Iru Ekun Security Network Already Unsettling Bandits In Kwara, Says Sunday Igboho
Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has declared that the newly launched Iru Ekun Security Network is already putting pressure on criminal gangs operating in Kwara State, assuring residents that the outfit would work with security agencies to reclaim forests occupied by bandits.
Speaking on Thursday during the official launch of the security outfit at Igbomina House in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Igboho said the network was established to complement government efforts in tackling kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes across the state.
He said the outfit's operatives would immediately begin security operations in Babanla and return to Eruku, communities he described as among the worst affected by insecurity.
"The presence of the Iru Ekun Security Network in Kwara has already unsettled the criminals. We are heading to Babanla, which many people now describe as a stronghold of bandits. We also passed through Eruku on our way from Kogi State, and we will return there. This is our ancestral land, and no criminal can force us to abandon it," he said.
Igboho dismissed reports that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq opposed his visit to Kwara, insisting he believed the governor was equally concerned about the security challenges confronting residents.
According to him, the governor's commitment to protecting lives is evident in the deployment of security personnel to troubled communities.
"I should have arrived in Ilorin much earlier, but there were rumours that the governor did not approve of my visit. I found that difficult to believe because I know Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq would not make such a decision," he stated.
The activist also commended the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, for what he described as professionalism and cooperation during previous security operations involving forests along the Oyo-Kwara border.
He recalled that the police commissioner promptly deployed officers to support one of the rescue missions after being informed of the operation, acting on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police.
Reiterating that the Iru Ekun Security Network was not created to replace conventional security agencies, Igboho said the outfit would work closely with the police, military and other security organisations to strengthen ongoing efforts against criminality.
"Our mission in Kwara is to complement the efforts of the government and security agencies. If we unite, we can drastically reduce kidnapping, banditry and every other form of terrorism in our society," he said.
Igboho further alleged that bandits had continued to operate because of the support of local collaborators, urging residents, especially youths, to expose those aiding criminal activities.
He warned individuals involved in supporting bandits to desist or leave the state, saying anyone found participating in such crimes would face the consequences.
The activist also rejected claims that the security outfit was formed to target Fulani people, insisting its operations were strictly against criminal elements irrespective of ethnicity.
"Our fight is against criminals, regardless of where they come from. We have no problem with innocent Fulani people or any other ethnic group. We are all Nigerians," he said, urging residents to hand over unarmed suspects to the police rather than taking the law into their own hands.
Igboho attributed the establishment of the Iru Ekun Security Network to President Bola Tinubu, praying for the President's good health and successful completion of his tenure.
He added that operatives of the outfit had been directed to collaborate fully with the Nigeria Police Force and other recognised security agencies in carrying out security operations across Kwara State.