Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has launched a new security outfit, the Iru Ekun Security Network, in Kwara State to support efforts to tackle kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.
Speaking during the inauguration on Thursday in Ilorin, Igboho said the security network was established to complement the work of government and conventional security agencies in protecting communities affected by criminal activities.
He stated that the group would work to reclaim forests in Kwara allegedly being used as hideouts by criminal elements, insisting that such areas would no longer serve as safe havens for bandits.
According to him, the presence of the Iru Ekun Security Network in the state had already unsettled criminal groups. He disclosed that members of the outfit were heading to Babanla, an area he described as one of the locations affected by banditry.
Igboho added that the team also passed through Eruku while travelling from Kogi State and would return to the community, describing it as part of their ancestral land that should not be abandoned because of criminal activities.
He stressed that the group’s mission is to complement—not replace—the efforts of the police, military and other security agencies, noting that stronger collaboration between local communities and security institutions is necessary to curb kidnapping, banditry and other forms of violent crime.
Igboho alleged that some criminal activities persist because certain members of local communities provide information and support to bandits. He therefore urged residents, particularly youths, to assist security agencies by exposing criminal elements and those aiding them.
He also dismissed claims that the Iru Ekun Security Network was created to target any ethnic group, insisting that the outfit’s operations would focus solely on individuals involved in criminal activities, regardless of their ethnicity.
The activist advised that unarmed suspects should be arrested and handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution, while emphasizing the need for lawful collaboration with security agencies in addressing insecurity.
Igboho commended the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, for what he described as his professionalism and willingness to cooperate with community-based security initiatives.
He also dismissed reports alleging that Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq opposed his visit to the state, saying he believes the governor remains committed to addressing the security challenges facing residents.
Igboho further expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, whom he credited with creating an enabling environment for the establishment of the Iru Ekun Security Network, and prayed for the President’s continued good health and success in office.