Mujeeb Akindoyin
Yoruba activist and vigilance group leader, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has reportedly directed members of his Iru Ekun Network to kill armed bandits and kidnappers encountered in the course of their operations.
Igboho gave the directive on Tuesday while inaugurating members of the group in Ondo State, according to a report by Peoples Gazette.
He reportedly urged the vigilantes to confront armed criminals in forests and along major highways, arguing that handing suspected bandits over to the police could allow them to return to crime after serving jail terms.
“If we hand them over to the police, they will go to court, and likely after jail they will return to the crime,” Igboho was quoted as saying.
He reportedly instructed members of the group to alert the police when armed bandits block major roads, including routes linking Ondo with Osun and Abuja.
Igboho, however, warned the vigilantes against targeting innocent people on the basis of their ethnicity or nationality.
He specifically urged the group not to attack innocent Igbo and Hausa traders, stressing that they were Nigerians and should not be treated as criminals because of their ethnic backgrounds.
“Don’t fight innocent Igbo and Hausa traders. We are all Nigerians,” he reportedly said.
The activist said the group should instead focus on individuals confirmed to be involved in kidnapping and other violent crimes.
According to the report, he also told the vigilantes to act against suspected collaborators of criminal gangs.
His directive comes amid persistent concerns over insecurity, including kidnapping and banditry, in parts of the country.
However, calls for vigilantes to execute criminal suspects raise serious concerns over due process and the protection of fundamental human rights, as Nigerian law provides for suspects to be arrested, investigated and prosecuted through the established justice system.
The police and other security agencies are constitutionally responsible for investigating crimes and bringing suspects before the courts, while punishment for convicted offenders is determined through the judicial process.
The reported comments by Igboho therefore place renewed attention on the role and limits of community-based security groups in combating violent crime, particularly in areas where residents have expressed concerns about the effectiveness of formal security structures.
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