NSA, Police, Others Keep Mum Over Igboho’s 20,000-man Security Outfit

By Ejike Ejike, Tarkaa David, Abuja, and Waheed Adebayo, Ibadan

The launch of a 20,000-member Iru Ekun Security Network by Yoruba nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has raised questions about the legal status of the outfit and its relationship with existing security agencies.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have yet to clarify their positions on the establishment of the network, which was unveiled at Mapo Hall, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday.

Igboho said the initiative was established to strengthen grassroots security and tackle criminal activities in the South-West and parts of Kwara and Niger states.

The media office of the activist said the network had attracted 20,000 volunteers and was collaborating with the Nigerian Army, the police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to address kidnapping, killings and other security challenges.

However, the claims of collaboration and the network’s operational arrangements have not been independently established.

When contacted, the Special Adviser to the National Security Adviser on Strategic Communication and Civil Society Liaison, Dr Chido Onumah, did not respond to inquiries on the outfit.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Iniedu Anietie, also declined to comment on whether the police were aware of the network and its operational status.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which regulates private guard companies, was also contacted for clarification.

The silence of the federal security authorities has left questions about the network’s registration, permitted activities and relationship with existing security structures unanswered.

The Oyo State Police Command, however, said it was prepared to work with individuals and organisations operating within the law.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the police would cooperate with any group whose activities complied with the law.

The position comes amid renewed debate over the proposed establishment of state police. Twenty-four of Nigeria’s 36 State Houses of Assembly have reportedly approved the constitutional amendment seeking to introduce state police.

Oyo State is among those that have endorsed the proposal, which is intended to provide a constitutional framework for policing at the state level.

Meanwhile, questions remain over whether Iru Ekun has been formally recognised by the relevant authorities and what safeguards would govern its members’ activities.

Community-based security initiatives can provide local intelligence and support conventional security agencies. However, their effectiveness depends on clear legal authority, defined responsibilities and effective supervision.

Security Experts Fear Abuse, Politicisation

Security experts have warned that the Iru Ekun Security Network could improve intelligence gathering but also create risks if it operates without adequate regulation and coordination.

The Managing Director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, Dr Kabir Adamu, said the initiative could help address security gaps in areas where conventional security agencies were overstretched.

He, however, warned that the establishment of another large volunteer force could complicate the existing security arrangement in the South-West, where Amotekun, community vigilantes and state-backed hunters already operate.

Adamu said the network’s effectiveness would depend on a clear legal framework, proper training and an established chain of command.

He also expressed concern about the potential politicisation of the outfit, noting that Igboho had reportedly canvassed support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election during the launch.

According to him, the association of a security initiative with political mobilisation could undermine public confidence and raise concerns about its impartiality.

Adamu further warned that the absence of clearly defined operational arrangements with the Nigeria Police Force and the NSCDC could create jurisdictional disputes and encourage the formation of similar groups without adequate oversight.

A former Army spokesman, Brigadier-General Sani Kukasheka Usman (retd.), also expressed concern about the implications of the initiative for Nigeria’s security architecture.

He said community-based security groups could provide useful local intelligence and complement conventional security agencies.

However, he warned that the proliferation of security outfits without proper regulation, coordination and clearly defined operational boundaries could lead to duplication of responsibilities, rivalries, vigilantism, ethnic profiling and abuse of power.

Usman said the network’s legal status and place within the existing security framework needed to be clarified.

Oyo Government Distances Itself From Outfit

The Oyo State Government has also declined to comment directly on the inauguration of the network.

The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the government had no comment for now.

However, a state government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde required local security and vigilante groups to register with the state and operate within an established legal and operational framework.

The official said the government would not fund or provide logistical support for the Iru Ekun Security Network.

He added that the state government had issued an executive order requiring security outfits and vigilante groups to register, wear identifiable uniforms and coordinate their activities to promote public safety and accountability.

According to him, the government welcomed assistance from groups that respected the law and worked within the established security structure but maintained that security remained primarily the responsibility of government.

Residents Differ On New Security Network

Residents of Oyo State have expressed differing views on the new security network, with some welcoming the initiative and others raising concerns about possible ethnic profiling and intimidation.

A member of the Hausa community in Oyo, Abdullahi Adamu, said some residents, particularly those of Fulani extraction, were apprehensive about the group’s establishment and possible activities.

He identified concerns about harassment, intimidation, ethnic profiling and the emergence of parallel centres of authority.

However, some Yoruba residents expressed support for the initiative, arguing that it could help tackle insecurity across the South-West.

A resident, Babatunde Adeniyi, said the state had enjoyed relative peace but urged the government to allow the network to work with existing security agencies, provided it operated within the law.

He expressed the hope that the initiative would help address criminal activities, including banditry.

Another resident, Mrs Bolatito Akanmu, urged the state government to provide the necessary support for the outfit.