Shoot on Sight’ Controversy: Shaibu and Onanuga Trade Words on Social Media

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s senior special assistant, Phrank Shaibu, and presidential spokeswoman Bayo Onanuga have been involved in an online verbal spat.

The exchange followed Onanuga’s reaction to complaints of vandalism hampering rehabilitation work on the Ilesha–Ibadan Expressway.

The presidential assistant called for vandals to be “shot on sight” and referred to them as “the worst species of citizens” in a Sunday morning post uploaded via his handle.

However, Shaibu in a harsh response, denounced Onanuga’s remark, calling it as “lawlessness”.

Shaibu emphasized that crimes should be dealt with through arrest, inquiry, and the courts, and that no government spokesperson should support extrajudicial measures.

In a follow-up post later that night, Shaibu turned focus to what he saw as a grammatical error in Onanuga’s comment, stressing that the correct word is “shoot on sight,” not “shoot at sight”.

Onanuga reacted the following morning, dismissing the complaint and claiming that both statements were correct, while telling Shaibu to “upgrade your grammar”.

Unfazed, Shaibu responded with a thorough justification, claiming that “shoot on sight” is a set phrase that shouldn’t be changed.

He claimed that versions like “shoot at sight” are grammatical faults rather than appropriate substitutes and accused Onanuga of being illiterate for defending the term.