Former presidential candidate and publisher of Ovation magazine, Bashorun Dele Momodu, has insisted that President Bola Tinubu’s ban on police escorts for Very Important Persons (VIPs) was a targeted political move aimed at weakening the opposition, despite wide public support for the policy.
Speaking on ARISE News Channel’s ‘Prime Time’ show on Wednesday night, Momodu pushed back strongly against suggestions that he was “off the mark” in his criticism of the directive.
“No, I’m not off the mark,” he asserted. “I remember in October 2022 when I foretold the dictatorship that will soon visit Nigeria. I was abused that night, that I’m talking rubbish.”
According to the celebrity journalist, many Nigerians were being deceived by a policy he believed was rooted in political manipulation.
“You see, I am trained to go behind the scene to find the real stories. A lot of Nigerians get easily fooled. And if you read my press release yesterday, I said it there that we have been fooled again,” Momodu said.
He argued that the rationale behind the ban was not for public safety but a calculated attempt to turn the masses against wealthy and influential citizens, especially opposition figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
“What they are doing is to set the poor against the rich. And whenever you do that, you will get an applause, you will get an ovation. But the truth is that most people are not thinking about the real motive behind this decision,” he explained.
Drawing from past political conflicts, he claimed that similar tactics had been used to intimidate influential figures by withdrawing their security protection.
Momodu questioned how politicians would be able to campaign safely once electioneering campaign begins if their police escorts were taken away.
“So if we start the campaign, let’s say in January… tell me who will risk his life crisscrossing Nigeria without police escorts,” he asked.
He insisted that it was not a crime to be successful or to require protection as a high-profile citizen.
“There is no country in the world where you don’t have VIPs. And it’s never a crime to be successful,” he said. “As a matter of fact, those who should lose their security are those politicians in Abuja. And not the ordinary man. Not a Dangote, not an Abu Salman.”
Citing rising insecurity, he referenced a kidnap attempt on billionaire Femi Otedola.
“Imagine a time when a kidnapper said he almost got Femi Otedola, if not for his heavy security. So you will see… When tomorrow comes and events begin to unfold, you remember that only one man warned you that this is part of the plot to suffocate the opposition.”
However, the government has insisted the ban was not designed to leave VIPs without protection, saying armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) would be reassigned to those who qualify for protective services.
But, Momodu remains unconvinced, maintaining that the policy iwa politically motivated and aimed at undermining opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election.
On the approval of N100 billion by the National Economic Council for renovation of police training centres, Momodu argued that the amount was insufficient.
“Well, I would say that N100billion is too small for the police and the security agencies. The government should do something better… N100 billion, to me, especially when you translate it into other currencies, it’s chicken feed.”
Credit: Leadership