Sowore shares video of attackers, claims CCTV footage erased in Ekiti

Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has shared a video that he says shows people involved in the attack on his team in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, last Friday.

In a post on X, Sowore called the video a step forward in finding those behind the attack. He also asked for an independent probe to confirm the identities and roles of the people in the video.

The video seems to show some men with cutlasses and sticks during a fight, while another person in a black suit is seen being dragged. Many onlookers are also visible watching the scene.

Sowore also claimed that CCTV recordings from Tawakalitu Restaurant, where the attack took place on October 30, were erased after police and State Security Service (SSS) officers allegedly took the surveillance equipment.

"The breakthrough comes amid disturbing news that CCTV recordings from Tawakalitu Restaurant, where the attack happened, have reportedly been wiped clean after police and the SSS took the equipment to Government House and returned it only this evening without any footage," he said in an X post.

He added that the CCTV equipment was returned to the restaurant management without the recorded videos.

"Tawakalitu Restaurant management reportedly confirmed that a DPO returned the CCTV equipment, but the recordings had been completely wiped. The management refused to name the officer who returned the equipment. This shows a planned cover-up by the police in Ekiti State," he said.

These new claims came three days after Sowore accused political thugs of attacking him and his team in Ado-Ekiti. The Ekiti State Police Command rejected his version, calling the incident an "altercation" with some people at a restaurant.

In an earlier statement, the police said their officers rescued Sowore after they got information about the attack and he suffered minor injuries. The Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, has ordered a quiet investigation to find out what happened and who is responsible.

Sowore said he reached out to Falade, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ado-Ekiti Central Police Station, Mustapha Mohammed, and the Rapid Response Squad commander for updates on the investigation.

He claimed the officers told him there was no complainant because he had not written a statement.

Sowore questioned this, saying the police had already acted in the case.

"The officers said there was ‘no complainant’ because I had not submitted a written statement, even though police rescued the victims, took them to the hospital, arrested suspects, and recovered weapons, stolen phones, and other items," he said.

Sowore urged the police and SSS to release the CCTV footage from the restaurant, saying it could clarify what took place during the incident.

He also called for the removal of the state Commissioner of Police and other officers he accused of mishandling the investigation.

PREMIUM TIMES tried to reach the Ekiti State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Sunday Abutu, for his side of the story. He asked the reporter to call back in the afternoon.

"I will get back to you, please," he said. "Call me around 12:00 p.m."