Fresh information obtained by SaharaReporters has linked Sola Adenijo, popularly known as “Solar,” an alleged leader of the October 30, 2026, armed attack on African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore in Ado-Ekiti, to a previous murder prosecution arising from the bloody 2021 Ekiti East House of Assembly by-election.
A police source who claims to have worked closely with Hon. Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo, Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and son-in-law of President Bola Tinubu, also alleged that Adenijo had operated for years as a political enforcer associated with Ojo.
The source, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, claimed that Ojo’s political connections helped Adenijo escape the consequences of previous encounters with law enforcement.
“Sola is a political tool for Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, the husband of Folashade Tinubu’s daughter,” the source told SaharaReporters.
The source further alleged that Adenijo had previously been imprisoned during the administration of former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, over political thuggery but subsequently regained his freedom following the return of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to power in the state.
“Mr. Ayo Fayose sent him to prison while he was governor because of the same political thug activities in the state. He was brought out by these APC chiefs,” the source claimed.
According to the source, Adenijo was also arrested during the 2018 Ekiti governorship election with more than ₦10 million allegedly intended for vote-buying on behalf of the APC.
“In 2018, he was arrested with over 10 million naira meant for vote-buying for the APC. He was immediately released under the order of the president, then leader of their party,” the source alleged.
Adenijo’s documented involvement in an earlier criminal prosecution was as recent as March 2021, when violence erupted during the Ekiti East Constituency I House of Assembly by-election.
According to contemporaneous reports by Premium Times, Adenijo Olusola, then 38, popularly known as “Solar,” was arraigned alongside Paul Folorunso, 45, and his girlfriend, Adebayo Serifat, 40, following the election-related violence.
The three defendants faced charges of conspiracy, murder and attempted murder in connection with the deaths of Babatunde Adeleye and Bola Adebisi.
They were subsequently remanded at the Federal Correctional Centre in Ado-Ekiti.
The violence occurred at Ward 7, Unit 7, Iworo Quarters, Omuo-Ekiti, where armed men reportedly opened fire during the election.
Among those shot was Sergeant Bukola Olawoye, a policewoman deployed for election duty. Sergeant Olawoye died later of her injuries.
Other victims included security personnel, election officials and civilians.
The shootings, which were carried out by Sola Adenijo, occurred in the ward where Senator Biodun Olujimi, who represented Ekiti South Senatorial District, cast her vote.
The previous prosecution has now assumed renewed significance following allegations identifying Adenijo as a principal figure in the October 30, 2026, attack on Sowore and members of his team at Tawakalitu Restaurant in the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti.
A separate source familiar with political activities in Ekiti State alleged that Adenijo, Folorunso and Serifat subsequently regained their freedom and received political appointments following the emergence of Biodun Oyebanji as governor.
According to the source, Folorunso, popularly known as “Folly,” and Adenijo, known as “Solar,” had operated as political enforcers for the APC in Ekiti State for years.
The source accused both men of involvement in the 2021 election violence and claimed they had maintained political connections dating back to 2010.
“Both Folly and Solar were the assailants during the House of Assembly by-election in Omuo-Ekiti in 2021 under Fayemi’s administration,” the source alleged.
The source also claimed that Folorunso was associated with the Aye confraternity, while Adenijo was associated with the Eiye confraternity.
The alleged affiliations have not been independently verified.
The source further alleged that the three defendants were released from custody after Governor Oyebanji assumed office and subsequently received appointments within his administration.
According to the account, Folorunso was appointed Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Local Intelligence, while Adenijo was also allegedly appointed a Senior Special Assistant, although the appointment was not publicly announced because of his previous murder prosecution.
The source additionally claimed that Serifat, described as Adenijo’s girlfriend, received a government appointment.
“Both Fayemi and Oyebanji have been rewarding them heavily with government positions and money,” the source alleged.
Sowore and members of his security team sustained injuries when armed men attacked them with machetes and other weapons shortly after the AAC presidential candidate completed a radio interview in the state capital.
Sowore has publicly identified Adenijo as one of the leaders of the attackers and accused politically connected individuals of sponsoring the violence.
The police source further alleged that Ojo used his political influence and connections to President Tinubu to facilitate Adenijo’s release from the earlier criminal proceedings.
The reported arraignment and remand establish that Adenijo faced criminal charges, not that he was convicted of the offences.
Speaking about his personal knowledge of Ojo, the source said he had previously worked with the FHA Managing Director but later left his service.
“I am a policeman that has worked with Honourable Ojo. All this is a fact. I left him because of their irresponsible lifestyle together with his wife,” the source claimed.
SaharaReporters also reported on Friday that fresh revelations raised questions about the links between individuals accused of participating in the October 30 attack on Sowore, and a political organisation campaigning for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, City Boy Movement.
Barely one week after armed thugs violently attacked Sowore and members of his team in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, fresh revelations emerged linking individuals identified by the activist as suspects in the attack to leadership positions within President Tinubu’s City Boy Movement.
An executive list released by the Ekiti State chapter of the City Boy Movement identifies Ijarotimi Ayodeji Akintade, whom Sowore has accused of participating in the October 30, 2026 attack, as the organisation’s Chief Security Officer (CSO).
The same document identifies Adenijo Olusola as State Treasurer. Sowore had identified Sola Adenijo, popularly known as “Solar,” as one of the principal suspects in the violent assault. A review of a Facebook profile believed to be linked to him, which now appears inactive, shows the account name as ‘Adenijo Olusola Solar’.
The City Boy Movement is a youth-driven political and civic advocacy organization in Nigeria founded in 2022 to support the political ambitions and presidential campaign of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The movement is heavily tied to the Tinubu family through Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son, who serves as the Patron of the movement.
It was originally created as a grassroots support group ahead of the 2023 Nigerian presidential election to mobilise youth voters for Tinubu.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has openly praised the movement for its structured approach, digital engagement, and defence of his administration’s policies, such as the removal of fuel subsidies and economic reforms, across campuses, markets, and social media.
The movement is headed by Asiwaju Kasali Oluwafemi, another political figure whom Sowore previously accused of threatening violence against his wife over her criticism of Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji during a marathon event last year.
The executive announcement, signed by the movement’s Director of Media and Communications, Alofe Ayodele Moses, and dated July 4, 2026, lists the individuals among officials responsible for coordinating the organisation’s activities across Ekiti State.
Although the announcement predates the October 30 attack, its contents have raised questions about the political affiliations and possible connections of individuals accused of involvement in the violence.
According to the document, the City Boy Movement’s Ekiti State leadership was reorganised to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The restructuring was approved by State Director Kasali Oluwafemi, who described the appointments as being based on competence, loyalty, dedication and proven capacity to deliver.
Among those named in the executive structure were Ijarotimi Ayodeji Akintade as Chief Security Officer and Adenijo Olusola as State Treasurer.
Sowore has publicly identified Ayodeji Akintade as one of the individuals involved in the attack against him and his associates at Tawakalitu Restaurant in the Dalimore area of Ado-Ekiti on October 30.
The activist has also identified Solar as a leading participant in the assault, which left members of his team injured and resulted in the theft of phones and other personal belongings.
The involvement of Kasali Oluwafemi in the movement’s leadership has also attracted attention.
Sowore had previously accused Kasali of threatening to physically assault his wife after he criticised Governor Biodun Oyebanji during a marathon event in Ekiti State last year.
The activist has also accused Kasali of making threats ahead of the 30 October attack and of publicly celebrating after the incident.
The revelations come amid growing controversy over the handling of the October 30 attack by the Ekiti State Police Command.
Sowore has repeatedly accused the police authorities of failing to apprehend principal suspects despite the availability of video recordings and other materials which he says identify those responsible.
The Ekiti State Police Command previously announced the arrest of 11 individuals in connection with the violence.
However, Sowore has questioned why individuals he identified as leading participants have not been publicly accounted for by investigators.
He has also accused police officers of mishandling CCTV equipment removed from the restaurant where the attack occurred, claiming that recordings were subsequently wiped from the equipment.
Sowore has demanded an independent investigation into the incident and the preservation and forensic examination of all available evidence.
In September 2014, Adenijo ‘Solar’ was among seven men arrested and prosecuted over the murder of Chief Omolafe Aderiye, the former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ekiti State and a loyalist of former Governor Ayodele Fayose.
Aderiye was murdered on September 25, 2014, in an incident that generated considerable political tension in the state.
The case later came before the Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti.
In May 2017, the trial attracted attention when the defendants, including Adenijo, rejected a lawyer who announced an appearance on their behalf, insisting that they did not know him and had not authorised him to represent them.
Adenijo reportedly addressed the lawyer in Yoruba, saying, “Iwo o kii n se loya wa o,” translated as, “You are not our lawyer.”
However, in January 2018, the Ekiti State High Court, presided over by Justice Adekanye Lekan Ogunmoye, discharged and acquitted Adenijo and his six co-defendants.
The court held that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence linking them to Aderiye’s murder. The defendants had denied the allegations and spent more than three years in custody during the trial.
SaharaReporters’ findings also show that Adenijo ‘Solar’ was subsequently arrested and remanded over the deadly violence that accompanied the March 2021 Ekiti East Constituency 1 House of Assembly by-election in Omuo-Ekiti.
During the election violence, several people were shot. Among the victims was Woman Sergeant Olawoye Bukola, who was shot while guarding a ballot box and later died from her injuries at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti.
Solar was arraigned alongside Paul Folorunso and Adebayo Serifat before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrate Court.
They faced a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder and attempted murder. The charges included allegations relating to the deaths of Sergeant Olawoye, Babatunde Adeleye and Bola Adebisi, as well as the attempted murder of other people wounded during the violence.
The court ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Federal Correctional Centre in Ado-Ekiti pending legal advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions.
However, no final High Court judgment or conviction against him in that case has been established from the records reviewed.