Prominent media entrepreneur and publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, has made a serious allegation against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Momodu claims the recent presidential directive to withdraw police escorts from some Very Important Persons (VIPs) is a calculated political strategy aimed specifically at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
A Calculated Political Move, Not a Security Reform
In a detailed statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, Momodu expressed his immediate suspicion when the policy was announced. He stated he "immediately smelled a rat" upon hearing the news.
According to Momodu, the administration's strategy involved testing public sentiment with a "dummy list" of affected individuals. He alleged that presidential aides first circulated this list to gauge the reaction of Nigerians. This list, he claimed, included surprising names like former Minister Nyesom Wike and former First Lady Aisha Buhari, placed alongside Atiku Abubakar to make it appear balanced.
"Tinubu’s spin doctors released a dummy list of those affected by the sudden and thoughtless decision, in order to test the waters," Momodu asserted. He said his deep understanding of the President's tactics led him to predict the list would be disowned as fake within 24 hours—a prediction he claims came true.
Atiku Abubakar as the Primary Target
Momodu's core accusation is that the former Vice President is one of the administration's "main targets." He emphasized that Atiku, by virtue of his former constitutional office, is legally entitled to state security protection. The media mogul argued that the inclusion of his name on any withdrawal list is both unconstitutional and politically motivated.
He condemned the policy in strong terms, labeling it as "dangerous," "gravely unprecedented," and "preposterously myopic." Momodu warned that stripping legitimate protection from prominent Nigerians amidst rising insecurity from bandits and kidnappers would endanger lives and cripple the productive sector of the economy.
"No nation can afford to voluntarily expose its private and productive sectors to bandits and kidnappers," he cautioned, suggesting that a genuine administration would have proposed a model for wealthy citizens to fund police recruitment instead.
Broader Implications for Opposition and Security
Going beyond the immediate policy, Momodu framed the escort withdrawal as part of a wider pattern. He accused President Tinubu of using state apparatus to intimidate and suppress opposition figures ahead of future electoral contests. According to him, this move is designed to tilt the political playing field.
"He is deliberately setting up the poor against the accomplished Nigerians who deserve maximum security," Momodu stated, alleging the policy fosters class resentment. He concluded with a grim assessment, insisting that the country is being led "to Golgotha" and that the President is "playing politics with everything," including critical national security matters.
The public accusation from a figure of Momodu's stature adds a significant layer of political controversy to the security directive, framing it not as a neutral reform but as a weapon in Nigeria's intense political rivalry.
