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All You Need To Know About Iru Ekun
When the Ooni of Ife HRH, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi donated a hundred million naira and a Hilux Vehicle to Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo ‘Igboho’, a few days ago in his Palace amid fanfare, it was a strong approval that IRU-EKUN, the para security outfit spearheaded by Igboho has come to stay.
Before now, there had been undertones and talks of government’s disapproval especially following Igboho’s official declaration of IRU-EKUN’s operations in May, 2026. Yet if you’ve followed Yoruba self-determination and security conversations in the last 3 months, you must have heard the name IRU-EKUN, literally meaning a ‘Leopard’s Tail’ in Yoruba. The outfit seem to be garnering support from state governments within the South Western region who have donated money, security vehicles and provided logistics support, although tacitly, in an attempt not to evoke response from outlawed armed groups from outside of the South West States.
Why is Iru-Ekun getting all of these support from states and individuals?
By late 2019 and 2020, many communities in Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Kwara were complaining about the same thing-Kidnapping on highways especially Oyo, Ibadan, Benin-Ore, and rural farm roads. There is also incessant farmers-herders clashes which often results into crops being destroyed, farmers killed and villages attacked.
The slow Police response due to distance and logistics in remote areas may have also contributed to the birth of Iru-Ekun. In many Towns and settlements across the South West, the Nigeria Police and Amotekun are present, but people felt the response were not fast enough when attacked.
That was the catalyst for Igboho when he began mobilizing youths. He said the goal was to defend Yorubaland and Yoruba people.
Perhaps the question many are asking is how would Iru-Ekun operate?
“Iru Ekun” is not a government-registered Agency. It’s described as a community vigilante and rapid response group under the umbrella of Igboho’s movement. Recruitment is drawn from Volunteer Yoruba youths, hunters, OPC members, Agbekoyas and local vigilantes in Oyo and neighboring states.
It is controlled in each state by Coordinators and Commanders loyal to Igboho. Different LGAs have their own “Iru Ekun” unit.
Their duties include: Night patrols, escorting farmers, responding to distress calls, intelligence gathering, arresting suspected criminals and handing them to Police. Members often wear local charms, berets, and branded T-shirts.
Vehicles and motorcycles are used for patrols while they also employ hi-tech models like Drones to aid them. Presently, reports have it that the membership of the Iru Ekun Security Network has actually surpassed 80,000 volunteers, exceeding its initial projection of 50,000 personnel. Sunday Igboho announced the updated milestone, noting strong community backing and registration numbers across Southwestern Nigeria.
Igboho claimed he consulted President Tinubu before launching the initiative and received his official blessings and approval.
The federal government has also concurrently pursued broader state-collaborative forest guard initiatives under the National Security Adviser to secure vulnerable forests nationwide.
When the Agbekoya Movement paid a solidarity visit to Igboho after his return and clearance from Nigeria government, Igboho expressed profound gratitude for their staunch loyalty, unwavering support, and persistent advocacy during his years of detention and travails.
It is no surprise that on the popular Iru Ekun outfit T shirt, the front reads Iru Ekun while Agbekoya is written at the back. When you see this, these are Agbekoya men who teemed up with Iru Ekun outfit.
When Igboho was about to launch his outfit, he informed Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja who eventually helped him plead with President Tinubu for approval.
According to Igboho, members of the outfit have already been trained, forests have been mapped and the force is on standby.
He emphasised that the group would not operate without official authorisation, and called on South-West governors, traditional rulers and security chiefs to give more support just like the Ooni did.
The emergence of Iru Ekun has sparked public discussions about regional security outfits, such as Amotekun and other non-state security groups that help protect lives and property in the South-West.
In addition, there have also been concerns raised over alleged ethnic profiling, with the Fulani community crying foul that its kinsmen are being targeted. Since the abduction of the school pupils in Oriire and the emergence of Igboho’s security network, there have been several viral clips of Igboho and his men storming Fulani settlements in the South-West and warning them to leave Yorubaland.
But Igboho has responded that only Fulani who are found in the forest with guns will be targeted. He has held several meetings with Fulani communities that they are safe in Yorubaland but warned that the bad eggs will be flushed out as Iru Ekun starts operation.
A few weeks ago, Igboho was speaking on the conduct of the outfit. “Our mission in Yoruba states is to complement the efforts of the government and security Agencies. While local communities can contribute to protecting themselves, that alone is not enough.”
“We must work hand in hand with the Police, the military and other security Agencies. If we unite, we can drastically reduce kidnapping, banditry and every other form of terrorism in our society,” Igboho said.
Isaac Abimbade_
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