Fulani residents in Oyo State and other parts of the South-West have expressed growing concern over the activities and rhetoric surrounding the Iru Ekun Security Network, a private security outfit established by Yoruba Nation advocate, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
The residents said they support genuine efforts to tackle kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities but warned against profiling the Fulani ethnic group as responsible for insecurity in the region. They argued that such narratives could deepen ethnic divisions, fuel mistrust and distract security agencies from identifying the actual perpetrators of crimes.
A Fulani resident in Oyo State, who spoke anonymously, said members of the community were living in fear.
“We are living in fear. When he mentioned Banni, everyone became scared. Many people fail to realise that the Fulani have lived peacefully in this state for decades,” he said.
The resident also pointed to the May 15 abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, noting that three Fulani children remain among those still in captivity.
He dismissed claims that the victims had been released following an ultimatum reportedly issued by Sunday Igboho, insisting that the kidnapped children were yet to regain their freedom.
He further alleged that suspects arrested in connection with one of the kidnapping incidents were Yoruba, including four civilians and a police officer, arguing that several attacks had been wrongly blamed on Fulani communities.
Authorities Dismiss Rescue Claims
The concerns followed controversy over reports that some abducted victims had regained their freedom after Igboho allegedly issued an ultimatum to kidnappers.
However, the Chairman of Oriire Local Government, Jacob Ogundiran, and the Oyo State Police Command dismissed the reports, stating that the victims were still in captivity.
The police also said there was no official confirmation linking Igboho or the Iru Ekun Security Network to any rescue operation.
Background To Iru Ekun
The controversy comes after the May 15 abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, during which one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later reportedly killed by his captors.
Following the incident, Sunday Igboho announced the establishment of the Iru Ekun Security Network, describing it as a regional security outfit created to combat kidnappers, terrorists and bandits operating in forests across the South-West.
In a widely circulated video, Igboho called on Yoruba communities to unite against criminal elements, insisting that terrorists should not be allowed to operate within the region.
He also alleged that some politicians were attempting to use insecurity to destabilise President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Profiling Concerns Grow
The emergence of the security outfit has generated debate over the activities of non-state security groups operating alongside conventional security agencies.
Videos circulating online showing members of Iru Ekun visiting Fulani settlements and forests have further heightened concerns among Fulani leaders and residents, who fear innocent people could become targets of ethnic profiling.
The Seriki Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Salihu AbdulKadir, cautioned against generalising criminality based on ethnicity, recalling the 2021 Igangan crisis, during which many Fulani residents fled their communities following tensions.
He maintained that millions of Fulani across Nigeria are law-abiding citizens engaged in legitimate occupations and warned that ethnic profiling could threaten peaceful coexistence.
Oyo Government Introduces Security Regulations
In response to the increasing activities of informal security groups, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde issued an executive order requiring all security-related organisations operating within the state to register formally with the government and ensure their operatives wear identifiable uniforms.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abiodun Aikomo, said the directive was aimed at promoting accountability and effective monitoring of security groups.
Sunday Igboho subsequently stated that the Iru Ekun Security Network had complied with the registration process and was awaiting formal approval from the Federal Government before commencing full operations.
He also expressed the group’s readiness to work with the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other security agencies in tackling insecurity.
Offer To Protect Schools
Following the abduction of pupils in Oyo State, Igboho also proposed deploying members of the Iru Ekun Security Network to public schools across the state.
In a letter addressed to the Oyo State Commissioner for Education and copied to Governor Makinde, he requested information on public schools to facilitate the deployment of at least two trained operatives to each school to strengthen security and prevent further attacks.
The group also recommended the construction of perimeter fences around public schools to improve protection for pupils and teachers.
Security Expert Calls For Regulation
Security analyst Mathew Ibadin said there was nothing wrong with involving non-state actors in addressing insecurity, provided their operations remained within the law.
He stressed that private security outfits should operate based on credible intelligence, work closely with statutory security agencies and hand over suspects for proper investigation and prosecution.
Ibadin warned against politicising security or allowing ethnic considerations to influence security operations, noting that such actions could further heighten fear and tension among residents.
He called for a well-defined legal framework to regulate private security organisations and ensure they contribute positively to public safety without becoming instruments of political or ethnic persecution.
