Take It Back Movement rejects police account of attack on Sowore in Ekiti
The Take It Back Movement (TIB) has dismissed the Ekiti State Police Command’s description of the recent attack on its leader, Omoyele Sowore, who is also the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), in Ado-Ekiti.
In a statement issued on October 30, TIB’s National Coordinator, Sanyaolu Juwon, called for the immediate removal of Commissioner of Police Falade Adegoroye Michael and demanded the identification and prosecution of all individuals involved in the attack.
TIB expressed outrage not only over the violence directed at Sowore, Pastor Samuel Ajeigbe, the organization’s National Chairman, and other members but also over what it characterized as an attempt by the police to minimize the severity of the incident. The statement was titled “You Cannot Beat, Bleed and Then Gaslight the Victims.”
The movement contended that Sowore and his team were attacked without any prior confrontation, countering the police’s claims. TIB asserted that photographs and eyewitness accounts from the attack scene illustrated serious injuries sustained by the victims.
Furthermore, TIB criticized the police for labeling the altercation as a minor incident, arguing that such statements insult the intelligence of Nigerians and exacerbate the trauma experienced by the victims. The statement emphasized that “a press release cannot erase injuries” and called for accountability.
TIB highlighted that despite Sowore’s assertion that Commissioner Adegoroye personally visited the scene and witnessed the aftermath, the police later issued a statement that downplayed the assault.
The group is also demanding an independent investigation into potential misconduct and complicity among security personnel, insisting that no individual, including the commissioner, should be exempt from scrutiny.
Additionally, TIB condemned the Ekiti State Government, led by Governor Biodun Oyebanji, for failing to ensure a safe environment where political actors can exercise their constitutional rights. The organization warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that political power does not equate to control over public spaces.
“Identify the perpetrators. Arrest them. Prosecute them. Let justice be done,” TIB stated, emphasizing its commitment to not be intimidated into silence.
