Sanwo-Olu Suspends Media Aide Over Controversial Social Media Post

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has suspended his Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, Wale Ajetunmobi, following the aide’s controversial statements on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account.

The suspension was announced in a statement on Tuesday by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile. Titled ‘Governor Sanwo-Olu Suspends Aide,’ the statement attributed the suspension to “the misrepresentation of facts on a past incident.”

Akosile stated, “The Sanwo-Olu-led administration frowns at any form of extra-judicial punishment and will not be a part of any such action. That is not who we are. That is not our way.”

Controversial Post Sparks Outrage

The controversy stems from a now-deleted tweet by Ajetunmobi, made under his X handle #Riddwane. In the post, he alleged that individuals responsible for burning down the Television Continental (TVC) station during the 2020 #EndSARS protests were “hunted down and executed.”

The tweet read, *“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.

“One of them, a young boy trading in cooking gas around Ketu, was found with an AK-47 at the site. Even his neighbours were shocked. But the full gist is better saved for later.”*

This sparked backlash on the platform, with users accusing Ajetunmobi of endorsing extra-judicial killings. One user, identified as Hamlad (#hamoye4real), asked, “Are you in the know of extra-judicial killings?”

Ajetunmobi replied, “Lol… you want to create a narrative in your head. What is extra-judicial killing here? Some of the people were chased by soldiers and an exchange of fire occurred. Then arsonists were overpowered and killed in the process. Others ran away. Is that an extra-judicial killing to you?”

Aide Offers Clarification

Following the backlash and a report by Premium Times on November 24, Ajetunmobi posted a clarification early Tuesday morning. He acknowledged that the word “executed” had been “erroneously used” in his earlier tweet and emphasized that the post reflected his personal opinion, not that of his employer or office.

His tweet read, *“This excerpt was quoted out of context and there were series of comments made under the same post, which better explained what was intended. Like I did further explain in the said tweet, no extra-judicial killing was insinuated.

“The word ‘executed’ was erroneously used and not intended in the context of that casual conversation. What was written in the entire conversation reflected personal opinion and not the position of any authority or the entity in which I work. The post and other comments had been taken down, even before this publication.”*

TVC Arson and Its Aftermath

The incident referenced by Ajetunmobi occurred on October 30, 2020, when arsonists targeted TVC’s Ikosi, Ketu premises during the #EndSARS protests. The attack left over 250 staff unable to work, with the station’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Hanlon, describing the destruction as devastating.

Hanlon reported that transmission gadgets, studios, production rooms, and operational vehicles were destroyed. Over 500 employees struggled to continue operations from temporary facilities, a situation Governor Sanwo-Olu addressed during a visit to the station’s management and staff.

Government’s Response

Governor Sanwo-Olu’s suspension of Ajetunmobi underscores the administration’s commitment to accountability and its stance against any form of extra-judicial action. The statement by Akosile further reinforced this position, signaling a firm rejection of unverified or inflammatory claims by public officials.