Fashola: I Have Tinubu’s Ears, Can’t Advise Him on Television

• Former Lagos governor says he has direct access to the President and prefers private counsel over public commentary, while also ruling out a presidential bid and backing state police.

Former Lagos State Governor and ex-Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has explained why he will not take to television to critique President Bola Tinubu’s administration, arguing that his direct access to the President makes public commentary unnecessary and counterproductive. Fashola made the remarks during an interview on TVC’s Beyond The Headlines on Wednesday, where he was asked why he had largely refrained from commenting publicly on the President’s performance since leaving office. According to Fashola, President Tinubu regularly seeks his views on governance and areas requiring improvement as the administration prepares for the 2027 general elections. He disclosed that the President recently reached out to him directly, asking for candid advice on what his administration should improve ahead of the polls. “He calls me today, and he says, ‘Today, identify one area where my administration must improve as we count down to 2027. What would you advise me?’ So, I will speak to the President on TV? I’ve told myself I would not do that,” Fashola stated. The former minister emphasised that he values the private channel of communication he maintains with the President and believes direct engagement is more productive than public pronouncements. He noted that he had already offered advice to the President on several matters and intends to preserve that line of communication. “I have his ears, and when I need to see him, I’ve advised on a few things. I think that we must keep that channel open. It’s not my intention to advise him on television,” he said.

When pressed on whether the administration had developed any blind spots after three years in office, Fashola dismissed the suggestion, saying his access to the President made public criticism unnecessary. “There are no blind spots in this administration. You can’t be shouting at somebody whose ear you have,” he responded. The interviewer noted that many Nigerians had expected Fashola to become more outspoken on national issues after leaving public office, but the former Lagos governor maintained that his approach had not changed. He argued that public commentary from someone with direct access to the President would be counterproductive and could undermine the confidential relationship he values.

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Fashola also shut down speculation about his political future, ruling out any ambition to contest the presidency. Asked if he would run for president, he replied simply, “No.” When the interviewer pressed further, Fashola responded with a smile, “President of what? I’m president at home.” Reflecting on his public service career spanning more than two decades, Fashola described the opportunity to serve as an unimaginable privilege and expressed hope that his journey would inspire younger Nigerians to pursue public service. “My journey has been an unimaginable privilege, and I hope that it, in some way, inspires another generation about the possibilities of this country,” he said. He added that Nigeria continues to offer opportunities for those willing to strive, noting that the country has produced many stories of “rags to riches and grass to grace.” On how he hopes history will remember him, Fashola said he would leave that judgment to posterity: “Let history write whatever history wants to write. It is not in my place.”

The former governor declined to comment on long-standing speculation over whether he had favoured Obafemi Hamzat or Olasupo Sasore as his preferred successor ahead of the 2015 Lagos governorship election. Fashola confirmed that he remains a member of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC) but stressed the need to distinguish between offering counsel and interfering in government affairs. “There is a thin line between intervention and interference,” he said.

Speaking on governance, Fashola stressed the need to preserve public confidence in the judiciary, warning that constant attacks on the courts could weaken democratic institutions. He also argued that a vibrant opposition is necessary for democracy to thrive, saying political disagreements should help improve governance rather than undermine the system. The former minister further highlighted the need for national consensus on critical issues such as taxation, foreign policy and legislative oversight, urging professionals and young Nigerians to participate more actively in shaping public policy. He reiterated his support for the establishment of state police, though he cautioned that it would not be an instant solution to Nigeria’s security challenges. On Lagos’ recurring flooding challenges, Fashola said the state’s coastal geography made flooding inevitable but manageable, adding that indiscriminate waste disposal continued to worsen the situation. He maintained that addressing the problem required cooperation between government and residents. Fashola also addressed the issue of fuel subsidy removal, describing it as a necessary but painful decision that would ultimately benefit the country in the long run. He urged Nigerians to exercise patience, noting that difficult reforms often take time to yield positive results. He also called for greater transparency in the management of the savings from subsidy removal.

23 Farmers Killed as Bandits Launch Deadly Attack on Zamfara Community

Gunmen on motorcycles stormed farming villages in Talata Mafara LGA, shooting farmers in their fields and rustling livestock in a three-hour rampage that has left communities in mourning.

No fewer than 23 farmers were killed on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, after suspected bandits launched a deadly assault on the Sauna/Ruwan Gora community in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, residents have confirmed. The attackers, who arrived on numerous motorcycles, initially passed through the village without causing any harm before returning later to unleash violence on farmers working in their fields. According to residents who spoke with Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, the armed men first appeared at about 2:00 p.m., riding through the village peacefully as residents watched them move by. One resident recounted that people were even counting the number of motorcycles conveying the gunmen, believing they were not the target. However, the assailants later came back and opened fire on farmers, pursuing those who attempted to flee. The resident explained that the bandits attacked farmers on their respective farms, chased down those who ran for safety, and killed them.

Local accounts indicate that 16 farmers were killed on the spot, while seven others who sustained gunshot wounds later died at the General Hospital in Talata Mafara. The casualty figure has been corroborated by Sauna district secretary Alhaji Shehu Garba, who confirmed 23 deaths across five villages. Reuters, citing residents, reported at least 24 farmers killed, with the count still ongoing. Another resident who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed the death toll could be as high as 25, noting that efforts were still underway to account for those affected by the attack. A local councillor representing the Sauna district, Nasiru Lauwali, told AFP that 21 people had been killed when the bandits opened fire at around 3:00 p.m. Three others wounded by gunfire were taken to the Talata Mafara General Hospital and later transferred to the teaching hospital in neighbouring Sokoto state. According to updates from Sauna District, the death toll increased after more bodies were recovered from the farms.

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Residents said the gunmen travelled nearly 50 kilometres (31 miles) along the Mayanchi-Anka highway, a key trade route, before reaching Sauna without encountering security forces. The raid lasted for about three hours and went “unhindered,” with security forces reportedly not intervening. The attackers also rustled an unspecified number of livestock during the assault. The remains of the 23 victims were prepared for mass burial at the palace of the District Head in Sauna, with the burial conducted on Thursday, July 23, 2026. Community members appealed to both the Zamfara State Government and the Federal Government to urgently reinforce security in the area. Residents warned that if farmers continue to be killed and kidnapped, Zamfara State will definitely experience a food crisis, as the attacks are severely disrupting agricultural activities during the planting and harvest seasons.

Amnesty International has condemned the killing of farmers in Sauna Ruwan Gora Ward, describing the attack as further evidence that security measures adopted to tackle insecurity in Zamfara are ineffective. The rights organisation stated that the gunmen invaded the farming community and opened fire at close range on adults working on their farmlands. The organisation lamented that previous military interventions had failed to halt the persistent attacks, especially in rural communities, and noted that residents across Zamfara have consistently reported receiving advance warnings from armed groups before attacks are carried out. Amnesty International stated that across Zamfara State, villagers described a pattern where they receive warnings ahead of attacks, including by phone, ordering them to pay huge sums of money or be killed or abducted.

Zamfara State remains at the centre of a security crisis in Nigeria’s northwest, where armed gangs locally known as bandits frequently raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom, and steal livestock. The violence is one of a string of security challenges facing the country’s authorities, who are also battling a long-running jihadist insurgency in the northeast and separatist unrest elsewhere. While the gangs are largely motivated by financial gain and do not publicly espouse an ideology, authorities and security analysts have expressed concern over growing ties between some bandit groups and jihadist militants. Efforts to obtain official comments on the incident were unsuccessful. The Chairman of Talata Mafara Local Government Area, Yahaya Abubakar Yari, could not be reached as his mobile phone remained switched off. Similarly, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, did not respond to telephone calls or text messages before press time. However, security authorities are expected to issue a statement on the incident in the coming days as investigations continue.