A heated disagreement over hunger, economic hardship and support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reportedly triggered the confrontation between human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and a group of Tinubu supporters at a restaurant in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

A source familiar with the incident told THE WHISTLER that the disagreement began when Sowore challenged members of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) Door-to-Door supporters’ group over their continued support for the administration despite the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians.

According to the source, the argument escalated into a physical confrontation involving Sowore, members of his entourage and some of the president’s supporters.

The incident occurred on Friday, October 30, 2026, at Tawakalitu Restaurant in the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti, shortly after Sowore appeared on MIDAS FM 90.5, where he granted a radio interview and criticised the Tinubu administration.

The source claimed that some members of the PBAT supporters’ group, wearing Tinubu-branded campaign shirts and caps, entered the restaurant while Sowore and his associates were having a meal.

Sowore reportedly questioned why they continued to support the president despite the economic hardship and rising cost of living in the country.

The disagreement allegedly became heated before degenerating into a physical confrontation, leaving Sowore and other persons injured.

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However, the account provided by the source differs from Sowore’s description of the incident. The activist had alleged that he and members of his team were attacked by armed men sponsored by the Ekiti State Government, with operational support from the Department of State Services (DSS).

In a post on his X account shortly after the incident, Sowore announced that he and his associates had been brutally attacked and injured by what he described as government-sponsored thugs.

He also alleged that DSS operatives had been trailing and harassing his team since their arrival in Ekiti State, claiming that they had threatened the management of an earlier restaurant where the group had eaten.

Sowore subsequently rejected the police description of the incident as an altercation, insisting that he and his associates were victims of an organised attack.

“There was no altercation! We were attacked!” he declared.

The Ekiti State Police Command, however, dismissed reports that Sowore had been kidnapped, explaining that its operatives responded to a distress call about a confrontation at the restaurant.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said officers rescued Sowore from the scene and took him to the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti for medical attention.

The command initially described his injury as minor and disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Falade Adegoroye Michael, had ordered an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those involved.

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The police also urged members of the public to disregard unverified reports and allow investigators to establish what happened.

Meanwhile, the African Action Congress (AAC) expressed concern over the incident, calling on the Ekiti State Governor, the Inspector-General of Police and the state Commissioner of Police to ensure Sowore’s safety and bring those responsible to justice.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rex Elanu, warned that it could organise a mass protest at the Ekiti State Government House if the authorities failed to take appropriate action.

The party also described the incident as a threat to democratic participation and called for an investigation into the alleged involvement of government-linked individuals.

The Ekiti State Government denied any involvement in the confrontation, distancing itself from Sowore’s allegations and calling on the police to conduct a thorough investigation.

In a statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Olayinka Oyebode, on Saturday, October 31, the government said it had no connection with the incident and maintained that the circumstances should be established by the appropriate authorities.

The police subsequently announced the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the incident. According to the command, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad arrested the suspects during a raid on their hideouts in the Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti at about 10pm on Friday.

The suspects were identified as Joseph Tayo, 32; Olatunji Abayomi, 41; Isaac Amba, 22; Kehinde Ajigbana, 18; Tosin David, 18; Solomon Iyanu, 18; Ogunsola Ayomide, 21; Ojo Ayodeji, 22; Kayode Dada, 32; Segun Olatunji, 28; and Salami Emmanuel, 53.

Items recovered during the operation included two walkie-talkies, 13 mobile phones, seven ATM cards, two vehicle keys, a flash drive, a 5G MTN Wi-Fi device, identity cards, eight international passports and three complimentary cards.

Other recovered items included substances suspected to be Indian hemp and Colorado, two cannabis crushers, a pack of Rizla, two suspected criminal charms, a gas lighter and ₦250.

The police said the suspects remained in custody as investigations continued to determine their individual roles, establish possible connections with the confrontation and identify other persons who might have participated in the incident.

The command also confirmed that all victims, including Sowore, had received medical attention and were treated and discharged from the hospital.

Commissioner of Police Falade Adegoroye Michael assured that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice, irrespective of political affiliation.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress and publisher of Sahara Reporters, is a prominent critic of Tinubu’s administration and has repeatedly challenged the government’s economic policies, particularly its handling of inflation, fuel prices and the rising cost of living.

The confrontation comes amid renewed political debate over hunger and poverty following Tinubu’s recent criticism of opposition politicians for blaming his administration for the country’s economic difficulties.

At his October 24 campaign rally in Kaduna, Tinubu accused opposition politicians of creating the hunger and poverty they now criticise his government over.

“They created the hunger. They created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” the president said.

His remarks generated reactions from opposition figures, who accused him of shifting responsibility for the economic hardship confronting Nigerians.

Although an unnamed source has linked the Ekiti confrontation to an argument over hunger and support for Tinubu, the police have yet to publicly establish who initiated the physical violence or independently confirm that the political disagreement triggered the clash.

The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the roles, if any, played by the individuals arrested.