Veteran journalist Dele Momodu has recounted a tense encounter at Heathrow Airport, where he says he was almost detained after security found 18 phones in his bag.

Speaking in a trending video while addressing student journalists, Momodu recalled that he was on his way to South Africa when he was stopped. "There was a time I was almost detained in Heathrow, I had 18 phones in my bag when they stopped me. I was going to South Africa, they just called special force to come put all the phones in a tray," he said.

According to him, officials pressed him on his profession and why he was carrying so many devices. "They were asking me, 'what do you do for a living?' I said I'm a journalist. 'Is that why you are carrying 18 phones?' I said I didn't read anywhere that I can't carry 18 phones," he recounted.

Momodu said he was then asked to provide proof of his identity as a journalist, prompting him to pull out his iPad and lean on his professional connections. "I brought out my iPad. And of course now I know how to drop names very well. People don't know that name dropping is part of media. Who do you know? Who have you interviewed? Who have you met?" he said.

He explained that he showed officials an interview he had conducted with Queen Elizabeth II, followed by a photo of himself with former US President Bill Clinton. "That's the only way a black man can prove himself," he said, adding that the experience reflected a broader reality for Black travellers. "It does mean with black people, yes, that you are not a regular person, and I was very calm."

Despite showing proof of his credentials, Momodu said he was still taken to customs, as 18 phones were considered a "commercial quantity." He said he explained the devices were old and no longer in active use.

Reflecting on the episode, Momodu offered a broader life lesson to the students. "Life, it's who you know. And you must be consistent. You must be serious in your life," he said.

Watch the video below:

“There was a time I was almost detained at Heathrow because I had 18 phones in my bag. They called special forces on me and asked what I do for a living. I told them I’m a journalist. When they demanded proof, I dialed the numbers of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and former US… pic.twitter.com/myZYOxwMW3

— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) September 15, 2026