Sowore Accuses Ondo Police Of Collaborating With Govt-Backed Thugs To Attack, Brutalise June 12 Protesters, Says He Was Also Targeted
Democracy Day protests in Ondo State took a violent turn as prominent activist Omoyele Sowore accused the police of colluding with thugs to attack peaceful demonstrators in Akure.
Speaking in a live video on Thursday, June 12, Sowore, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, alleged that uniformed police officers and hired thugs jointly brutalized pro-democracy protesters.
“We witnessed it firsthand,” Sowore said. “Thugs and policemen working hand-in-hand to beat up peaceful protesters. It was disgraceful and tragic.”
The protest, organized to mark Democracy Day and highlight national issues like economic hardship, bad governance, and insecurity, started peacefully at Cathedral Junction in Akure but was violently disrupted, according to eyewitnesses.
Sowore, who was nearly attacked himself, said the assailants were clearly targeting him:
“They shouted ‘Sowore niyen!’ as they tried to rush at me. We had to leave the scene to avoid escalation and to tell the world what happened.”
He further accused the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Winfred Afolabi, of ignoring a formal notification sent ahead of the protest. Despite being informed, he allegedly failed to deploy officers for protection—leaving protesters vulnerable.
“Thugs have taken over the democratic space with the full backing of the police. This is a disgrace to the memory of those who died fighting for democracy in Nigeria,” Sowore said.
His claims were backed by earlier warnings from human rights lawyer Tope Temokun, who, on Wednesday, wrote to the Ondo State Police Command requesting protection for the protesters. Temokun, acting as legal counsel to the Take It Back Movement, highlighted concerns that political actors could disrupt the protest due to Sowore’s presence.
“This request is made in the interest of public peace, safety, and the lawful exercise of democratic freedoms,” Temokun wrote in his letter.
Temokun had urged the police to escort the protest to shield participants from possible harassment, noting the symbolic importance of June 12 as a day of civic engagement and remembrance.
The Democracy Day protest comes amid growing national discontent over soaring food prices, mass unemployment, and rising insecurity—issues that have galvanized protests across multiple Nigerian states.
Despite the attacks, Sowore vowed that activists would not back down:
“We will not be silenced. We’ll continue to monitor, report, and support every citizen unjustly attacked today. The struggle continues.”
