ABEOKUTA, Nigeria – Yoruba Nation activist and prominent grassroots mobilizer, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, officially launched the Ogun State chapter of his community-based security outfit, the Iru Ekun (Leopard’s Tail) Security Network, in Abeokuta.
Tripod Times reports that the highly anticipated launch drew a massive crowd of supporters and over 8,000 volunteers who turned up to officially register for the network. Clad in matching black attire and caps, volunteers gathered in their hundreds under tents and along busy urban streets to witness the formal unveiling
According to reporting from major local outlets, the Iru Ekun network is designed to act as a grassroots intelligence and security initiative. Its core mandate is to complement conventional federal and state security forces in tracking and flushing out kidnappers, bandits, and other violent criminal syndicates hiding within the forests of the South-West region.
Synergy and Government Collaboration
Addressing the large assembly of volunteers in Abeokuta, Igboho emphasized that the security network would operate in full alignment and coordination with official government authorities.
Training and Legal Operations:
Igboho stated that the Federal Government would handle the official training and vetting parameters for the registered volunteers.
He noted that the outfit is registered and operational under existing legal frameworks, adding that his decision to launch the initiative stems from a collective desire to safeguard Yoruba land during the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Deployment and Allowances:
The Ogun Governor’s Office will dictate operational deployment locations across the state’s local governments. Furthermore, the state government has reportedly given assurances regarding structural support, including a monthly allowance to assist the families of the operatives.
Official Identification: Registered members will receive unified identity cards distributed strictly at the local government level to ensure structural accountability and prevent rogue actors from abusing the organization’s name.
A Stern Warning on Discipline
While rallying the volunteers, Igboho issued a zero-tolerance warning against indiscipline, misconduct, or high-handedness.
He explicitly cautioned the new recruits against abusing their new authority, stating that anyone caught using the identity cards for intimidation or personal gain would be immediately handed over to law enforcement.Drawing a historical parallel to the evolution of federal paramilitary groups, Igboho expressed optimism that Iru Ekun would eventually mirror the trajectory of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
“They started at the market. We used to call them ‘Little Defence,’ but they did good work with what they were doing,” Igboho said, noting that structured community groups frequently evolve into nationally recognized security backbones.
The successful Abeokuta rollout follows similar launches of the Iru Ekun network across other strategic states in the South-West region, including Kwara State, as community groups increasingly organize localized responses to Nigeria’s ongoing internal security dynamics.
