Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode on Wednesday, October 28, launched a scathing critique at Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the shoddy handling of the Lekki shootings.
Fani-Kayode made this statement in response to a statement by the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army on the shootings at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos State.
This was contained in a series of tweets on his official Twitter page on Tuesday said that the statement by the Nigerian Army has a grave implication on Sanwo-Olu.
According to the politician, Sanwo-Olu was thrown under the bus by the Army.
Fani-Kayode wrote: “The @HQNigerianArmy claim it was the LASG that asked for soldiers to be deployed at Lekki. The implications of this for @jidesanwoolu are grave. He has been thrown under the bus by the military.”
The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Maj. Osoba Olaniyi had disclosed in a statement, that the troops were requested to restore law and order 24 hours after the curfew was declared.
Olaniyi insisted that the soldiers did not shoot at the #EndSARS protesters; adding that the personnel acted within “the confines of the Rules of Engagement for Internal Security operations.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday, October 27, cautioned that there is a need to clamp on fake news, further buttressing the need for the regulation of social media in the country.
However, the House of Representatives warned against clamping down on free speech and press freedom.
1st News reports that Lai Mohammed as well as the House Committee on Information; National Orientation; Ethics; and also Values were sharply divided on the matter on Tuesday.
Lai Mohammed had appeared before the committee to defend the 2021 budget proposed by his ministry.
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The minister, while responding to questions from members of the committee; noted that the next war to be fought in the country; and across the world might be fought the social media; making reference to the ongoing #EndSARS protests.
Lai Mohammed stated that the government was not seeking to shut down social media space in the country because “the social media has come to stay.”
He, however, stressed the need to have a policy that regulates social media; and check fake news and misinformation.
