Police Arrest 11 Suspects Over Attack on Omoyele Sowore in Ado-Ekiti

The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested 11 suspects in connection with the violent assault on African Action Congress (AAC) presidential aspirant, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, and members of his entourage.

The suspects were apprehended on Friday night during a targeted raid by the command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

According to an official police statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abutu Sunday, operatives acted on a credible intelligence tip-off to breach a suspected criminal hideout in the Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti at approximately 10:00 p.m.

The police identified the detained suspects as Joseph Tayo, 32; Olatunji Abayomi, 41; Isaac Amba, 22; Kehinde Ajigbana, 18; Tosin David, 18; Solomon Iyanu, 18; Ogunsola Ayomide, 21; Ojo Ayodeji, 22; Kayode Dada, 32; Segun Olatunji, 28; and Salami Emmanuel, 53.

Items recovered from the suspects during the operation included two walkie-talkies, 13 mobile phones, seven automated teller machine (ATM) cards, eight international passports, two vehicle keys, a 5G MTN Wi-Fi device, identity cards, three complimentary cards, a gas lighter, ₦250 in cash, and various suspected criminal charms.

Law enforcement personnel also seized quantities of illicit substances suspected to be Indian hemp and “Colorado”, alongside two narcotics crushers and a pack of Rizla rolling papers.

The mass arrest follows a wave of public outrage over the ambush, which took place at the Tawakalitu Restaurant in the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti. While initial police accounts categorized the incident as a localized altercation at the eatery, representatives of the AAC and associates close to Sowore fiercely rejected the characterization.

They maintained that the ambush was a coordinated political hit, pointing to alleged warnings received by Sowore’s security detail hours prior to his arrival in the state capital.

Sowore, who sustained injuries alongside several supporters during the attack, later noted that while the police raid confirmed the severity of the ambush, full justice would require the unmasking of the political sponsors behind the operation.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Falade Adegoroye Michael, stated that investigations are ongoing to establish the individual roles of the suspects and determine their specific connections to the Dalimore attack.

“The Command will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all those found culpable are brought to justice,” CP Michael said. He reiterated the command’s mandate to maintain peace, security, and the protection of lives and property across Ekiti State, emphasizing that police operations remain entirely neutral of political affiliations.

The police command confirmed that all victims of the assault, including Mr. Sowore, have received necessary medical treatment and have since been discharged from the hospital. Members of the public have been urged to remain calm and report any credible information that could aid detectives in identifying remaining accomplices.