Members of Sunday Igboho’s Iru Ekun Security Network, launched earlier in 2026, are now actively patrolling areas like Owa Onire in Kwara State following reports of kidnappings and attacks blamed on armed Fulani militias. Dressed in tactical gear and carrying AK-47 rifles, the group moves through farmlands with no visible interference from official forces, aiming to support the police and military in fighting banditry.
Igboho, a Yoruba Nation activist, formally launched the security outfit in Ilorin, Kwara State, on 23 July 2026, declaring that criminal elements would no longer be allowed to use the state’s forests as safe havens. “The presence of the Iru Ekun Security Network in Kwara has already unsettled the criminals,” he said. “We are heading to Babanla, which many people now describe as a stronghold of bandits”. He also disclosed that operatives would revisit Eruku, another community hit hard by insecurity.
The activist stressed that the network was established to complement, not replace, government security agencies. “Our mission in Kwara is to complement the efforts of the government and security agencies,” he said. “We must work hand in hand with the police, the military and other security agencies. If we unite, we can drastically reduce kidnapping, banditry and every other form of terrorism in our society”.
Igboho has repeatedly dismissed claims that the Iru Ekun Security Network was established to target Fulani people, insisting that its operations are directed solely at criminals regardless of their ethnic background. “We have no problem with innocent Fulani people or any other ethnic group. Our fight is against criminals, regardless of where they come from. We are all Nigerians,” he said. He also warned residents not to take the law into their own hands but to report suspected criminals to security agencies.
The network has grown rapidly since its launch. In August 2026, Igboho received more than 15,000 volunteers into the security outfit in Ogun State. He has called for discipline among operatives, cautioning them against engaging in acts capable of tarnishing the image of Iru Ekun, such as snatching people’s wives or using their position to settle personal scores. “You must collaborate with the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to combat crimes in your domain,” he said.
Igboho has also credited President Bola Tinubu with the establishment of the Iru Ekun Security Network and prayed for the president’s continued good health and a successful completion of his tenure. He commended the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, for his professionalism and willingness to collaborate with local security initiatives.
The emergence of the Iru Ekun Security Network has sparked online discussions questioning the involvement of the army and the risks of such community efforts. Igboho has proposed a federal and state coordination framework for the operation of the network, emphasizing that collaboration with official forces is essential. As the group continues its patrols in Kwara’s forests, the debate over the role of community vigilantes in Nigeria’s security architecture is likely to intensify.
The winners: local communities in Kwara that may benefit from improved security; and Sunday Igboho, whose network has gained significant traction and visibility. The losers: criminal gangs operating in the forests; and the Nigerian security agencies, which face questions about why community efforts are filling gaps they have left open.
Bottom Line: Igboho’s Iru Ekun is patrolling Kwara forests with AK-47s, targeting bandits and kidnappers. The government is watching. The question is whether this community effort will succeed where official forces have struggled, or whether it will create new tensions.