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AAC presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, accuses the Ekiti State Police Command of downplaying an attack on him and his associates at a restaurant in Ado-Ekiti.
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The activist rejects the police description of the incident as an altercation, insisting that armed political thugs attacked them.
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Police Commissioner Falade Adegoroye Michael reportedly visited Sowore after the incident, but the activist questions the command’s account despite the injuries sustained.
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Police deny that Sowore was kidnapped, saying officers rescued him from the scene, took him to the Police Hospital and that the commissioner had ordered an investigation.
October 30, (THEWILL) – The Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Ekiti Police Command of playing down an attack on him and his associates in Ado-Ekiti, insisting that they were victims of a violent assault and not participants in an altercation.
Sowore, in a post on his X account on Friday, disputed the police account of the incident, which occurred at a restaurant around the Dalimore area of the Ekiti State capital.
The police had dismissed reports that the activist was kidnapped by armed men, describing the incident as an altercation between him and some individuals at the restaurant.
However, Sowore accused the command of trivialising the incident and misrepresenting the circumstances surrounding the attack, despite the injuries he and his associates allegedly sustained.
He accompanied his post with a video purportedly showing the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Falade Adegoroye Michael, leaving what appeared to be a hospital emergency room after visiting him.
According to Sowore, the commissioner had personally visited the scene of the incident and witnessed the injuries sustained by those attacked.
“The Commissioner of @PoliceNG in Ekiti State, CP Falade Adegoroye Michael, personally visited the scene of the brutal attack against us in Ado-Ekiti today. He saw firsthand the extensive injuries we sustained, yet he has the audacity to issue a despicable statement describing a coordinated, violent attack as a mere ‘altercation.’
“THERE WAS NO ALTERCATION! WE WERE ATTACKED!
“The Commissioner saw the injuries, witnessed the aftermath of the violence, and was fully aware of the seriousness of what happened. Yet his Command has chosen to trivialise the attack, even describing the injuries as ‘minor’”, he wrote.
Earlier, Sowore had raised the alarm on social media, claiming that armed thugs had kidnapped him and that his whereabouts were unknown.
The Ekiti Police Command, however, rejected the kidnapping claim in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu.
The Command said preliminary information indicated that Sowore had an altercation with some individuals at a restaurant around the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti, following which the police were alerted.
According to the police, operatives were immediately deployed to the location and successfully rescued the activist before taking him to the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti for medical attention.
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The statement read: “The attention of the Ekiti State Police Command has been drawn to a message circulating on social media alleging that Mr Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the forthcoming presidential election, was kidnapped by armed thugs in Ado-Ekiti, with his whereabouts unknown.
“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 the Dalimore area, Ado-Ekiti, following which the Police were immediately alerted.
“Upon receiving the report, Police operatives swiftly mobilised to the scene and successfully rescued him. He, however, sustained a minor injury and is currently receiving medical attention at the Police Hospital, Ado-Ekiti.”
The police said the Commissioner of Police had ordered a discreet investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify those involved and ensure that anyone found culpable was brought to justice.
The command also urged members of the public to disregard reports of an alleged kidnapping and refrain from circulating unverified information capable of causing panic.
It reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property across the state, irrespective of political affiliation or status.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
