AAC Presidential Candidate, Omoyele Sowore, attacked by armed thugs in Ekiti
*He was involved in altercation with some individuals – Police
*There was no altercation, we were attacked – Sowore
*Ugly Ekiti incident raises fresh concerns about safety, security of opposition politicians, campaign activities ahead general elections
By KEMI KASUMU
Sowore disputed the police account, insisting that what happened was an attack rather than an altercation. “There was no altercation! We were attacked!” he reportedly stated in a reaction on X. The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of political actors and the security of opposition campaign activities ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Mr. Omoyele Sowore, was reportedly attacked by armed thugs inside a restaurant at the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State on Friday October 30, 2026.
ALSO READ: HOW TO SAVE NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY FROM A FEARED 2027 ELECTORAL CALAMITY
Sowore himself disclosed the attack in a brief post on his official Facebook page, saying, “Thugs just attacked us inside a restaurant in Ado Ekiti.”
Shortly after, a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) page said, “Armed thugs kidnap Sowore. His current location is unknown!”
According to early reports, the suspected political thugs stormed the eatery where Sowore and his team were seated, vandalised the facility and allegedly whisked him away to an undisclosed location. The exact number of attackers and the extent of the vandalism are yet to be ascertained.
The incident occurred while Sowore is in Ekiti State for his presidential campaign activities. He had written to the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday October 29 seeking adjournment of his cyberbullying trial, informing the court that he was travelling to Ekiti for the campaign.
In subsequent posts, the AAC presidential candidate alleged that the attackers were government-sponsored and accused operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) of providing them with his team’s location.
Sowore, a neighboring Ondo State-born human rights activist, online newspaper publisher and pro-democracy advocate, has been a vocal critic of successive administrations.
In the meantime, the Ekiti State Police Command has reportedly confirmed the attack on Sowore. It, however, dismissed reports that the presidential candidate of the AAC was kidnapped by armed men in Ado-Ekiti, saying police operatives rescued him following an incident at a restaurant.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu, the command said its operatives responded to a distress call and promptly mobilised to the scene, where they rescued the politician.
According to the police, Sowore sustained minor injuries during the incident and was receiving medical attention at the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti.
The command said the Commissioner of Police, CP Falade Adegoroye Michael, had ordered a discreet investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify everyone involved and ensure that anyone found culpable was brought to justice.
The police also urged members of the public to disregard reports of an alleged kidnapping, describing the claims as misleading and warning against the circulation of unverified information capable of creating panic.
However, Sowore disputed the police account, insisting that what happened was an attack rather than an altercation.
“There was no altercation! We were attacked!” he reportedly stated in a reaction on X.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of political actors and the security of opposition campaign activities ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Sowore was in Ekiti State for political engagements and activities connected with the 2026 Ikogosi Marathon scheduled for Saturday, October 31.
The police investigation is expected to establish what transpired at the restaurant and identify those responsible for the violence.
Earlier on Friday, The DEFENDER Newspaper had published an article authored by Abanikanda Olumoro, titled “HOW TO SAVE NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY FROM A FEARED 2027 ELECTORAL CALAMITY” with listed areas of note that “Leadership must be by ballot, not court; Media must follow votes bomber-to-bomber; Security agents must stop thugs and protect voters and votes”.
Specifically, Olumoro, a notable Nigerian in the Diaspora UK, write in the 1,000-word article that, “Nigeria stands at a critical democratic crossroads as preparations gradually gather momentum for the 2027 general elections. The choices Nigerians make, the conduct of political leaders, the independence of electoral institutions, the professionalism of security agencies and the courage of the media will determine whether the country strengthens its democracy or slides into another cycle of electoral controversies capable of undermining public confidence in government.
“The fear of an electoral calamity in 2027 is not necessarily a prediction that Nigeria will experience a breakdown of democracy. Rather, it is a warning that the country cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of previous elections, particularly where violence, manipulation, vote buying, intimidation, questionable declarations and prolonged courtroom battles have overshadowed the people’s mandate.
“Democracy is fundamentally about the people choosing their leaders through credible elections. It is not about political influence, financial muscle, manipulation of electoral institutions or the ability to secure favourable judicial decisions after controversial electoral outcomes.
“If Nigeria must save its democracy, five major responsibilities must be taken seriously: political leadership must respect the ballot, INEC must protect the integrity of elections, the media must independently monitor the entire electoral process, security agencies must prevent violence, and citizens must defend their constitutional right to vote.”
