BREAKING: SOWORE CLAIMS STOLEN PHONE FROM EKITI ATTACK TRACED TO GOVERNOR’S LODGE, DEMANDS RELEASE OF CCTV FOOTAGE
Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that a mobile phone stolen from a member of his team during the reported attack in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has been traced to a location near the Ekiti State Governor’s Office.
Sowore made the allegation on Sunday, November 1, 2026, while demanding that the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) immediately release CCTV footage from Tawakalitu Restaurant, where the incident occurred.
In a post on his social media account, the activist disclosed that two devices allegedly stolen from members of his team during the October 30 attack had been tracked to different locations within Ado-Ekiti.
According to him, one of the phones was traced to a location directly opposite the office of Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, while the second device was reportedly located opposite Fajuyi Park in the state capital.
Sowore described the reported locations as disturbing and questioned why the security agencies had not made available the CCTV recordings from the restaurant.
He alleged that the recordings could provide important evidence about the incident and help establish the identities and activities of those involved in the attack.
The AAC presidential candidate specifically called on the police and DSS to release the footage, arguing that the public deserved transparency over the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The latest development comes two days after Sowore and members of his team reportedly came under attack at Tawakalitu Restaurant in the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti.
The incident occurred shortly after the activist attended a radio interview at MIDAS FM 90.5 in the state capital. Sowore alleged that armed men stormed the restaurant and attacked members of his entourage, leaving some of them injured.
He also claimed that valuables, including mobile phones, were stolen during the confrontation.
Following the incident, Sowore accused individuals allegedly connected to the Ekiti State Government House of involvement and raised questions about the activities of security operatives who he claimed had been following his team before the attack.
He further alleged that DSS operatives provided support to those responsible for the assault. These allegations have not been independently established.
The Ekiti State Police Command initially described the incident as an altercation between Sowore and some individuals at the restaurant, insisting that the activist was not kidnapped.
However, Sowore rejected the police description, maintaining that he and his associates were victims of a coordinated attack rather than participants in an ordinary disagreement.
The police subsequently announced the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the incident. Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad reportedly apprehended the suspects at their hideouts in the Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti.
Items reportedly recovered during the operation included two walkie-talkies, 13 mobile phones, seven ATM cards, eight international passports, vehicle keys, a flash drive and substances suspected to be illicit drugs.
The police said investigations were ongoing to establish the individual roles of the suspects and determine whether other persons were involved.
However, Sowore has questioned whether the arrests would lead to the identification of those who allegedly planned, financed or coordinated the attack.
He has repeatedly demanded that the investigation extend beyond the arrested individuals to include anyone suspected of organising the incident.
The activist has also named Adenijo Sola, popularly known as Solar, and Omotuyi Temitope, also known as Tope Jinadu Small, among individuals he accused of involvement. The allegations against the named persons have not been established by a court.
The Ekiti State Government has denied involvement in the incident and called on the police to investigate the matter and ensure that anyone found responsible is brought to justice.
The reported tracking of the stolen phones has now added another dimension to the controversy, particularly as Sowore is demanding that the authorities investigate the locations identified by the devices and make relevant security recordings available.
However, a phone’s reported location does not by itself establish who possesses the device or prove that any government official or institution was involved in the alleged attack. Independent verification and further investigation would be required to establish those facts.
The CCTV footage from Tawakalitu Restaurant could also become relevant to determining what happened before, during and after the confrontation, provided the recordings are preserved and examined by investigators.
The development has renewed calls for transparency in the police investigation and an independent examination of the allegations involving political actors and security agencies.
Street News Reporters will continue to monitor the matter, including the response of the Ekiti State Government, the police and the DSS to Sowore’s demands, as well as any verified findings concerning the location of the stolen devices and the identities of those responsible for the reported attack.
