Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has suspended his Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, Wale Ajetunmobi, over controversial statements made on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account.
The announcement was made on Tuesday through a statement by Gboyega Akosile, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity. The statement, titled “Governor Sanwo-Olu Suspends Aide,” revealed that the suspension stemmed from “misrepresentation of facts” in Ajetunmobi’s posts about past incidents.
Controversial Social Media Claims
Ajetunmobi sparked outrage after his post on November 24, 2024, which alleged that arsonists responsible for the burning of Television Continental (TVC) during the 2020 #EndSARS protests had been “hunted down and executed.” The post, made under his handle #Riddwane, claimed one of the “executed” individuals was a young boy in Ketu who allegedly carried an AK-47 rifle during the attack.
“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: the majority of them have been hunted down and executed,” read part of the tweet.
When questioned by another user about possible extra-judicial killings, Ajetunmobi responded that the arsonists had been killed in gunfire exchanges with soldiers, denying any extra-judicial actions.
Public Outcry and Clarification
The tweet drew widespread criticism, with many accusing Ajetunmobi of justifying unlawful killings. In response, he deleted the post and later clarified his comments in a tweet early Tuesday, stating that the use of the word “executed” was a mistake and that his comments reflected his personal opinion, not the views of the Lagos State Government.
“The word ‘executed’ was erroneously used and not intended in the context of that casual conversation,” Ajetunmobi wrote. “What was written reflected personal opinion and not the position of any authority or the entity in which I work.”
Despite the clarification, the backlash led to his suspension. Governor Sanwo-Olu’s media aide, Gboyega Akosile, reaffirmed the administration’s stance against extra-judicial actions. “The Sanwo-Olu-led administration frowns at any form of extra-judicial punishment and will not be a part of such action. That is not who we are. That is not our way,” Akosile stated.
Background: The TVC Arson Incident
The arson at TVC’s station in Ketu, Lagos, occurred during the height of the #EndSARS protests in October 2020. The attack left over 250 staff unable to work, with the station’s equipment, vehicles, and facilities destroyed. At the time, TVC CEO Andrew Hanlon reported that more than 500 employees had been displaced and forced to operate from temporary accommodations.
Repercussions of the Suspension
The suspension has reignited conversations about accountability in government communication and the impact of social media on public perception. It also draws attention to unresolved tensions surrounding the #EndSARS protests, during which allegations of extra-judicial killings and police brutality came to the forefront.
As of now, Ajetunmobi has not issued further statements, and the Lagos State Government has not disclosed whether additional actions will follow the suspension.
