“Tinubu Approved My Iru Ẹkun Army” — Sunday Igboho Calls on Yoruba People to Rise Against Bandits Amid Security Fears

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Controversial Yoruba activist Sunday Igboho has announced the creation of a new regional security outfit known as the Iru Ẹkun Security Network, claiming the initiative received approval from President Bola Tinubu.

In a viral video circulating online, Igboho called on Yoruba people across the Southwest to unite against banditry, kidnapping, and rising insecurity, which he said were being used to destabilize Tinubu’s administration.

“I got President Tinubu’s approval to create Iru Ẹkun Security Network. We Yoruba will not allow them use insecurity to ruin Tinubu’s government like they did to remove Jonathan. Yoruba people let’s come out. For now, it is voluntarily,” Igboho declared in the video statement.

The announcement comes amid growing concerns over attacks linked to armed bandits and forest-based criminal groups operating in parts of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, and other Southwest states.

Igboho, who gained national prominence during the 2020–2021 Yoruba self-determination agitation, described the proposed security network as a grassroots defense initiative designed to protect local communities and flush criminals out of forests across Yoruba land.

The name Iru Ẹkun, loosely associated with the strength and fierceness of a tiger or lion, has already generated widespread debate online. Reports circulating on social media suggest the network may recruit thousands of operatives and function as a registered private security organization.

According to Igboho, participation in the outfit is currently voluntary, although he hinted that government support could emerge later.

He also suggested that the current wave of insecurity affecting parts of Nigeria is politically motivated, alleging that certain forces are attempting to weaken a Yoruba-led presidency in a manner similar to the political and security challenges faced by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The development has triggered mixed reactions nationwide.

Supporters argue that community-based security initiatives have become necessary due to increasing insecurity and slow response times from conventional security agencies. They view the proposed Iru Ẹkun Network as a bold effort to safeguard lives and property in vulnerable communities.

Critics, however, have questioned the need for another regional security structure when the Southwest already operates the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun. Some observers have also raised concerns about possible vigilantism, political weaponization, and the proliferation of armed groups outside formal federal control.

As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official confirmation from the Presidency or federal security agencies regarding Igboho’s claim that President Tinubu approved the outfit. However, the activist insisted that consultations had taken place and that the organization was legally registered.

Security analysts say the emergence of another regional security network could significantly reshape conversations around local policing, self-defense initiatives, and state-backed security structures in Nigeria.

Sunday Igboho’s return to national headlines comes at a time when Nigeria continues to battle complex security crises ranging from banditry and kidnapping to separatist tensions and communal violence.

The latest development is expected to intensify debate over how regional communities should respond to growing insecurity and whether grassroots security outfits can complement — or complicate — Nigeria’s existing security framework.

Stay with us for more updates on this developing story.