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| Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Kunle Fagbemi |
The Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kunle Fagbemi, has come under heavy criticism after allegedly harassing and verbally assaulting members of the Governor’s press crew during a major empowerment event at Lagos House, Ikeja, on Saturday.
The incident took place during a high-profile programme organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in collaboration with the Renewed Hope Initiative—the pet project of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu—aimed at empowering 1,000 women across Lagos State. Instead, the spotlight shifted to Fagbemi’s confrontation with journalists.
Eyewitnesses said Fagbemi intercepted the Governor’s press crew as they arrived in their official bus. In the full glare of dignitaries and onlookers, he allegedly stopped the vehicle and launched a verbal attack, accusing the journalists of being “disruptive” and “unprofessional.”
“He hurled insults at us as if we were criminals,” one visibly shaken reporter recounted. “This is unacceptable. We were simply doing our jobs, yet we were met with hostility from someone meant to protect, not intimidate.”
Another invited journalist described the treatment as “not only unfortunate but pitiable,” adding: “How could a security officer treat journalists—professionals, family men, respected leaders—in such a demeaning manner? Imagine, he even placed journalists beneath the Governor’s slippers.”
Many reporters at the scene declined to be identified, claiming Fagbemi threatened to ensure they were “dealt with” if they dared to challenge him.
More troubling, however, is that this is not the first time such allegations have been raised. Members of the Governor’s press crew say Saturday’s episode reflects a recurring pattern.
“This is his style,” one crew member said. “At the New Year Thanksgiving service at Tafawa Balewa Square, he behaved the same way. It’s as though he has a personal vendetta against the press.”
Another recalled an incident during the Governor’s visit to Banana Island: “He harassed us again that day. It took the intervention of a senior police officer to calm him. He carries himself like a demigod, constantly threatening and intimidating us on official assignments.”
The repeated accusations have stirred outrage across media circles, with mounting calls for Governor Sanwo-Olu to investigate and rein in his CSO. Media unions and rights advocates warn that such conduct not only undermines press freedom but also damages the Governor’s public image.
As one journalist summed it up: “If this continues unchecked, it won’t just be harassment—it will become outright intimidation designed to silence the press.”