Sowore, Ekiti police give conflicting accounts of alleged attack on AAC presidential candidate

AAC presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore

The African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and the Ekiti State Police Command have given conflicting accounts of an incident in Ado-Ekiti, with the politician alleging that armed thugs attacked him and his team, while the police described it as an “altercation” at a restaurant.

The disagreement followed an incident on Friday at a restaurant in the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti, where Mr Sowore and members of his team were involved in a confrontation with some individuals.

Around 1:54 p.m., the X handle of Mr Sowore posted that he had been kidnapped and his whereabouts were not yet known, and alleged that the attackers were sponsored by the Ekiti State Government with operational support from operatives of the State Security Service (SSS).

“We have been brutally attacked and injured by well armed government-sponsored thugs in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.” The X account tweeted.

“Since our arrival yesterday, DSS (SSS) operatives have been trailing and harassing us. They even threatened the manager of the first place where we ate, warning him never to allow us to use his premises again,” he added in the post.

In response to Mr Sowore’s attack claim and allegations against the state police, the Ekiti State Police Command in a statement dismissed reports that the presidential candidate was kidnapped, saying its operatives responded to a distress call and rescued him from the scene.

The police said Mr Sowore sustained a minor injury and was receiving medical attention at the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti.

“The Command wishes to categorically clarify that Mr Sowore was not kidnapped. Rather, preliminary information indicates that he had an altercation with some individuals at a restaurant around Dalimore area, Ado-Ekiti, following which the Police were immediately alerted,” the command said.

It added that the police commissioner subsequently ordered a discreet investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those involved.

“The Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, Falade Adegoroye Michael, has ordered a discreet investigation into the incident to establish the full circumstances surrounding the altercation, identify all individuals involved and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice,” the statement read..

It, however, described the claims and allegations against the command as “misleading,” urging the public to disregard the claims. It added that it maintained commitment to protecting lives and property, irrespective of political affiliation.

Following the police statement which described the event as “altercation,” Mr Sowore disputed the police account, insisting that he and his team were attacked by armed men and that the incident was not an altercation.

“There was no altercation! We were attacked!” he wrote in a post on X, while accusing the police command of downplaying the severity of the incident.

He said the commissioner’s description of the injuries as minor was inconsistent with what he described as the extent of the violence.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rex Elanu, AAC said it was alarmed by reports of the attack and called on the Ekiti State governor, the Inspector-General of Police and the state commissioner of police to establish Mr Sowore’s whereabouts, guarantee his safety and arrest those responsible.

The party warned that it would organise a mass protest at the Ekiti State Government House if the authorities failed to act.

“We call on the Ekiti State Governor, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police to immediately establish Sowore’s whereabouts, guarantee his safety, arrest the perpetrators, and ensure their prompt prosecution,” the statement read.

Mr Sowore, an anti-corruption and human rights campaigner vying for the presidency for the third time in the 2027 election.

For years, the Sahara Reporters publisher has been at odds with security agencies, incessantly coming under attacks and facing long detentions in custody.

Since 2019, Mr Sowore has faced a series of prosecutions by the police and the SSS as a result of the protests he led and public comments.