VIDEO SHOWS ALLEGED CITY BOY MOVEMENT EXECUTIVE WIELDING MACHETE DURING ATTACK ON SOWORE, TEAM IN EKITI
A newly released video showing a man allegedly linked to the City Boy Movement wielding a machete during the October 30 attack on African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, and members of his team in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has sparked fresh calls for an independent investigation.
The footage, shared online by Sowore, reportedly captures a man wearing a green T-shirt and white cap brandishing a machete during the confrontation at Tawakalitu Restaurant. Other individuals are also seen allegedly attacking people at the scene, while another section of the video appears to show a police officer being stripped by some of the men.
SaharaReporters identified the man as an alleged executive of the City Boy Movement, a political support organisation established to promote President Bola Tinubu. However, his alleged membership and the precise role he played in the incident require independent confirmation.
The City Boy Movement was established in 2022 as a youth-focused political advocacy and social welfare organisation supporting Tinubu’s political ambition. The group’s leadership structure includes Tinubu as Grand Patron and his son, Seyi Tinubu, as National Patron, according to the report.
Sowore described the emergence of the footage as a major breakthrough, saying it showed the faces of individuals allegedly involved in the attack on him, AAC members and other members of his team.
He said the video could help investigators identify those involved and establish their individual roles in the incident, which occurred after he and his entourage had been in Ado-Ekiti.
The latest development comes amid allegations by Sowore that CCTV recordings from Tawakalitu Restaurant, where the attack happened, had disappeared after security operatives reportedly removed the surveillance equipment from the premises.
According to the activist, police officers and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) took possession of the CCTV equipment and transported it to the Ekiti State Government House before it was returned to the restaurant without the recordings.
Sowore claimed that the restaurant management confirmed that a Divisional Police Officer had returned the equipment but that the footage had been wiped. He also alleged that the management declined to identify the officer who brought it back. These claims have not been independently verified.
The activist further disclosed that he contacted the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade; the Divisional Police Officer of Ado-Ekiti Central Police Station, Mustapha Mohammed; and the commander of the state’s Rapid Response Squad to demand an update on the investigation.
He alleged that the officers told him there was no complainant because he had not submitted a written statement, despite the police having reportedly intervened after the incident, taken victims to hospital and arrested suspects.
Sowore also questioned the officers about mobile phones allegedly stolen during the attack and electronically traced to the Governor’s Lodge. He claimed that the officers denied knowledge of the matters he raised before abruptly ending their conversations.
The AAC has separately accused individuals linked to the City Boy Movement in Ekiti State of involvement in the attack. The party said some alleged assailants were identified by victims and eyewitnesses as wearing caps bearing the movement’s name and logo.
In a statement, the party called for an independent investigation and demanded the release of the CCTV recordings from the restaurant. It also alleged that the attackers used dangerous weapons, including machetes, axes, knives and firearms. These remain allegations requiring investigation.
The video has renewed questions about the circumstances surrounding the attack and the handling of potential evidence. It may provide investigators with leads, but the identities of everyone shown, their affiliations and their individual actions must be established through a credible investigation.
Sowore has called for an independent body to investigate the incident, identify those involved and examine the allegations surrounding the missing CCTV recordings. He has also demanded the removal of Commissioner of Police Michael Falade and other officers he accused of mishandling the case.
As of the latest reports, the allegations of CCTV evidence being deliberately erased and a coordinated police cover-up had not been independently established. The relevant security authorities have yet to publicly provide a detailed response addressing all the claims raised by Sowore.
Street News Reporters will continue to monitor developments surrounding the Ekiti attack, including the identification of the individuals captured in the video, the investigation into the alleged destruction of CCTV recordings and any official response from the Ekiti State Police Command, the DSS and the City Boy Movement.
