Nigerian politics can only be likened to a drama series. There are several times, as a Nigerian, where you halt in your steps, look around waiting for someone to scream “Cut!”. The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, finding a ‘secret camera’ at the Lekki tollgate five days after the massacre at that particular scene, was one of such moments. Nigerians were in utter disbelief when the video made rounds on social media. The footage showed the minister picking up the camera with the aid of a black piece of cloth, stating that the camera must have been planted by “some subversive elements”.

“I think this will help with the ongoing investigations into the shootings at the Lekki Toll Gate. It requires forensic analysis and could be used in the investigations to unravel the mystery surrounding the shootings at the toll gate, I believe,” he added.

It would do us well to remember that the morning after the Nigerian Army opened fire on peaceful protesters at Lekki tollgate, individuals were seen searching the burnt remains of the tollgate for scrap metal. So they mean to tell us the ‘camera’ wasn’t found then? Shortly after, the Lagos Government deployed workers to clean up the toll gate without any forensic investigation. So they mean to tell us again that the ‘camera’ wasn’t found then?

It was a whole five days after the massacre when Fashola, in company with Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and some South-West governors went to the site that they conveniently “discovered” a fresh-looking camcorder resting on the remains of the damaged toll gate.

Somebody, please say “Cut!”

Everything is even more suspicious considering the government has been extremely dodgy about the events that took place. The Governor of Lagos State had emphatically stated that there had been no fatality even though there was video evidence that suggested otherwise. The happenstance finding of a camcorder at the scene -the only available source of footage- five days later, is way too suspicious.