The Ekiti State Police Command has dismissed reports that African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore was kidnapped by armed thugs in Ado-Ekiti, saying he was rescued following an altercation at a restaurant in the Dalimore area. The command, however, faces a direct challenge from Sowore, who insists he and his team were violently attacked and has accused the police of trivialising the incident.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu, the command said its attention was drawn to social media messages alleging that Sowore had been kidnapped and his whereabouts were unknown. “The Command wishes to categorically clarify that Mr. Sowore was not kidnapped,” the statement said. “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”.
Police operatives were said to have swiftly mobilised to the scene and rescued the AAC candidate. According to the command, Sowore sustained a “minor injury” and was receiving medical attention at the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti. The Commissioner of Police, CP Falade Adegoroye Michael, has ordered a discreet investigation to establish the full circumstances of the incident, identify all individuals involved, and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
The police urged members of the public to disregard the kidnapping narrative and refrain from circulating unverified information capable of creating panic. It also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property irrespective of political affiliation, status, or background.
Sowore, however, swiftly rejected the police description of the incident. In posts on X, he described the police statement as “despicable” and a trivialisation of what he called a “coordinated, violent attack”. “THERE WAS NO ALTERCATION! WE WERE ATTACKED!” Sowore declared, accusing the police commissioner of downplaying the severity of the violence despite personally visiting the scene and witnessing the injuries.
He shared a video purportedly showing the Commissioner of Police leaving a hospital emergency room after observing the injured members of his team. Sowore also alleged that the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) had seized CCTV footage from the restaurant where the incident occurred, warning against any attempt to suppress evidence. He further claimed that DSS operatives had been trailing his team since their arrival in the state and had provided attackers with their exact location.
Background
Sowore was in Ekiti State to participate in the annual Ikogosi 17.5-kilometre marathon scheduled for Saturday, October 31, 2026. The incident occurred on Friday at a restaurant identified in some reports as Tawakalitu Restaurant in the Dallimore area of Ado-Ekiti. The conflicting accounts from the police and the AAC presidential candidate have left the circumstances of the incident contested, with the police investigation expected to establish what transpired.