Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has called for a thorough investigation into allegations of extra-judicial killings following a shocking confession by Wale Ajetunmobi, a suspended aide to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
In a post on X, Ajetunmobi allegedly admitted that individuals suspected of torching the TVC News station during the 2020 #EndSARS protests were hunted down and killed.
Effiong, in a statement posted on X, decried the statement as a grave indictment of law enforcement and governance in Lagos State. He urged the Lagos State Government and Police Command to clarify their roles in the matter and provide updates on the identities and status of suspects connected to the arson.
“Suspending Wale Ajetunmobi as an aide does not address the alarming confession of extra-judicial killings made by him. This matter has to be investigated thoroughly by law enforcement agencies. He should be taken into custody immediately,” Effiong wrote.
He further questioned the absence of public information on those arrested in connection with the attack on TVC, a media organisation aligned with political interests in Lagos.
“Where are the suspects or persons arrested in connection with the arson? What are their names? Has anyone been charged with the arson committed at TVC station?” he asked. “We cannot tolerate a situation where the government or those sympathetic to the political class act as executioners.”
He emphasised that determining the guilt of accused persons is a constitutional responsibility solely vested in the judiciary, warning that extra-judicial actions undermine the rule of law.
It will be recalled that TVC News, located on CMD Road in Ikosi, Lagos, was set attacked during the nationwide #EndSARS protests in October 2020. While the attack was widely condemned, there has been little public information on arrests or prosecutions related to the incident.
Ajetunmobi’s statement raises serious questions about whether due process was followed or if state-backed actors engaged in unlawful killings.
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