Police Uncover Plot Involving Thugs Ahead of APC Primaries
Tensions have heightened in Ekiti State as the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for its House of Representatives primaries this Saturday. Authorities have arrested 11 individuals suspected of plotting to disrupt the electoral process.
The Ekiti State Police Command, which publicly displayed the suspects, has claimed a connection between them and a current member of the House of Representatives. However, the suspects have vehemently denied any involvement in the alleged scheme.
Police characterized the situation as an orchestrated attempt to undermine the APC primaries in the Moba/Irehemeje/Ido-Osi federal constituency. This followed a raid at Onikoyi Hotel in Ikun Ekiti, where law enforcement recovered a cache of firearms, including pump-action guns.
During a press briefing in Ado Ekiti, Police Commissioner Farade Adegoloye Michael stated that the operation was initiated based on credible intelligence indicating that armed individuals were congregating at the hotel ahead of the upcoming elections.
According to Commissioner Michael, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) executed the raid at approximately 9 p.m. on May 14, apprehending seven suspects, while several others fled the scene in three vehicles.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Adekunle Stephen, Adepoju Adebayo, Boluwaji Ishola, Oluwatobi Adelwa, Akintonde Emmanuel, Adewale Makanjuola, and Ibitola Babatope. Among the items seized were two pump-action guns, a Beretta pistol, nine live 9mm rounds, and two Apple laptops, alongside a Honda Accord linked to one of the suspects.
A follow-up operation resulted in the capture of another four suspects—Abanikananda Sikiru, Dayo Ibijowo, Ajayi Dele, and Adegbite Damola—who were in an unregistered Toyota Sienna. One additional pump-action firearm was reportedly located during this operation.
Commissioner Michael stated that preliminary investigations suggest the suspects confessed to being hired to disrupt the APC primaries, implicating a lawmaker from the Moba/Irehemeje/Ido-Osi Federal Constituency who is seeking reelection.
In response, the implicated lawmaker has denied the allegations, characterizing them as politically motivated efforts to smear his reputation. He clarified that only two of the arrested individuals were familiar to him—members of his media team—and insisted that the remaining suspects were outsiders with no ties to his constituency or political activities.
The lawmaker further asserted that some of the arrested individuals were government appointees acting contrary to his ambitions. In rebuttal to accusations of supplying weapons, he questioned, “How can you say I bought guns for people? I don’t own firearms. I had a successful business before entering politics and am not a puppet.”
He also accused a primary opponent of attempting to manipulate the electoral process rather than actually competing in the elections, asserting that true democracy requires engagement rather than collusion.
