The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that about 20 thugs attacked and threatened to kill him on Friday (today) during a visit to Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
Sowore said the attackers stormed a restaurant where he was meeting some of his supporters and beat him with sticks and bottles.
The activist shared details of the attack during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
According to him, the attack happened in broad daylight, leaving him with injuries on his face and other parts of his body.
He said he was later taken to a hospital for treatment.
“They beat me like a criminal. They came from nowhere, about 20 of them, armed with sticks and bottles. They said they will kill me if I come to Ekiti again,” Sowore said.
The AAC chieftain further alleged that the incident was captured by CCTV cameras at the restaurant.
However, he accused the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) of taking possession of the footage in an attempt to cover up the attack.
Sowore also accused the Ekiti State Government of sponsoring the attack to intimidate him and silence opposition voices in the state.
However, the state government had yet to respond to the allegation as of the time of filing this report.
Despite the incident, the Sowore insisted that the attack would not stop him from speaking against injustice or pursuing his political activities.
“I am not afraid. They can beat me, they can arrest me, but they cannot stop me from speaking the truth,” he added.
However, Sowore alleged that those behind the attack came from the Government House of Ekiti.
He further alleged that the attackers were provided with tracking and operational support by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to him, the thugs who attacked him had the support of the DSS.
“This is the level of infamy to which Nigeria has been subjected! Those who brutally attacked us in Ado-Ekiti today came from the Government House @ekitistategov. They are well known, and they were provided with tracking and operational support by the
@OfficialDSSNG.
“Since our arrival yesterday, DSS operatives have been trailing and harassing us. They even threatened the manager of the first place where we ate, warning him never to allow us to use his premises again.
“Today, shortly after I completed an interview at MIDAS FM 90.5 in Ado-Ekiti, the thugs descended on us in a violent attack, allegedly with the assistance of the DSS,” he wrote on his 𝕏 account.
Sowore had earlier said the attack occurred inside a restaurant.
Sowore added that the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Falade Adegoroye, has visited the scene of the attack.
He therefore disagreed with the submission that it was an altercation, insisting that they were 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,” Sowore insisted.
