Sowore Not Kidnapped, Says Ekiti Police — Candidate Treated for Minor Injury After Restaurant Brawl
The Ekiti State Police Command has confirmed that Omoyele Sowore, the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), was attacked by hoodlums in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, sustaining minor injuries and receiving treatment at the Police Hospital.
The Command, however, dismissed widespread social media reports that Sowore was kidnapped, describing the abduction narrative as “misleading.”
According to a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abutu Sunday, the incident occurred at a restaurant in the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti — the same neighbourhood that hosts the historic Christ’s School.
The statement said Sowore was involved in an altercation with some individuals at the restaurant, after which the matter was reported to the police.
Operatives were swiftly mobilized to the scene, where they rescued the politician. He was said to have sustained a minor injury and was taken to the Police Hospital for medical attention.
Friday’s clarification followed a wave of social media posts claiming that the AAC presidential candidate had been abducted by armed men in the Ekiti State capital, with his whereabouts unknown.
The Police have urged the public to disregard those claims, insisting that preliminary findings point to an altercation — not an abduction.
“The kidnapping narrative is misleading,” the Command said. “Preliminary information available to the Command indicates that the incident arose from an altercation rather than an abduction.”
The Commissioner of Police, CP Falade Adegoroye Michael, has ordered a discreet investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The investigation, according to the Command, will identify all those involved and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
The Command has called on members of the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of causing unnecessary panic and tension.
It reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property, irrespective of political affiliation, status or background, assuring residents of its determination to maintain law and order across Ekiti State.
The attack on Sowore comes at a politically sensitive moment, as the 2027 presidential race gathers momentum. The AAC candidate, a vocal critic of successive administrations, has frequently clashed with authorities — but Friday’s incident in Ado-Ekiti is the first reported physical attack on him in the state.
The Police’s swift response and public clarification appear aimed at dousing tensions, particularly as social media continues to amplify unverified claims.
