Former presidential candidate and publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, has condemned the directive by President Bola Tinubu withdrawing police escorts from Very Important Persons (VIPs).
He claimed that many Nigerians were being deceived by the policy, insisting that it was aimed at weakening the opposition.
Momodu shared his reservations during an appearance on Arise News on Wednesday night.
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.
Momodu said, “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.
“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.
“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.”
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. 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,” Momodu argued.
Citing rising insecurity, he referenced a kidnapping 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,” he stated.
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