Veteran Nigerian journalist and publisher of Ovation International, Dele Momodu, has recalled how he nearly got detained at London’s Heathrow Airport after security officials found 18 phones in his bag.
Momodu shared the story in a video that has gone viral on social media. He said the incident happened while he was travelling to South Africa.
According to him, airport officials stopped him after finding the phones and brought in special forces. The phones were placed in a tray as officials questioned him about his job.
“There was a time I was almost detained at Heathrow because I had 18 phones in my bag. They stopped me while I was going to South Africa.”
“I told them I’m a journalist. When they demanded proof, that time I used to carry an iPad, so I brought it out and of course, I know how to drop names very well,” he said.
Momodu said he then opened his contacts and called the numbers of the late Queen Elizabeth II and former US President Bill Clinton to prove his identity.
“People don’t know that name-dropping is part of media. Who do you know? Who have you interviewed? Who have you met?”
“I just opened the iPad and the first number I dialed was Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and former US President Bill Clinton.
“They took me to Customs saying 18 phones is commercial quantities but I said they are all old phones and when we got to Customs the same ritual again. What do you do? I’m a journalist and I brought out my queen again and you know that the queen is the head of Customs in the UK, that was when they left us after we almost missed our flight.”
