Human rights activist and #RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore, was attacked on Saturday morning by suspected All Progressives Congress (APC) thugs during the ongoing Lagos City Marathon. The incident also saw journalists covering the event assaulted, with some sustaining injuries and their equipment destroyed.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), was participating in the marathon when he and his crew were reportedly ambushed by the assailants. Witnesses confirmed that the attack was streamed live on Facebook by SaharaReporters, showing the thugs physically assaulting Sowore, his team, and journalists.
One video clip depicted a thug grabbing a journalist by the neck in an apparent attempt to choke him while trying to seize his camera. Several other media personnel were also injured during the incident.
The reason behind the attack remains unclear, and SaharaReporters has yet to confirm why the APC, which controls the Lagos State government, allegedly mobilized the thugs against Sowore and the journalists.
At the time of reporting, the health status of Sowore and others injured in the attack is still unknown. Efforts to obtain a statement from the Lagos State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, did not respond to calls.
