Omoyele Sowore faces legal dispute and allegations of attack in Nigeria

Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress presidential candidate, is embroiled in both a legal battle and allegations of physical violence in Nigeria. In Abuja, the Department of State Services (DSS) has petitioned the Federal High Court to set aside a subpoena issued by Sowore. The agency claims the move to compel its lead counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, to testify is a bad-faith attempt to delay Sowore’s trial for allegedly cyberbullying President Bola Tinubu. The DSS argued that the subpoena violates lawyer-client privilege and constitutes an abuse of court process. Justice Mohammed Garba Umar has scheduled a ruling on this application for November 9, 2026.

Separately, Sowore has released video footage of an incident in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, which he describes as a coordinated assassination attempt. He alleges that armed thugs attacked him and his team at a restaurant, claiming the assault was politically motivated and supported by the DSS and officials close to the presidency. Sowore further alleged a cover-up, claiming that CCTV footage from the scene was erased after being taken by police and DSS operatives. While the Ekiti Police Command stated that Sowore had not notified security of his movements, legal expert Femi Falana has called for the immediate arrest of the attackers, describing them as well-known individuals.