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Yomi Olusanya who is originally from Ogun State mobilised and armed thugs who took over the scene of the protest.
A report by the State Security Service has revealed how the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and his Chief of Protocols, Abayomi Olasanya, armed several thugs to go after human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, and other comrades as they marched in remembrance of the June 12 election.
SaharaReporters learnt on Wednesday that the Chief of Protocols, popularly known as “Yomi” had communicated the decision of the state governor to the heads of security agencies in the state, saying he didn't want any protest in the state.
Yomi had further asked them to either disallow Sowore from entering Akure or stop him from protesting in the state capital.
When the DSS director, Barry Donald, and the then state Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Olatokunbo Afolabi, told the governor’s aide this would be impossible since it was a peaceful protest, Governor Aiyedatiwa then personally called the CP and threatened him to ensure that the protest did not happen.
SaharaReporters learnt that the CP reportedly told the governor that the police would ensure adequate security.
The governor was infuriated and told him he (the governor) would deploy his own forces since the CP was uncooperative. Mr. Yomi Olusanya who is originally from Ogun State mobilised and armed thugs who took over the scene of the protest, the report revealed.
SaharaReporters learnt that they attacked the protesters including Sowore who narrowly escaped being caught by the thugs who was led by a convicted murderer from Ekiti State said to be the lead killer for the governor in the state.
After the commotion, Sowore led a protest to the Ondo State Police command to complain about police complicity in the attack.
Meanwhile, shortly after Sowore's protest, the police commissioner was removed.
The removal of the CP was orchestrated by the state governor, Lucky Aiywdatiwa who personally met the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, over the refusal of security agencies to act brutally against Sowore and the Take-It-Back protesters.
The IGP who was already at loggerheads with Sowore also questioned why the Commissioner of Police allowed Sowore to take over his entrance gate without at least teargassing or shooting him. He immediately removed the CP and replaced him.
The report also stated that the governor had deployed the same thugs to attack the #EndBadGovernance protesters in Akure in August 2024 in the state capital.
Governor Lucky Aiywdatiwa, the report states, is opposed to any form of "unrest" in the state, which is why he relied heavily on Yomi, his protocol officer.
Yomi is reportedly linked to cultists and thugs that the governor uses for elections and fighting off his opponents.
Efforts by SaharaReporters to get his reactions on Wednesday were not successful as of press time as he did not pick his calls nor reply to the message sent to him.
In June, SaharaReporters detailed how Gbenga Aluko, a notorious political enforcer, led an assault on protesters, including human rights activist and former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
The June 12 demonstration, organised to protest bad governance and economic hardship, was disrupted by thugs acting in concert with police operatives.
SaharaReporters reported that Aluko, known for his past ties to the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and alleged involvement in political violence, commanded a group of cultists who attacked the procession as it moved through Cathedral Junction around 7:30am.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the demonstrators, who had been singing and marching peacefully under police supervision, were ambushed from behind.
Shockingly, officers on the scene stood by as the attackers assaulted participants, raising concerns about police complicity.
Sowore, who was among those targeted, later accused the police and hired enforcers of colluding to suppress dissent and intimidate citizens exercising their democratic rights.
The situation escalated when Sowore arrived at the scene. As he attempted to alight from his vehicle, the assailants reportedly shouted, “Sowore is here, let’s attack him. He’s the leader of this group!”
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Sowore's vehicle quickly withdrew, narrowly avoiding an attack, while the thugs pursued on foot.
SaharaReporters learnt that the Ondo State Police Command never investigated the thugs since June 12, 2025, nor did they respond to several inquiries from Sowore to that effect.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Ondo police spokesperson, Ibukun Odunlami, failed on Wednesday as his line rang out.
He also has yet to reply a text message sent to his phone.
Convicted of Cultism and Murder in 2020
Aluko has a history with the law, having been arraigned and sentenced to death in the Ekiti State High Court on charges of secret cult membership, unlawful firearm possession, and murder.
In September 2020, the Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti sentenced Gbenga Aluko, then 29 years old, to death by hanging for his involvement in cult-related violence and the killing of three individuals in the state.
Presiding over the case, Justice Abiodun Adesodun held that the prosecution had successfully proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The charges against Aluko stated that he was a member of the Eiye Confraternity, a proscribed secret society, contrary to Section 4 of the Secret Cult (Abolition and Prohibition) First Amendment Law No. 6 of Ekiti State, 2017.
In a confessional statement tendered in court, Aluko reportedly admitted that he and his cult group in Ado-Ekiti were responsible for orchestrating the killings of individuals believed to be rival cultists.
The prosecution, led by Julius Ajibare, called two witnesses during the trial, although no physical exhibits were presented. The defence did not present any witnesses, but Aluko was represented by his counsel, Femi Adetoye.
Aluko and three other members of the Eiye Fraternity, identified as Ayodele Ayodeji (31), Olamide Olurunsola (43), and Adewale Adekunle (23), all from Ifaki Ekiti, had been arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in February 2019.
They were accused of being involved in the targeted killings of rival cult members from the Aiye confraternity across Ekiti and Ondo states.
According to the police, items recovered during the arrest included a cutlass, charms, one Dell laptop, two iPad devices, one Infinix phone, and a photograph of a foreign woman.
However, in a dramatic reversal three years later, the Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti acquitted and discharged Aluko in March 2023 of charges including secret cult membership, unlawful possession of firearms, and murder.
SaharaReporters also reported that the Ondo State government had appointed the same group of men as coordinators of commercial tricycle (Keke) riders in Akure South Local Government Area.
A government appointment letter dated September 15, 2025, signed by Comrade Bola Taiwo, Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters and Special Duties, confirmed the appointments of Robert Tolulope, Oladapo Oluwaseun, aka Choco Milo; Gbenga Aluko; John Oluwatimilehin, aka Gaga, and Faleye Oluwadamilare, aka Aperi.
According to the letter, the appointees are mandated to supervise the activities of tricycle operators, coordinate with authorities on safety and orderliness, sell government revenue tickets, and provide weekly reports to the Special Adviser’s office.
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The appointees were directed to report to the “office of the Special Adviser, Special Duties, on the progress and challenges faced by the riders under your jurisdiction on a weekly basis”.
Meanwhile, Aluko has faced serious allegations stemming from his role in a violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators during this year’s Democracy Day rally in Akure.
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