Omoyele Sowore has alleged that the Nigerian government wants him dead following the attack on him and members of his team in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, October 30, 2026, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate questioned the conduct of the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, recalled an earlier incident involving a tracking device allegedly traced to the Department of State Services (DSS), and challenged the police account of what happened at the restaurant.
His latest allegations also include a disturbing account of what he was reportedly told at the hospital, as well as claims that security agencies seized CCTV footage capturing the attackers.
Sowore Says Government Wants Him Dead
During the interview, Sowore described the attack as part of a longstanding pattern of intimidation, linking it to his opposition to successive administrations.
“My life is at stake and I have been a threat to the government since I was 20 years old. I’m opposed to the illegitimacy of the government,” he said.
He recalled his previous confrontation with the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, asking the interviewer:
“Were you not here when Buhari abducted me from a hotel in Lagos? Is it not the same APC government?“
Sowore maintained that the attack in Ekiti was unprovoked and connected his experience to what he described as the government’s hostility towards his political activities.
“The issue is that we were attacked unprovoked in Ekiti State, I have been a threat and they want to kill me,” he added.
Sowore Recounts Hospital Warning After Police Visit
One of the most striking revelations from the interview concerned what allegedly happened while Sowore and members of his team were receiving medical attention.
According to him, the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, CP Falade Adegoroye Michael, visited them during their treatment.
Sowore questioned the commissioner’s subsequent description of the incident as an altercation, suggesting that his visit meant he had personally witnessed the aftermath.
He said:
“The Commissioner of Police came to see us while we were being treated so he knew the people who attacked us.”
He further recounted what he allegedly heard after the commissioner left.
“When he left, people were saying that ‘Sowore better leave because Oga knows these people,’” he said.
The activist questioned why the police would describe the incident as a minor confrontation after the commissioner had reportedly seen the injuries sustained by his team.
The allegation adds another dimension to his criticism of the police response, although it does not independently establish that the commissioner knew or was involved with the attackers.
Sowore Recalls DSS Tracker Discovery in Port Harcourt
Sowore also brought up an earlier incident in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which he said reinforced his concerns about being monitored by security operatives.
He alleged that an electronic tracking device had been discovered underneath a security vehicle used by his team during his visit to the state.
Recalling the incident on Politics Today, he said:”Don’t forget that when I went to Port Harcourt, it was the same way that they were tracking me all over, they placed a tracker under my car and it was traced to the DSS, so what are we arguing about?“
The incident he referenced dates back to August 2026, when he attended the Nigerian Bar Association’s Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt. In a separate statement at the time, he alleged that his team discovered the device after noticing unusual movements and switching vehicles.
He had written:
“After my speech at the Kay Hikers gathering, we noticed some strange movements and decided to switch vehicles. That was when we discovered an electronic tracking device attached underneath the security vehicle we had used that night.”
The DSS has not publicly confirmed responsibility for the alleged tracking device.
Sowore Rejects Police Account, Demands CCTV Evidence
Following the attack in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State Police Command disputed reports that Sowore had been kidnapped, saying he was involved in an altercation with some individuals at a restaurant in the Dalimore area.
Police spokesperson SP Sunday Abutu said officers were alerted, moved to the scene and rescued the AAC candidate, who sustained what the command described as a minor injury.
In its statement, the command said:
“The Command wishes to categorically clarify that Mr. Sowore was not kidnapped. Rather, preliminary information indicates that he had an altercation with some individuals at a restaurant around Dalimore area, Ado-Ekiti, following which the Police were immediately alerted.”
It added that the Commissioner of Police had ordered a discreet investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those involved.
Sowore, however, strongly rejected the description of the incident as an altercation.
“There was no altercation! We were attacked!” he declared in a response published on his social media accounts.
He accused the commissioner of downplaying the incident despite personally visiting the scene and witnessing the injuries sustained by his team.
In another statement, he wrote:
“The Commissioner saw the injuries, witnessed the aftermath of the violence, and was fully aware of the seriousness of what happened. Yet his Command has chosen to trivialize the attack, even describing the injuries as ‘minor’.”He also questioned the commissioner’s conduct, adding that allegations had emerged suggesting the police chief was involved in the incident. He described the development as “despicable“.
Sowore shared a video showing the commissioner leaving an emergency room after reportedly observing the injured members of his team.
The disagreement extended to the restaurant’s CCTV recordings, which Sowore alleged were taken by the police and DSS.In a separate post, he accused both security agencies of seizing the footage from the restaurant owner.
“The Ekiti State Police Command and the @OfficialDSSNG have seized the CCTV footage from the owner of the restaurant where we were brutally attacked in Ado-Ekiti,” he wrote.
He added:
“The attackers were captured on camera, and we’ve now learnt that the police and DSS are attempting to suppress this crucial evidence to shield those responsible. But we already know them!“
The allegation raises questions about the whereabouts of the recordings and whether they will be made available as part of the police investigation.
Sowore’s Clash With Channels Television Presenter
The interview also featured a heated exchange between Sowore and Politics Today presenter Seun Okinbaloye.
The disagreement started after Okinbaloye asked whether Sowore had provoked the individuals who allegedly attacked him.
Sowore objected strongly to the question, responding:
“Don’t ask me such a condescending question. I was attacked, I was beaten. You are asking me if I provoked them? That is victim blaming.”
When the presenter attempted to explain that he was trying to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, Sowore questioned the approach.
“I came here to tell you that I was attacked and the police seized the CCTV to cover it up, and you are asking me if I provoked thugs? Is that journalism?” he asked.
The exchange generated reactions online, with the discussion shifting from the attack itself to the journalist’s questioning and Sowore’s response.
Sowore had earlier alleged that the attackers were government-sponsored and that DSS operatives provided them with his team’s location. He also claimed that the individuals involved came from the Ekiti Government House.
The Ekiti State Police Command has announced an investigation, but no publicly confirmed arrests or findings had been announced as of October 31. The DSS and Ekiti State Government had also not issued detailed public responses to the allegations.
