SAHARA REPORTERS
Barely two months after his suspension, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has quietly reinstated his Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, Wale Ajetunmobi, SaharaReporters has learned.
A source privy to the matter disclosed on Tuesday that members of the governor’s inner circle lobbied for Ajetunmobi’s return.
“Ajetunmobi is back in the office. They asked him to lay low and be cautious about what he posts online. Some of the governor’s kitchen cabinet members advocated for his reinstatement because they like him,” the source said.
Ajetunmobi was suspended on November 26, 2024, following allegations of misrepresentation of facts concerning the 2020 #EndSARS protests. The suspension was announced in a statement by Gboyega Akosile, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
The controversy stemmed from remarks Ajetunmobi made on his personal X account (formerly Twitter), which reportedly contradicted the official narrative surrounding the protests.
In his post, Ajetunmobi claimed that the majority of individuals allegedly involved in the burning of Television Continental (TVC) during the protests had been “hunted down and executed.”
The statement condemned the post, labelling it a misrepresentation of facts and emphasising the importance of accuracy and professionalism in public communications.
Akosile noted that the Lagos State Government had disassociated itself from the post made by Ajetunmobi.
The statement read, “The Governor wishes to state categorically that his 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.”
“Ostensibly, the ‘misrepresentation of facts’ being referred to in the statement was a claim that by Ajetunmobi that majority of those involved in the burning of Television Continental, TVC, during the #EndSARS protest in 2020, had been hunted down and executed.”
Ajetunmobi had written: “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.”
Meanwhile, when challenged by an X user that he was supporting extrajudicial killing, Ajetunmobi defended his position thus: “Lol. You want to create a narrative in your head? Some of the people were chased by soldiers and exchange of fire occurred. Then arsonists were overpowered and killed. Others ran away. Is that extra judicial killing to you?”
However, efforts made by SaharaReporters to Akosile for comments failed as he did not give any response questions regarding Ajetunmobi’s secret recall was put to him.
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, had called for the immediate arrest of Ajetunmobi over his comment.
Effiong said Ajetunmobi should be arrested and investigated in addition to his suspension.
“Dear Governor @jidesanwoolu, Suspending Wale Ajetunmobi as your aide does not address the alarming confession of extrajudicial killings made by him,” said the lawyer on X.
“This matter has to be investigated thoroughly by law enforcement agencies.”
Mr Effiong added, “He should be taken into custody immediately. Wale confessed in clear terms that those who burnt TVC News station at CMD Road, Ikosi, Lagos were trailed and assassinated.
“Now that the suspended aide of the Lagos state governor has confessed that the suspects were murdered, the public deserves answers.
“We cannot tolerate a situation where the government or those sympathetic to the government or the political class will act as executioners. The judiciary is the sole constitutional authority empowered to determine the guilt of anyone accused of a crime.”
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN SAHARA REPORTERS
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