Eyewitnesses have identified a man known as Adenijo Sola, popularly called Solar, as the alleged leader of the group of thugs who attacked human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and members of his team in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The witnesses also alleged that Solar was working for the Ekiti State Government, claiming that he was on its payroll.
One of the eyewitnesses accused him of previously being involved in the murder of a female police officer in Omuo.
“He is on state government payroll,” another eyewitness familiar with developments in the state alleged.
Investigations revealed that Adenijo was among seven men who stood trial over the September 2014 murder of Chief Omolafe Aderiye, a former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ekiti State.
Aderiye, who was reportedly a loyalist of former Governor Ayodele Fayose, was killed on September 25, 2014.
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During proceedings at the Ado-Ekiti High Court in May 2017, Adenijo and the other defendants reportedly rejected a lawyer who announced his appearance on their behalf, insisting that they had not authorised him to represent them.
However, in January 2018, the Ekiti State High Court, presided over by Justice Adekanye Lekan Ogunmoye, discharged and acquitted Adenijo and the six other defendants.
The court ruled that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence linking them to Aderiye’s murder. The defendants had also denied the allegations.
The identification of Solar comes amid allegations by Sowore that political thugs linked to the Ekiti State Government House attacked him and his associates on Friday, October 30, shortly after an interview at MIDAS FM 90.5 in Ado-Ekiti.
The activist also accused operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) of providing the attackers with tracking and operational support.
In statements released after the incident, Sowore alleged that the attackers came from the Government House and claimed that DSS operatives had been monitoring his movements since he arrived in the state.
He further alleged that the security operatives harassed him and his associates from the time they arrived in Ekiti on Thursday.
According to him, DSS operatives also threatened the manager of a restaurant where they had earlier eaten, warning against allowing them to use the premises again.
Describing the attack, Sowore said the assailants descended on him and his team shortly after he completed his radio interview.
He also criticised the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Falade Adegoroye Michael, for describing the incident as an altercation and the injuries sustained by the victims as minor.
Sowore maintained that they were attacked rather than involved in a confrontation, adding that the police commissioner had personally visited the location where they were receiving emergency medical attention and seen their injuries.
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