Omoyele Sowore has accused President Bola Tinubu’s son-in-law, Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo, of protecting people he alleges were involved in an attack on his team in Ado-Ekiti.
In a statement posted online, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate linked Ojo, managing director of the Federal Housing Authority, to Sola Adenijo, known as “Solar.”
Sowore alleged that Adenijo was among those involved in the October 30 assault and had avoided prosecution for years despite earlier charges connected to political violence.
He also claimed Adenijo serves as treasurer of the Ekiti State chapter of the City Boy Movement, an organisation associated with Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu.
The accusations have not been independently verified, and no response from Ojo or the Presidency was included in the reports reviewed.
Sowore’s post follows an attack at Tawakalitu Restaurant in the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti, where he and members of his team were reportedly assaulted.
Sowore names alleged attack suspects
Sowore identified Ayodeji Akintade Ijarotimi Ifeoluwa, popularly known as “AK,” as a machete-wielding attacker captured in video footage of the incident.
He alleged that Akintade holds the position of chief security officer for the City Boy Movement in Ekiti State.
Sowore further accused Sunday Adedayo Asefon, a former National Association of Nigerian Students president and presidential aide on student engagement, of coordinating the attack.
He described Asefon as a chief patron of the City Boy Movement and said the aide could not deny the accusation that he supervised the assault.
The claims against Adenijo, Akintade and Asefon are allegations made by Sowore; the material reviewed did not establish their involvement.
Police announced that 11 people had been arrested in connection with the restaurant incident, while saying investigations were continuing to determine individual roles and identify others.
The police-listed suspects’ names did not include Adenijo or Akintade in the initial announcement.
Police investigation and earlier violence
The Ekiti State Police Command said its Rapid Response Squad arrested the 11 suspects at a hideout in Ado-Ekiti on October 30.
Police spokesperson Abutu Sunday said investigators were working to establish the suspects’ roles, assess possible connections and identify additional people involved.
The command’s announcement followed the reported assault at Tawakalitu Restaurant, where Sowore and members of his team were present.
Sowore has described the incident as a coordinated, politically motivated attack, while police accounts have differed from his characterization.
In a separate allegation, Sowore linked Adenijo to a 2021 Ekiti East constituency by-election incident in which policewoman Sergeant Olawoye Bukola was shot and later died.
Contemporaneous reporting confirms that Bukola died after being shot while on election duty in Omuo-Ekiti, but it does not establish Adenijo’s responsibility.
Sowore alleged that politically connected associates helped shield Adenijo from justice, though the post did not provide documentary evidence for that claim.
Political links and calls for accountability
Sowore framed the alleged connections as evidence of political protection for people he says are linked to violence against opposition figures.
He said the Presidency’s silence about the Ado-Ekiti attack was “deafening” and argued that it raised questions about who knew of, authorised or protected those responsible.
That statement reflects Sowore’s accusation; silence alone does not establish that government officials directed or covered up the assault.
The activist also alleged that the attack was connected to his political criticism of the Tinubu administration and his campaign activities.
The incidents have renewed attention to the safety of political candidates, campaign teams and journalists as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election.
Police have said their investigation remains ongoing, but their initial public statement did not confirm Sowore’s claims about the named individuals or alleged political affiliations.
Adenijo’s alleged role in the City Boy Movement and Akintade’s purported security position were not independently confirmed in the reporting reviewed.
No response from Ojo, Asefon, the City Boy Movement or the Presidency was available in the sources reviewed for this report.
The allegations now place scrutiny on investigators to establish what happened at the restaurant, whether others were involved and whether evidence supports Sowore’s claims.
