Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu suspends senior aide Wale Ajetunmobi over a misleading social media post about arson during #EndSARS.
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has suspended his Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, Mr Wale Ajetunmobi, for a controversial post on social media.
The announcement was made in a statement issued on Tuesday by Gboyega Akosile, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
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The statement, titled ‘Governor Sanwo-Olu Suspends Aide’, attributed the suspension to the misrepresentation of facts on Ajetunmobi’s personal account on X (formerly Twitter) about an incident related to the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration frowns at any form of extra-judicial punishment and will not condone such actions. That is not our way,” Akosile stated.
The controversy stems from a now-deleted tweet by Ajetunmobi, under the handle #Riddwane, claiming that arsonists who attacked the Television Continental (TVC) station during the 2020 #EndSARS protests had been “hunted down and executed.”
The post also mentioned that one of the alleged arsonists, a young trader from Ketu, was found with an AK-47 rifle.
The tweet drew sharp criticism, with users questioning the implications of extra-judicial killings.
Ajetunmobi later responded to a user, defending his position by stating the alleged executions occurred during an exchange of gunfire, not as extra-judicial actions.
In a follow-up post on X, Ajetunmobi admitted that the word “executed” was “erroneously used” and clarified that his statements reflected personal opinions, not the stance of the Lagos State Government.
He also stated, “No extra-judicial killing was insinuated,” and noted that he had deleted the contentious posts before their publication by media outlets.
The 2020 arson attack on the TVC station, located in Ikosi, Ketu, Lagos, left over 250 staff stranded and significantly impacted the broadcaster’s operations.
Transmission equipment, studios, production rooms, and staff vehicles were destroyed, leaving more than 500 employees struggling to work from makeshift facilities.
The station’s CEO, Andrew Hanlon, highlighted the extensive losses during a visit by Governor Sanwo-Olu in the aftermath of the incident.
Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration emphasised its commitment to transparency and justice, distancing itself from any actions suggesting extra-judicial measures.
Ajetunmobi’s suspension underscores the government’s zero-tolerance policy for misinformation and unprofessional conduct by public officials.
