Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has launched the Iru Ekun Security Network in Kwara State, declaring that the outfit will work with security agencies to reclaim forests from bandits and kidnappers.
Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has vowed that criminal groups operating in Kwara State’s forests will no longer enjoy safe havens following the official launch of the Iru Ekun Security Network in the state.
Speaking during the inauguration of the security outfit in Ilorin on Thursday, Igboho said the network was established to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies in tackling kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes across affected communities.
‘We Will Reclaim the Forests’
Igboho said the security outfit would begin operations in communities worst affected by insecurity, including Babanla and Eruku, which he described as areas that have suffered repeated attacks by armed criminals.
According to him, the presence of the Iru Ekun Security Network has already unsettled criminal elements operating in the forests.
“The presence of the Iru Ekun Security Network in Kwara has already unsettled the criminals. We are heading to Babanla,” he said.
He warned those involved in kidnapping and banditry to either abandon criminal activities or leave the state.
‘We Are Not Replacing Security Agencies’
Igboho stressed that the security outfit was not created to replace the Nigeria Police Force, the military or other government security agencies.
Rather, he said the organisation would work alongside them by providing local intelligence and community-based support to improve security.
He maintained that effective collaboration between communities and security agencies remains essential to addressing the growing threat of violent crime.
Outfit Not Targeting Any Ethnic Group
Responding to concerns about the activities of the group, Igboho rejected claims that the Iru Ekun Security Network was established to target members of the Fulani ethnic group.
He insisted that the organisation’s operations would focus solely on individuals involved in criminal activities, regardless of ethnicity or background.
He also dismissed reports that the Kwara State Government opposed his visit, saying he believed Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq shared residents’ concerns over insecurity.
The launch comes amid persistent insecurity in parts of Kwara State, where communities have experienced repeated attacks by armed groups involved in kidnapping and banditry.
Earlier this month, the Iru Ekun Security Network, working with police operatives, announced the rescue of an abducted woman and her son in Kwara after an intelligence-led operation.