Rising insecurity in southwest Nigeria has created space for non-state actors to step in — sometimes as partners to security agencies, other times as outright alternatives.
Chief Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, declared wanted by the Department of State Services in July 2021, recently launched the Iru Ekun Security Network. The group’s stated mission is to drive bandits, terrorists, and killers out of forests across the southwest.
Beyond allegations of land grabbing and political violence, Igboho’s clash with the state began in 2021 after he intervened in Ibarapa, Oyo State.
He issued an ultimatum to armed herders accused of kidnapping and killing farmers, then joined calls for Yoruba Nation self-determination — a movement the Buhari administration opposed.
The Department of State Services accused Igboho and his associates of plotting “a violent insurrection against the state” while posing as campaigners for Yoruba self-determination.
The DSS raided his residence, Soka, Ibadan at 1:34am on July 1, 2021. During a raid on July 1, 2021, DSS said they recovered 7 AK-47 rifles, 3 pump-action guns, 30 AK-47 magazines, 5,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammo, and other items. DSS claimed he was “well-armed and determined to undermine public order”.
During a raid on July 1, 2021, DSS said they recovered 7 AK-47 rifles, 3 pump-action guns, 30 AK-47 magazines, 5,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammo, and other items. There was a gun duel, which led to the killing of 2 and arrest of 13. Igboho escaped. He fled to Benin Republic but was arrested there in July 2021. He was declared wanted by the Nigeria Police.
IGBOHO’S RESCUE MISSION?
Chief Sunday Adeyemo, on Saturday, June 20, stormed Igboho, a town in Oyo State and ordered Fulani community leaders a 2-hour ultimatum to release kidnap victims. He accused some Fulani of kidnapping Yoruba residents. He threatened to clash with the Fulani if kidnap victims weren’t freed and invade forest reserves where kidnappers hide. He also vowed to kill any Yoruba person complicit in kidnapping.
Recall that gunmen, on Tuesday, June 16 kidnapped Mrs. Kuburat Omowumi, her children, siblings in Igbope, Oorelope LGA. Reports claimed that a pregnant woman plus ransom bearer were killed earlier. Kidnappers demanded N300m, later N150m.
However, the intervention of Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho stirred some controversies following the emergence of a video showing Igboho residents rejoicing and celebrating what looked like the victims’ release, which has been tagged as a false, untrue and misleading by the Oyo State Police Command.
DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, said there’s no official confirmation that victims were rescued and no evidence linking Igboho to any rescue operation.
AccOrding to Ayanlade, the rescue claim contained in the circulated video is false, unfounded, and misleading”
He also added that the kidnap victims are from Igbope, a community in Oorelope LG, not Igboho town.
Jacob Ogundiran, the chairman of Oorelope LG also disclosed that kidnap victims were still in captivity.
REACTIONS?
Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the National Publicity Secretary of Arewa Consultative Forum has stated that the ultimatum given by Sunday Igboho to the Fulani ethnic group is unconstitutional, dangerous and capable of worsening the country’s security challenges.”
He called on the FG, security agencies, traditional rulers and religious leaders to act quickly to prevent the situation from escalating.
ACF described the ultimatum as unconstitutional and capable of worsening the country’s security situation.
Muhammad-Baba, warned against ethnic profiling, saying criminality should not be attributed to an entire ethnic group.
He urged the Federal Government, security agencies, traditional rulers and religious leaders to intervene before the situation escalates
Similarly, the Northern Elders Forum, through its spokesperson Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, condemned the kidnapping but insisted that no ethnic group should be blamed for crimes committed by individuals.”
The forum warned that Nigeria risks sliding into anarchy if the Federal Government fails to rein in Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, over his reported ultimatum to Fulani leaders in Oyo State following the abduction of a pregnant woman and her relatives.
It accused Igboho of ethnic profiling and cautioned that attempts to hold an entire ethnic group responsible for the actions of suspected criminals could inflame tensions, provoke reprisals and undermine national unity.
“We have never advocated hatred against any ethnic group. Our position has always been very clear: criminals should be identified, arrested and prosecuted regardless of their ethnic, religious or political affiliations because crime has no colour or race.”
Sunday Igboho, while reacting to the statements credited to Arewa Consultative Forum and Northern Elders’ Forum, said his advocacy for South-West security is “not targeted at any ethnic nationality but rather against criminal elements, who are perpetrating abduction, killings, banditry, and other vices”.
He described the Fulani group/NEF position as “baseless, misplaced priority and distortion of facts over insecurity ravaging some communities in Yorubaland”.
“Since my agitation for improved security in South-West and other parts of the country, I have never declared war against any ethnic group but have consistently voiced my position against criminal elements responsible for kidnapping, vicious killings, rape and violent attacks across Yoruba communities”.
