains a significant development.
“Yes, I know the nature of the typical Nigerian on social media. Many will be negative,” he said.
“You and I should sympathise with such folk. Margaret Mitchell, in her book Gone with the Wind, warned us about them a hundred years ago.
“Though she was rather racist, she nevertheless did speak some truth when she wrote that some of our race prefer spreading bad news to good.”
