WE ARE TAKING BACK OUR FORESTS": Sunday Igboho Storms Ilorin, Launches Iru Ekun Security Network to Flush Out Bandits

By David Alani Ige

July 23, 2026

   

In a decisive move to end the reign of terror in the forests of Kwara State, Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, arrived in Ilorin on Thursday to officially launch his highly anticipated Iru Ekun Security Network.

Dressed in a striking black native attire and flanked by combat-ready members of his security team, Igboho issued a stern warning to kidnappers, bandits, and local informants: the era of using Kwara State forests as safe havens for criminality is officially over. 

The launch comes amidst growing insecurity, particularly in the Kwara South Senatorial District, where relentless attacks by armed groups have recently displaced residents and forced several traditional rulers to abandon their domains.

The Mission: Babanla and Eruku in the Crosshairs

Addressing the public and members of the press, Igboho declared that the Iru Ekun operatives are hitting the ground running. He specifically identified Babanla and Eruku as immediate operational targets due to their heavy infestation by criminal elements.

"The presence of the Iru Ekun Security Network in Kwara has already unsettled the criminals," Igboho declared. "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. Those hiding in our forests cannot intimidate us into surrendering our communities."

Synergy with Conventional Security Forces

Despite the fierce reputation of his group, Igboho was quick to clarify that the Iru Ekun Security Network was not created to usurp the duties of the Nigeria Police Force or the military. Instead, it is designed to provide localized, grassroots support to ongoing government efforts.

He showered praises on the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, for his professionalism, recalling a recent joint rescue operation across the dense forests linking Oyo and Kwara states.

"When we crossed into the Kwara axis, I informed him of our movement, and he immediately deployed police personnel to support us on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police. We must work hand in hand with the police, the military, and other security agencies. If we unite, we can drastically reduce kidnapping and banditry in our society," he stated.

No Ethnic Profiling: "We Are After Criminals, Not Fulani"

Addressing a widespread rumor, Igboho firmly dismissed claims that his security outfit was established to target the Fulani ethnic group in Kwara State. He emphasized that the operation is strictly anti-criminal.

"Some people have been spreading the false narrative that Sunday Igboho has come to Kwara to fight the Fulani. That is completely untrue. 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 further warned residents against taking the law into their own hands, advising that unarmed suspects should be handed over to the police, while heavily armed terrorists in the forests will face immediate neutralization.

A Warning to Local Informants

Igboho did not mince words regarding community insiders who enable terrorism. He warned that bandits only thrive because local collaborators provide them with logistics and intelligence. 

"Bandits are not spirits," he asserted. "If you know you are involved in activities that encourage banditry or threaten the peace of our state, this is the time to stop or leave. Anyone found participating in such crimes will face the consequences."

Clearing the Air on Governor AbdulRazaq and Praising Tinubu

The event successfully laid to rest days of intense speculation that the Kwara State Government had barred Igboho from entering the state. Igboho dismissed these rumors, expressing confidence that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is deeply concerned about the state's security and fully supports efforts to protect his people.

In a surprising political twist, Igboho dedicated the establishment and success of the Iru Ekun Security Network to the support of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

"All the praise being showered on the Iru Ekun Security Network belongs to President Bola Tinubu. May God grant him good health and the grace to successfully complete his eight years in office," Igboho prayed.

With the Iru Ekun operatives now officially active in Kwara State, residents of the affected communities are breathing a cautious sigh of relief, hoping that the synergy between local vigilantes and federal forces will finally return peace to their ancestral lands.

David Alani Ige 

Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Ayekooto Media

Phunshor01@gmail.com | publisher@ayekootomediang.com

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