Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) leader Omoyele Sowore has alleged that a mobile device forcibly taken from a member of his entourage during a violent assault in Ekiti State was tracked directly to the Ekiti State Governor’s Lodge.
Sowore disclosed the claim in a formal statement on Sunday, raising serious questions about high-level involvement in the attack that occurred in Ado-Ekiti over the weekend.
“One of the phones stolen from a member of our team during Friday’s brutal attack in Ado-Ekiti has now been traced to the Governor’s Lodge in Ekiti State,” Sowore stated.
The political activist further accused security agencies specifically the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) of suppressing crucial evidence gathered from the scene of the violence.
Demanding full transparency, Sowore insisted on the immediate public disclosure of surveillance recordings. “The police and the DSS must immediately release the CCTV footage from Tawakalitu Restaurant to the public. You cannot bury the evidence.”
The confrontation broke out on Friday shortly after Sowore completed a broadcast interview at MIDAS FM 90.5 in Ado-Ekiti, where he and his delegation were ambushed by unidentified assailants.
While the Ekiti State Police Command issued a statement confirming the incident, law enforcement officials maintained that officers intervened to rescue Sowore from suspected political thugs, disputing early reports hinting at an attempted abduction.
However, civil rights group Take It Back Movement* denounced the assault in a separate statement, accusing police authorities of downplaying the severity and intent of the violence targeted at the activist's team.
Addressing public concern over the security breach, the state police command announced on Saturday that 11 individuals connected to the violence had been apprehended.
According to police spokesperson statements, the suspects remain in custody as investigators work to determine their respective levels of involvement, uncover potential political links, and identify accomplices still at large. Law enforcement authorities added that further findings will be released as the investigation progresses.