Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has inaugurated the Oyo State chapter of the Iru Ekun Security Network in Ibadan, with about 20,000 volunteers reportedly joining the initiative aimed at tackling insecurity across the South-West.
The launch took place at Mapo Hall on Sunday, October 25, as Igboho explained that his recent trip to Abuja was connected to efforts to strengthen the network’s operations and security responsibilities.
In a statement issued by his media office in Ibadan, the activist said the initiative was established to support community security and combat kidnapping, banditry, killings and other criminal activities across Yorubaland, including parts of Kwara and Niger states.
The statement said the Oyo inauguration followed similar launches in Osun, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states, alongside engagements with traditional rulers and community leaders.
It added that the network had collaborated with the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and other security agencies to address insecurity in the region.
Igboho described the turnout in Oyo as an indication of residents’ willingness to participate in community security, irrespective of their ethnic, religious or political affiliations.
“The impressive development represents a milestone which indicates the genuine interest of Oyo people in active participation to ensure the safety and security of residents, irrespective of tribe, religion and political affiliation,” he said.
Explaining his Abuja visit, Igboho said he received an invitation the previous night and linked the engagement to his collaboration with the Olubadan of Ibadanland.
“I was in Abuja this morning so that Iru Ekun’s security responsibilities can be further strengthened. This is because Iru Ekun is the brainchild of South-West traditional rulers, and it will continue to serve its purpose for the peace and effective security of our communities,” he said.
The activist also thanked traditional rulers for their involvement in the initiative, describing their participation as important to efforts to improve security across the region.
His comments come amid efforts to expand the Iru Ekun network beyond its initial operations. The organisation was publicly unveiled in May 2026, with Igboho presenting it as a community-based initiative intended to complement existing security structures in tackling criminal activities.
The network subsequently expanded into Ogun State, where more than 15,000 volunteers reportedly joined during its inauguration in Abeokuta in August. At the time, Igboho said the Federal Government would determine arrangements for training members, while state authorities would decide where trained personnel would be deployed.
In October, Igboho also announced plans to strengthen the organisation’s engagement with conventional security agencies, including through the establishment of an office in Abuja.
However, the expansion of community-based security groups raises questions about training, operational supervision, accountability and coordination with established security institutions. Effective collaboration will depend on clearly defined responsibilities and compliance with applicable laws.
During Sunday’s event, Igboho also urged members of the network and other Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid and vote for the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming presidential election.
The political appeal introduced an electoral dimension to an event presented primarily as a community security initiative.
The network’s growth will now place greater attention on how its volunteers are trained, deployed and supervised, as well as the extent to which the organisation can work with recognised security agencies to address threats facing communities across the South-West.
