Ekiti Govt House Sources Link Gov Oyebanji To Sowore Attack, Name Retired Police Officer Marcus, RRS Operatives As Alleged Coordinators

 

According to the source, the RRS operatives were positioned opposite Tawakalitu Restaurant, where Sowore and his entourage were attacked by armed men, and allegedly watched the assault without attempting to rescue the victims.Shop African Art

Sources within the Ekiti State Government House have accused Governor Biodun Oyebanji of masterminding 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, claiming that the operation was planned at the Government House following the activist’s criticism of the governor.

The sources, who spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday, alleged that Oyebanji and some people working with him had been determined to deal with Sowore since his previous visit to the state, during which he publicly accused the governor of doing nothing for the people of Ekiti.

One of the sources specifically identified a retired police officer known as Marcus, whom the source described as a close associate of the governor, as the alleged coordinator of a team of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives who monitored the attack from across the road without intervening.

According to the source, the RRS operatives were positioned opposite Tawakalitu Restaurant, where Sowore and his entourage were attacked by armed men, and allegedly watched the assault without attempting to rescue the victims.

The source further claimed that the officers had access to footage of the incident but deliberately refrained from intervening because of their alleged connections to the governor’s camp.

“Those behind the attack have been determined to deal with him since his last visit to Ekiti, when he publicly stated that Oyebanji had done nothing for the people of the state.

“When they heard that he was coming to Ekiti again and gaining momentum, that was when they started planning against him. So, strictly speaking, he should focus more attention on Oyebanji because he was responsible for the attack,” the source told SaharaReporters.

Describing the alleged involvement of the RRS operatives, the source said Marcus was among those monitoring the situation from the opposite side of the restaurant.

“The person leading that RRS team was Marcus, a retired police officer who works with Oyebanji. Marcus was on the other side, monitoring what was happening.

“The officers were there at the restaurant, monitoring the situation. They did not come out to intervene even when the attack was happening.

“Had the situation become overwhelming, they would have come in. But the thugs had already overpowered Sowore’s team, and the RRS officers did not come forward,” the source alleged.

The source urged Sowore to concentrate his investigation on Oyebanji and his political associates, arguing that linking the attack to other individuals could obscure the political interests allegedly behind the incident.

Another Government House source also cautioned against implicating Oyetunde Olademeji Ojo, arguing that he belongs to a different political faction within the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the governor.

Although both Oyetunde and Oyebanji belong to the APC, the source claimed that Oyetunde is aligned with the political camp of former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, while Oyebanji operates within a different political caucus.

The source alleged that the differences between the two camps had created an opportunity for political opponents to portray Sowore as confused about those responsible for the attack.

“Oyetunde and Oyebanji are not in the same camp. They belong to the APC, but they are not in the same political caucus. This has allowed Oyebanji’s people to use the situation against Sowore, portraying him as someone who does not know what he is talking about.

“Oyebanji himself was very much involved in what happened. Within Oyebanji’s camp, Oyetunde actually wants Oyebanji to fall, while Oyebanji wants Oyetunde to fall,” the source claimed.

The source insisted that the alleged attackers were associated with Oyebanji’s political camp rather than Oyetunde’s faction.

“Though Oyetunde is a bad boy too, my point is that those who came to attack him are Oyebanji’s boys. If Sowore keeps involving other people in this matter, it will make him look inconsistent, as though he does not even know who attacked him.Shop African Art

“Oyetunde wants to bring Oyebanji down, and Oyebanji wants to bring Oyetunde down. They are not in the same camp,” the source said.

The source described Ekiti politics as complicated, arguing that the internal divisions within the ruling APC were important to understanding the alleged political interests surrounding the attack.

Sources Detail Fayemi, Oyebanji Political Relationship
Another source provided details of the political relationship between Oyebanji and Fayemi, claiming that the former governor played a significant role in ensuring Oyebanji succeeded him but that disagreements subsequently emerged among different political interests within the APC.

According to the source, Fayemi had urged his supporters to remain patient during an inauguration event in the state, assuring them that they would eventually have opportunities to occupy political positions.

“At that time, they were in Ekiti for the inauguration. Fayemi told his boys to be patient, saying that only three days had passed and that very soon their time would come. He said their time would come and they would have their opportunity,” the source claimed.

The source maintained that Fayemi had worked to install Oyebanji as governor but alleged that political disagreements between their respective supporters had since complicated relationships within the party

“There are factions within the APC. That is what I have been trying to explain. Ekiti politics is very complicated,” the source said.

The source further urged Sowore to appeal to eyewitnesses and members of the public who recorded the attack to release their footage, arguing that the videos could help establish the sequence of events and identify those involved.

The source suggested that Sowore publicly offer a reward of ₦100,000 to anyone who witnessed the attack and was willing to provide video evidence.

The source again identified Marcus as someone allegedly present at the scene and insisted that the presence of the RRS operatives and their failure to intervene should form a central part of investigations into the assault.

Sowore and members of his team were attacked by armed men at Tawakalitu Restaurant in Ado-Ekiti on October 30, 2026, during his visit to the state.

The Ekiti State Police Command subsequently arraigned 11 persons before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ado-Ekiti over alleged conspiracy, assault occasioning harm and destruction of property.

However, Sowore rejected the arraignment, describing it as a “ruse and cover-up” because, according to him, the principal perpetrators he had publicly identified had not been arrested.

He also accused the police of attempting to shield those who allegedly planned, sponsored and coordinated the attack and renewed his demand for the removal of the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade.

SOURCE: SAHARA REPORTERS