Sunday Igboho Launches Iru Ekun Security Network in Ogun, Thousands Turn Out
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By Ebenezer Ihioma
Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has inaugurated the Ogun State chapter of the Iru Ekun Security Network, a community-based security initiative established to support efforts against kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities across the South-West.
The launch took place in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, attracting a large gathering of supporters and prospective members, many of whom were seen wearing matching black outfits and caps.
Reports circulating on social media claimed that more than 15,000 people joined the network during the Ogun launch. However, that figure could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
Credible reports from Punch and Vanguard confirmed a significant turnout at the event, describing the gathering as involving hundreds and thousands of supporters and volunteers, but neither publication independently established the 15,000 figure.
Addressing participants, Igboho stressed the importance of discipline and responsible conduct among members of the network. He warned volunteers against abusing their positions or engaging in reckless behaviour after receiving training and identification cards.
He also said the Federal Government would determine the agency responsible for training members, while the Ogun State Governor's Office would determine where members would be deployed.
According to reports from the event, Igboho said members would receive identification cards at the local government level after completing the required training. He also disclosed that authorities had indicated support for the initiative and would determine any monthly allowance for members.
The development marks another phase in the expansion of Iru Ekun across the South-West. The initiative was established by Igboho as a community-oriented security network intended to complement existing efforts to tackle insecurity.
Iru Ekun, which means “leopard's tail” in Yoruba, emerged in 2026 amid heightened concerns over kidnapping and other violent crimes in parts of the South-West.
Igboho initially claimed that the initiative had received approval to operate, but subsequent reports showed that the organisation was still seeking formal Federal Government authorisation. In May, he said necessary documents had been submitted and that the group was awaiting approval.
The issue of regulatory approval is significant because security responsibilities in Nigeria remain primarily vested in constitutionally recognised security agencies. Earlier reports also indicated that Igboho had expressed willingness to work with the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigerian Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
In July, Igboho said the network had attracted more than 80,000 volunteers across the South-West, although that broader membership figure was also a claim attributed to him rather than an independently audited figure.
The Ogun launch therefore represents an expansion of the initiative, but questions surrounding its formal authorisation, operational boundaries and relationship with existing security agencies remain important.
For now, the independently verifiable development is that Igboho inaugurated the Ogun chapter on Wednesday, while the widely circulated claim that 15,000 people joined the network at the event remains unverified.
The launch comes as communities across the South-West continue to demand stronger measures against kidnapping, banditry and other forms of insecurity.
