Human rights activist and publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, has revealed that Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, once served as what he described as a “citizen reporter” for SaharaReporters while he was governor of Borno State, regularly providing first-hand information on Boko Haram attacks and other security developments.
Sowore made the revelation during an interview on the PAP programme, where he also launched a blistering attack on Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, branding him “an aspiring propagandist,” “a Temu propagandist,” and “not even a good liar.”
Speaking on his relationship with Shettima, Sowore disclosed that although they had only met physically “once or twice by accident,” the former Borno governor frequently supplied him with accurate information during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency.
“I met him once or twice by accident, but here is a revelation I’ll give you. Shettima used to be a reporter for me,” Sowore said.
He explained that whenever major security incidents occurred in Borno State, he would contact Shettima directly for updates.
“When he was governor, he was a citizen reporter for me. If there was a Boko Haram breaking story, I would call him, and he would answer. He would tell me exactly what happened,” Sowore said.
He recalled that Shettima also assisted him with information surrounding the release of the Chibok schoolgirls.
“When the Chibok girls were released and I was looking for pictures, I got them from Shettima,” he said.
Sowore, however, clarified that the vice president was never employed by SaharaReporters but merely acted as a dependable source of information.
“I call him a reporter not because I paid him, but because, like every citizen reporter, I could call him and he would provide accurate information about what was happening.”
Despite their previous interactions, Sowore insisted they no longer maintain any relationship, adding that this has never prevented him from criticising the vice president.
“I don’t have a relationship with him now. That is not why I don’t criticise him,” he said.
He nevertheless dismissed Shettima’s relevance in the current administration, arguing that the vice president plays no significant role in Nigeria’s governance.
“Shettima, in the scheme of things, doesn’t even feature. You can’t even call him a spare tyre. What exactly does Shettima do? I don’t know,” he said.
According to Sowore, he responds only to public officials whose actions or statements warrant public engagement, insisting that Shettima has become politically insignificant.
“I don’t speak about Shettima because I don’t even think Shettima exists politically. Even in the political calculation, I just don’t see him,” he added.
Turning his attention to Daniel Bwala, Sowore accused the presidential aide of desperately attempting to establish himself as one of the administration’s chief defenders but lacking the credibility and skill to do so.
“Daniel Bwala is an aspiring propagandist. Real propagandists don’t work this hard. They are built to lie so convincingly that people cannot even tell when they are lying,” he said.
Mocking Bwala further, Sowore likened him to the online marketplace Temu, saying expectations rarely match reality.
“Bwala is like a Temu propagandist. You order one thing and get something completely different. That is exactly what he’s trying very hard to become—a propagandist,” he said.
He claimed Bwala was striving to become a government spokesman in the mould of presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga and former presidential aide Reno Omokri but had instead become, in his words, “a complete jerk.”
Sowore also questioned Bwala’s credibility, arguing that he lacked even the ability to lie convincingly.
“He’s not even a good liar. That’s why I call him a tame liar. I’m questioning his ability to tell a straight lie. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have become the mess that he is now,” he said.
Commenting on Bwala’s recent interview with Al Jazeera, Sowore criticised the presidential aide’s reported decision to sue the interviewer, describing it as evidence of poor political judgment.
“I watched the interview. For him to go back and sue the Al Jazeera interviewer shows he doesn’t even know how to lie. Great liars never sue their interviewers,” he said.
According to Sowore, Bwala’s performance may have embarrassed his employers, forcing him to seek legal action to redeem himself.
“I think he did such a terrible job that even his employers felt uncomfortable. They probably told him he was a disappointment, so he had to do something to redeem himself,” he said.
Sowore also alleged that many presidential advisers have little or no direct access to President Bola Tinubu, claiming they are largely managed by intermediaries.
“I don’t even think these guys meet Tinubu. Most of these special advisers don’t have passes to enter the Presidential Villa. They are invited only when necessary and are managed by third parties,” he claimed.
He argued that advisory appointments in Nigeria are largely ceremonial and exist primarily to reward political allies rather than provide meaningful policy guidance.
“When a president appoints you as an adviser in Nigeria, it’s because he doesn’t actually want your advice. He’s simply giving you a job. If you truly advise the president, you’ll lose your job. In reality, it is the president who advises them,” Sowore said.
He concluded by insisting that a genuine adviser should possess the courage to challenge those in power.
“An adviser should be someone who can look at his employer and say, ‘What you’re doing is wrong. We advise you to do something different.’ But these people take instructions from those running the country instead,” he said.