Lagos State: Sawno-Olu dismisses aide over social media post

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has suspended his Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, Wale Ajetunmobi, following a controversial social media post that misrepresented facts.

The suspension was confirmed in a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile.

The incident that led to Ajetunmobi’s suspension stemmed from a post on his personal X account about a 2020 event.

In the post, Ajetunmobi claimed that individuals involved in the burning of a television station during protests had been “hunted down and executed.” This statement quickly attracted widespread criticism.

In response, the Lagos State government expressed its disapproval of any form of extra-judicial action, stressing that such actions were not in line with the administration’s values. The post was subsequently removed from Ajetunmobi’s account.

The post, which described how several arsonists were allegedly confronted and overpowered, drew backlash from social media users.

Ajetunmobi later clarified that his use of the term “executed” was a mistake and did not suggest extra-judicial killings. He emphasized that the statement was his personal opinion and did not represent the government’s or his office’s stance.

The original incident took place in 2020 when a television station in Lagos was set on fire during protests, causing substantial damage including destroyed equipment, vehicles, and the temporary displacement of staff. The attack led to operational disruptions for the station and impacted hundreds of its employees.