The statement emphasized the administration’s stance against extra-judicial actions, stating, “The Sanwo-Olu-led administration frowns at any form of extra-judicial punishment and will not be a part of such actions.
Lagos, Nigeria – Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has suspended his Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, Wale Ajetunmobi, for allegedly misrepresenting facts on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account regarding a past incident.
The suspension was announced in a statement on Tuesday by Gboyega Akosile, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity. According to the statement titled ‘Governor Sanwo-Olu Suspends Aide’, the action was taken following a controversial post by Ajetunmobi about arsonists involved in the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
The statement emphasized the administration’s stance against extra-judicial actions, stating, “The Sanwo-Olu-led administration frowns at any form of extra-judicial punishment and will not be a part of such actions. That is not who we are. That is not our way.”
Controversial Post on X
On November 24, 2024, Premium Times reported a now-deleted post by Ajetunmobi, under the handle #Riddwane, in which he claimed that individuals who burned down the Television Continental (TVC) station in Lagos during the 2020 #EndSARS protests had been “hunted down and executed.”
The tweet alleged that one of the executed arsonists was a young boy, who traded cooking gas in Ketu, and was reportedly found with an AK-47 rifle. Ajetunmobi wrote, “The full story of people who burnt down TVC in 2020 will be told one day, with gory clips and images. One thing to note: majority of them have been hunted down and executed.”
Public Reactions and Clarification
The tweet sparked criticism, with one user, identified as Hamlad (#hamoye4real), questioning the alleged extra-judicial killings. In response, Ajetunmobi defended his claims, stating that the arsonists were killed during an exchange of fire with soldiers and denied that extra-judicial killings took place.
Following the backlash, Ajetunmobi deleted the tweet and, on November 26, clarified his stance. In a new post, he described the use of the word “executed” as “erroneous” and asserted that his comments were personal opinions and not reflective of his employer. He added, “No extra-judicial killing was insinuated… The word ‘executed’ was erroneously used and not intended in the context of that casual conversation.”
Background on the TVC Arson
The TVC station in Ikosi, Ketu, Lagos, was targeted during the violence that followed the #EndSARS protests in 2020. According to a PUNCH report from October 30, 2020, over 250 staff members were unable to work after arsonists destroyed the station. Transmission equipment, studios, production rooms, vehicles, and personal cars were set ablaze.
The station’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Hanlon, disclosed that over 500 employees were working in temporary facilities set up by the company. Governor Sanwo-Olu later visited the station to assess the damage and show support to its management and staff.
The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to justice and due process while distancing itself from any form of extra-judicial actions.
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