APC Primaries: Police Arrest Thugs Planning to Disrupt Exercise in Ekiti

The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested 11 suspected thugs who were allegedly plotting to disrupt the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primary election in the state, heightening tensions ahead of the governorship primaries.

The police paraded the suspects in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, linking them to a serving federal lawmaker who has denied any involvement in the alleged plot. Operatives raided Onikoyi Hotel in Ikun-Ekiti and recovered firearms, including pump-action guns.

Commissioner of Police Mr Falade Adegoroye Michael said the operation followed credible intelligence that armed hoodlums had assembled in the hotel ahead of the primary election. Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad stormed the hotel around 9pm on May 14, arresting seven suspects while several others escaped in three vehicles.

Weapons Recovered

Items recovered from the suspects included two pump-action guns, one Beretta pistol, nine rounds of 9mm live ammunition, four live cartridges, substances suspected to be charms, two Apple laptops and a Honda Accord vehicle.

A follow-up operation led to the interception of an unregistered Toyota Sienna bus conveying four fleeing suspects, during which another pump-action gun was allegedly recovered.

CP Michael said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly confessed to being thugs recruited to disrupt the APC primary election. They allegedly linked the lawmaker, who represents Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido-Osi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and is seeking re-election, to the operation.

Lawmaker Denies Involvement

Reacting to the allegations, the lawmaker denied sponsoring hoodlums to disrupt the exercise, describing the claim as politically motivated and a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image ahead of the primary election.

“They said they went to that hotel and caught some people. It is only two people that I know among them—the head of my media team and my assistant media aide,” he said. “They are media professionals well known in Ekiti State and have never been involved in criminality.”

The commissioner stressed that investigations were ongoing and assured residents that all suspects would be prosecuted at the conclusion of investigations, while efforts were being intensified to apprehend fleeing suspects and their alleged sponsors.

The APC governorship primaries are running from May 16-22, 2026, with multiple states including Lagos, Rivers, and Gombe seeing fierce political battles.

Sources: ThisDay, The Sun, Daily Post