Sowore reacts as Ekiti police arrest 11 over attack

By Ayobami Okerinde

The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested 11 suspects over the attack on African Action Congress (AAC) presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, and members of his team at a restaurant in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

In a statement on Saturday, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abutu Sunday, said operatives of the Rapid Response Squad arrested the suspects at their hideouts in the Atikankan area of the town at about 10pm on Friday, following a tip-off.

It partly reads, “The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested eleven (11) suspects in connection with the alleged attack on Mr Omoyele Sowore, an African Action Congress (AAC) presidential aspirant, and other persons at Tawakalitu Restaurant, Dalimore Area of Ado-Ekiti.

“The suspects are Joseph Tayo ’32yrs’, Olatunji Abayomi ’41yrs’, Isaac Amba ’22yrs’, Kehinde Ajigbana ’18yrs’, Tosin David ’18yrs’, Solomon Iyanu ’18yrs’, Ogunsola Ayomide ’21yrs’, Ojo Ayodeji ’22yrs’, Kayode Dada ’32yrs’, Segun Olatunji ’28yrs’ and Salami Emmanuel ’53yrs’.

“Items recovered include two walkie-talkies, substances suspected to be Indian hemp and Colorado, two Indian hemp crushers, one pack of Rizla, seven ATM cards, thirteen mobile phones, two vehicle keys, one flash drive, one 5G MTN Wi-Fi device, identity cards, eight international passports, three complimentary cards, two suspected criminal charms, one gas lighter and ₦250.”

The police said investigations were ongoing to establish the individual roles of the suspects and determine their possible connections with the attack.

The Commissioner of Police, Falade Michael, assured residents that everyone found culpable would be brought to justice.

The statement quoted him as saying that the command “will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all those found culpable are brought to justice.”

Reacting to the arrests, Sowore demanded that the alleged masterminds and sponsors of the attack be identified and brought to justice, insisting that the incident was a coordinated assault and not an ordinary altercation.

The presidential candidate made the demand in a post on X on Saturday, describing the arrests as an admission that the incident was a violent attack.

He also alleged that some of the attackers were associated with the City Boys group and called for investigations into possible links between the incident and officials of the state government.

Sowore urged the Commissioner of Police, Falade Adegoroye Michael, and the Department of State Services to preserve and release CCTV footage from the scene to help identify those involved.

“Arresting 11 suspects is not enough if those who planned, financed, coordinated and facilitated the attack remain untouched,” he wrote.

He also demanded an explanation from the police over their initial description of the incident as an altercation.

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