Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
Iru-Ekun’s goal was to secure official identification across the South-West region so that members could operate legitimately, support their families and help maintain order.
Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, on Wednesday formally launched the Ogun State chapter of the Iru Ekun Security Network.
Videos and photographs circulating online showed the event drawing a large crowd of supporters, with reports stating that thousands of volunteers joined.
Speaking at the event, Igboho outlined plans for the outfit’s structure, training and collaboration with government authorities.
He stressed the need for strict discipline among members.
“You must have discipline. Do not engage in reckless behaviour or ruin things just because they have trained you and you have ID card,” Igboho told the gathering.
He said the Federal Government would determine who would provide training for the group, while the Ogun State Governor’s Office would decide where members would be deployed.
“Federal Government will decide who will come and train us. The Governor’s Office tell us where they will place us.
“As they wrap up that training, every person will be issued an ID card at the local government level.”
Igboho disclosed that the state government had already given assurances of support.
He noted that authorities would determine a monthly allowance for members to help them provide for their families.
“The Governor has also given us assurance. They have given us support here, and they will decide what monthly allowance to provide to us, to support us, because we have wives, and we have children,” he said.
The activist explained that the broader goal was to secure official identification cards across the South-West region so that members could operate legitimately, support their families and help maintain order.
Drawing a parallel with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Igboho said, “This organisation we established, if we execute it properly—just like Civil Defence. They started at the market. We used to call them ‘Little Defence,’ but they did good work with what they were doing. The federal government have now fully established it across all of Nigeria.”
Video footage from the launch showed hundreds of people, many dressed in matching black attire and caps, gathered in a busy urban area under tents and along streets, with many recording the proceedings.
Iru Ekun, which translates to “leopard’s tail” in Yoruba, is a community-based security initiative founded by Igboho to complement efforts against kidnapping, banditry and other crimes in the South-West.
The Ogun launch follows earlier inaugurations in other states in the region.
