The Ekiti State Police Command has confirmed that African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, sustained injuries during an incident at a restaurant in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, while dismissing reports that he was kidnapped.
Police spokesperson, SP Sunday Abutu, said Sowore was rescued by operatives after the command received a distress report concerning an altercation involving the politician and some individuals at a restaurant in the Dalimore area of the state capital.
According to the command, Sowore was subsequently taken to the Police Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, where he was receiving treatment for a minor injury.
The clarification followed a post on Sowore’s X account alleging that he and members of his team had been attacked and that he had been taken away by armed men.
“Armed thugs kidnapped Sowore. His current location is unknown,” the post stated, adding that the group had been “brutally attacked and injured” by what it described as government-sponsored thugs.
Sowore’s post also alleged that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) provided the attackers with the team’s exact location, enabling the assault.
The police, however, rejected the kidnapping claim, saying preliminary information indicated that Sowore was involved in an altercation at the restaurant before officers were alerted.
“The command wishes to categorically clarify that Mr. Sowore was not kidnapped,” Abutu said in the statement. “Upon receiving the report, police operatives swiftly mobilised to the scene and successfully rescued him.”
Police Commissioner, CP Falade Adegoroye Michael, has ordered a discreet investigation into the incident.
Abutu said the investigation would establish the circumstances surrounding the confrontation, identify all individuals involved and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
The command urged residents to remain calm and disregard what it described as a misleading narrative of an alleged kidnapping.
It also warned against circulating unverified information capable of creating panic and tension in the state, reaffirming its commitment to protecting lives and property irrespective of political affiliation or status.
However, subsequent reports indicate that Sowore has disputed the police characterisation of the incident as an “altercation”, insisting that he and his associates were attacked.
Sowore was reportedly in Ekiti ahead of the 2026 Ikogosi Marathon scheduled for Saturday, October 31, an event he also participated in the previous year.
