The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested 11 people suspected of involvement in the attack on African Action Congress (AAC) presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, and members of his entourage at a restaurant in Ado-Ekiti.
The arrests were made late Friday night, October 30, following a police operation in the Atikankan area of the state capital.
According to the police, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) acted on intelligence before raiding the suspects’ hideouts at about 10pm.
The command’s spokesperson, Abutu Sunday, announced the development in a statement released on Saturday, identifying the suspects as men aged between 18 and 53.
During the operation, officers reportedly recovered two walkie-talkies, 13 mobile phones, seven ATM cards, two vehicle keys and a flash drive.
Other items found included substances suspected to be Indian hemp and Colorado, two crushers, a pack of Rizla, eight international passports, three complimentary cards, a 5G MTN Wi-Fi device and two suspected criminal charms. The police also listed a gas lighter and N250 among the recovered items.
The command said the suspects were currently in custody as investigations continued to determine their individual involvement in the incident, establish possible links to the attack and identify other people who may have participated.
Commissioner of Police, Falade Michael, assured residents that the command would ensure that anyone found responsible was brought to justice, regardless of political affiliation.
The arrests come amid controversy over the circumstances surrounding the incident. While the police initially described it as an altercation between Sowore and some individuals at Tawakalitu Restaurant in the Dalimore area, the AAC chieftain maintained that he was attacked by armed men in what he described as a coordinated assault.
Sowore had also accused the police of attempting to minimise the seriousness of the incident. The command, however, confirmed that he and the other victims received medical attention and were subsequently discharged from the hospital.
