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

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 group, whereas the police described it as an “altercation” at a restaurant.

The disagreement adopted an incident on Friday at a restaurant within the Dalimore space of Ado-Ekiti, the place Mr Sowore and members of his group had been concerned in a confrontation with some people.

Around 1:54 p.m., the X deal with of Mr Sowore posted that he had been kidnapped and his whereabouts weren’t but identified, and alleged that the attackers had been sponsored by the Ekiti State Government with operational help 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 within the publish.

Police dismiss “attack” declare

In response to Mr Sowore’s attack declare and allegations in opposition to the state police, the Ekiti State Police Command in a statement dismissed experiences that the presidential candidate was kidnapped, saying its operatives responded to a misery name and rescued him from the scene.

The police mentioned Mr Sowore sustained a minor damage and was receiving medical consideration on 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 mentioned.

It added that the police commissioner subsequently ordered a discreet investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and establish these concerned.

“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 assertion learn..

It, nonetheless, described the claims and allegations in opposition to the command as “misleading,” urging the general public to ignore the claims. It added that it maintained dedication to defending lives and property, irrespective of political affiliation.

Following the police assertion which described the occasion as “altercation,” Mr Sowore disputed the police account, insisting that he and his group had been attacked by armed males and that the incident was not an altercation.

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

He mentioned the commissioner’s description of the accidents as minor was inconsistent with what he described because the extent of the violence.

AAC raises considerations

In a press release signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rex Elanu, AAC mentioned it was alarmed by experiences of the attack and referred to as on the Ekiti State governor, the Inspector-General of Police and the state commissioner of police to determine Mr Sowore’s whereabouts, assure his security and arrest these accountable.

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The celebration warned that it might organise a mass protest on the Ekiti State Government House if the authorities did not 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 assertion learn.

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

For years, the Sahara Reporters writer has been at odds with safety businesses, incessantly coming underneath assaults and going through lengthy detentions in custody.

Since 2019, Mr Sowore has confronted a collection of prosecutions by the police and the SSS consequently of the protests he led and public feedback.