Lawyer and public advocate Tope Temokun has called on the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to take over the investigation into the reported attack on Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), and his supporters in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, on 30 October 2026.
In an open letter dated 31 October 2026 and addressed to the Inspector General at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Temokun demanded an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, including allegations of political involvement, the alleged role of security operatives and the response of the Ekiti State Police Command.
Sowore has alleged that the attackers came from the Ekiti State Government House and received tracking and operational support from operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). According to the allegations cited in Temokun’s letter, DSS operatives provided the attackers with information about the location of Sowore and his team.
Temokun said the allegations required a thorough, impartial and independent investigation to establish the identities of the attackers, their possible connections to the Government House and whether any individual or institution sponsored, facilitated or participated in the incident.
The lawyer also called on the administration of Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji to provide clear answers to questions surrounding the alleged links between the attackers and the Government House, while urging the state government to cooperate fully with investigators.
He maintained that the investigation must establish the facts rather than rely on conflicting accounts of the incident, stressing the need to determine who was responsible and whether any public official or security agency played a role.
Temokun expressed further concern over the handling of the incident by the Ekiti State Police Command under Commissioner of Police Michael Adegoroye Falade.
According to the letter, Sowore alleged that the commissioner personally witnessed the injuries sustained by the victims, yet the police command reportedly described the incident as an altercation and characterised the injuries as minor.
The police, however, maintain that their officers rescued Sowore following an altercation at a restaurant.
The conflicting accounts, Temokun argued, raise questions about whether an investigation conducted by the same state command would command the confidence of the victims and the wider public. He therefore urged the Inspector General to ensure that the command’s handling of the incident, including its public statements, is subjected to independent scrutiny.
The lawyer called for the constitution of an investigative team drawn from outside the Ekiti State Police Command, with the team reporting directly to Force Headquarters. He said such an arrangement would help address concerns about impartiality and strengthen public confidence in the investigation.
Temokun outlined five key areas that should guide the proposed inquiry: identifying the individuals who allegedly carried out the attack and anyone who sponsored or facilitated it; examining the alleged links between the attackers and the Ekiti State Government House; investigating claims of tracking and operational assistance by DSS operatives; reviewing the response of the Ekiti State Police Command and its public account of the incident; and securing relevant evidence, including medical records and available video recordings.
He also called for measures to protect victims and witnesses who may provide information to investigators.
Addressing the police command’s reported reference to Sowore’s failure to notify the police of his arrival in the state, Temokun warned against allowing the issue to distract from the central question of the reported attack.
He argued that failure to announce a visit to the police could not be used to justify violence against any individual, insisting that the circumstances surrounding the incident must be investigated on their merits.
The lawyer said the Inspector General’s intervention was necessary to demonstrate that allegations of politically connected violence would be investigated without fear or favour, regardless of the identities or positions of those who might be implicated.
He consequently demanded prompt action by the IGP to ensure that the investigation is transparent, impartial and free from political interference.
As of the date of the open letter, the allegations concerning the attackers’ alleged links to the Ekiti State Government House and the DSS remained claims requiring independent verification. A credible investigation would be expected to establish the facts, identify those responsible, if any, and determine whether criminal or disciplinary action is warranted.
The demand places renewed emphasis on police accountability and the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to investigate reported violence objectively, particularly where allegations involve political actors or security institutions.
Temokun signed the open letter in his capacity as a lawyer and public advocate, calling on IGP Disu to assume direct oversight of the investigation and ensure that all relevant parties are examined in accordance with the law.