BOLA Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says he does not own the Lagos State Lekki Toll Gate.
“The slander aimed at me is based on the untruth that I own the toll gate concession. The hate mongers prevaricate that I ordered the Lekki assault because the protests had caused me to lose money due to the interruption of toll gate activity,” Tinubu said in an interview.
There were speculations that the military operations against unarmed #ENDSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate were ordered by Tinubu, to protect the toll plaza.
“Minus this alleged ownership, the slander employed against me falls to the ground as a heavy untruth. I ask people to thoroughly investigate the matter of my alleged ownership of the toll gate,” he said.
“By seeking facts, instead of being swayed by gossip, you will find I have no ownership interest or involvement in the toll gate. Having no business interests in the operation, my income remains unchanged whether one or 100,000 vehicles pass through that gate.”
While adding that the tollgate is a public asset, Tinubu proposed that it should be indefinitely closed because of the incident on Tuesday night.
He also called on the State Government to donate revenues from commercial tollgate to confirmed victims of Lekki attacks and police brutality in the state when it is reopened.
“At the bottom, the toll gate is a public asset. Given what has happened, I would like to propose to the government that the toll gate be left closed for an indefinite period,” he said.
“If it is reopened, revenues should be donated to the confirmed victims of the Lekki attack as well as to other identifiable victims of police brutality in Lagos.”
“Let the government use the money to compensate and take care of those who have lost life or limb in the struggle for all citizens to go about the quiet, peaceful enjoyment of life without fear of undue harassment at this or that checkpoint.”
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