“Who Wants Sowore Silenced Before 2027?” — AAC Candidate Hospitalised After Ekiti Attack As DSS Faces Location-Leakage Allegation

By Passman Akpos

The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has reportedly been injured and taken to hospital following a violent attack by armed men at a restaurant in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The incident, which occurred on Friday, October 30, 2026, reportedly involved an attack on Sowore and members of his entourage at Tawakal’tu Restaurants and Catering Services in the Ekiti State capital.

Reports indicate that members of his campaign team, including his brother, were allegedly assaulted with machetes during the confrontation, leaving some people with injuries.

The attack reportedly triggered panic inside the restaurant, forcing customers and other occupants to flee for safety.

Initial reports also raised concerns about Sowore’s whereabouts, with his campaign team alleging that he had been abducted by armed men.

However, the Ekiti State Police Command has subsequently confirmed the attack while disputing claims that the AAC presidential candidate was kidnapped.

According to the police, officers responded to a distress call, intervened and rescued Sowore from the situation.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu, reportedly disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that Sowore was involved in an altercation with some individuals at the restaurant.

The police added that the politician sustained minor injuries and was receiving medical attention at the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Michael Falade, has reportedly ordered a discreet investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those involved.

CAMPAIGN TEAM ACCUSES DSS OF LEAKING SOWORE’S LOCATION

Despite the police account, Sowore’s media team has accused the Department of State Services (DSS) of allegedly providing armed men with information about the presidential candidate’s exact location.

In a statement published on Sowore’s official X account, the campaign team alleged that the attackers were government-sponsored thugs who had been given information that enabled them to locate and attack the opposition politician.

The statement read:

“We have been brutally attacked and injured by well-armed government-sponsored thugs in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The @OfficialDSSNG provided these attackers with our exact location, enabling them to carry out this vicious assault. We won’t back down! We have a country to liberate!”

The allegation raises serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the attack and whether any security agency personnel had prior knowledge of the movements of the AAC presidential candidate.

However, the allegation against the DSS has not been independently established, and no evidence has so far been publicly presented to substantiate the campaign team’s claim.

The DSS had not publicly responded to the allegation as of the time of filing this report.

AAC DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM EKITI GOVERNOR, IGP

Earlier, the African Action Congress raised the alarm over Sowore’s whereabouts, demanding urgent intervention from Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the Inspector-General of Police and the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police.

The party expressed concern over the safety of its presidential candidate and members of his campaign organisation.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rex Elanu, the AAC demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the attack.

The party also warned that it would not remain silent if security agencies failed to take appropriate action.

It threatened to mobilise supporters for a mass protest at the Ekiti State Government House if authorities failed to address the incident.

The Sowore/Magashi Presidential Election Campaign also called on the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant security agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and guarantee the safety of the presidential candidate.

ATTACK COMES AMID HEIGHTENED POLITICAL ACTIVITIES AHEAD OF 2027

The incident comes as political activities intensify across Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Sowore, a human rights activist, journalist and publisher of SaharaReporters, has consistently criticised successive Nigerian administrations and challenged government policies.

He was in Ekiti State for campaign-related engagements ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

On Thursday, October 29, his defence counsel informed the Federal High Court in Abuja that the AAC presidential candidate was in Ekiti for political activities.

The court subsequently adjourned his ongoing cyberbullying trial until November 3, 2026.

The attack has now introduced another serious security concern into the unfolding political atmosphere ahead of the next general election.

QUESTIONS AUTHORITIES MUST ANSWER

Beyond the immediate police intervention, several questions remain unanswered.

Who were the individuals involved in the confrontation at the restaurant?

Were machetes actually used during the attack, and how many people sustained injuries?

Was Sowore’s brother among those assaulted, as reported by sources familiar with the incident?

What evidence supports the campaign team’s allegation that the DSS leaked the presidential candidate’s location?

Have the police identified or arrested any of the alleged attackers?

Will the DSS publicly respond to the allegations against its personnel?

And perhaps most importantly, will the police investigation establish the identities of everyone involved and ensure that anyone found culpable faces prosecution?

While the police have disputed the abduction narrative, their confirmation that Sowore was attacked, sustained injuries and required police intervention makes a transparent investigation imperative.

Nigeria’s electoral process cannot afford to become an environment where political disagreements degenerate into physical attacks, intimidation and threats against candidates and their supporters.

For now, the attention is on the Ekiti State Police Command, the DSS and Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration to provide further answers.

Tarakirivoice Newspaper will continue to monitor developments surrounding the incident.