Rinu Oduala on the verge of losing US asylum following outcry over her violation of US privacy and doxxing laws
An Obidient campaigner and protest organiser, Rinu Oduala who is currently in the United States is in the eyes of the storm following her blatant sharing of private details of the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun on her X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday.
The Obidient Influencer, who was also a prominent participant in the violent uprising that led to the destruction of public properties and looting of businesses in Lagos during the #Endsars protest had crafted a reputation of leading or instigating target harassment at anyone that holds views different from hers or the online mob.
On Thursday, in response to a post by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, warning those planning to burn the country down under whatever guise that they will meet the strongest resistance of their lives, Rinu Oduala shared the phone number of Dada Olusegun and goaded her followers and others who share her views to bombard Mr. Olusegun’s number with threatening calls and messages.
Dada Olusegun said,
“those who want to burn the country down under whatever guise will meet the strongest resistance of their lives. Not from security agencies, but from the silent majority that gave their mandate to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for four years in the first instance. We are waiting.”
A lot of Nigerians immediately condemned Rinu Oduala over the act which many described as a breach of Olusegun’s right to personal privacy. Following a sustained pressure, Rinu Oduala was forced to take down the post. That notwithstanding, it was not enough to prevent Nigerians from reporting Rinu Oduala to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a US organisation she’s currently affiliated to, for violating US privacy and doxxing laws.
Rinu whose present stay in the US is courtesy of her asylum application that was granted has come under investigation following the complaints of targeted harassment levelled against her by many Nigerians who sent their complaints to the official email address of National Endowment for Democracy.
Rinu Oduala’s organisation in the US, the National Endowment for Democracy, has reportedly opened an internal investigation into her conduct following the barrage of complaints and mails. If found guilty of unauthorised dissemination of the personal data of Dada Olusegun with the intent to incite people against the victim, NED may severe their association with her with the possibility of a revocation of her asylum status.
The swift action by Rinu’s organisation to open an investigation into the matter is not unconnected to the threats of lawsuit made by some Segun Dada allies and supporters residing in the US against the organisation. According to insiders, NED does not want to be caught protecting an individual on asylum who is exhibiting barbaric and anti-democratic tendencies.
Rinu Oduala has allegedly been reaching out to some individuals in Nigeria who she feels can help her de-escalate the matter. This latest incident is however not different from a pattern of online intimidation and targeted harassment that Ms Rinu Oduala and many of her colleagues especially in the Obidient movement have been known for since 2020.
They have systematically attacked many voices who dared to hold a contrary view from their mob position. During and after the 2023 general elections, Rinu Oduala alongside others who are predominantly Mr. Peter Obi and Labour Party supporters were repeatedly accused of mob attack and cyber bullying.