Operatives of the Ekiti State Police Command have taken 11 suspects into custody following a violent assault on Omoyele Sowore, a prominent political figure and African Action Congress presidential aspirant, alongside members of his entourage at an eatery located in Ado- Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State.
According to an official release issued on Saturday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abutu Sunday, the arrests were executed around 10 p.m. on Friday. Tactical operatives from the Rapid Response Squad tracked down the suspects to their hideouts within the Atikankan neighborhood following actionable intelligence.
What were the recovered items?
During the raid, security personnel recovered several exhibits from the suspects, including two walkie-talkies, suspected quantities of Indian hemp and Colorado, two weed crushers, a pack of Rizla, seven automated teller machine cards, 13 mobile phones, two vehicle keys, a flash drive, an MTN 5G Wi-Fi gadget, identification cards, eight international passports, three complimentary cards, two suspected criminal amulets, a gas lighter, and the sum of ₦250.
Who are the arrested suspects?
The police identified the detained individuals 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).
Authorities confirmed that preliminary inquiries are currently underway to ascertain the specific involvement of each suspect and uncover any broader connections to the assault.
The State Commissioner of Police, Falade Michael, reassured residents of the state that anyone implicated in the crime would face the full wrath of the law, emphasizing that the command is committed to ensuring a thorough and transparent probe.
How did Sowore react to the development?
Responding via a statement on social media on Saturday, Sowore acknowledged the arrests but maintained that detaining foot soldiers was insufficient. He argued that the incident was a premeditated and coordinated hit rather than a random disagreement, demanding that the masterminds and financial backers behind the aggression be fished out.
The politician further alleged that certain assailants had ties to a faction known as the City Boys group, prompting a call for probes into potential connections involving state government actors. He also challenged the Department of State Services and the police leadership to secure and make public closed-circuit television recordings from the vicinity to aid identification.
"Arresting 11 suspects is not enough if those who planned, financed, coordinated and facilitated the attack remain untouched," Sowore stated, while also questioning the police for initially characterizing the violent encounter as a mere altercation.