Armed men seen in a viral video have abducted and brutalised members of Iru Ekun, a self-defence group, in Bani community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, forcing them to declare that they would no longer associate with the group.
The men, identified in the footage as Fulani gunmen, were seen with the captives whose hands had been tied as they interrogated them over their alleged membership of Iru Ekun.
In the video circulating on social media, the armed men questioned the captives individually, demanding their names, affiliations and explanations for their alleged involvement with the group.
One of the armed men, speaking in Yoruba, repeatedly accused the captives of disregarding warnings that Iru Ekun members were not welcome in Bani.
“Won’t we have told you that we don’t want Iru Ekun in Bani?” he asked one of the captives.
During the interrogation, one of the captives identified himself as Yusuf Alagbere.
Asked about his involvement with Iru Ekun, Yusuf said he had not previously participated in the group’s activities but was invited to join.
“My name is Yusuf Alagbere. I did not do Iru Ekun before, I was invited. I’m a member of Hunters,” he said.
When asked who invited him, Yusuf replied that it was the “Elere boys” who had called him.
Another captive, identified as Jelili Alagbere, was also questioned about his association with the group.
When asked which group he belonged to, Jelili identified Iru Ekun. He was seen wearing a T-shirt bearing the group’s name.
The armed man confronted him, reiterating that Iru Ekun was not wanted in Bani. Jelili, however, responded that he was unaware of any such prohibition.
The interrogation continued as the armed man challenged the captives over their reaction to seeing the armed men.
“Are you not men? Why are you people running away when you saw us?” he asked.
Another captive was subsequently ordered to identify himself.
“What is your name? Look up,” the armed man commanded.
The man identified himself as Rafiu. When asked whose son he was, he responded, “Omo Elere,” meaning the son of Elere.
The armed man then questioned him about his association with Iru Ekun. Rafiu responded that he had been coming from home when he was abducted.
The footage also showed an elderly captive whose hands had been tied behind his back being questioned about what had brought the group together and whether he intended to continue participating in Iru Ekun’s activities.
The elderly man denied being a member of the group, challenging the armed man to identify any occasion when he had seen him participating in its activities.
“Did you see me with them before? I did not do Iru Ekun,” he said.
Towards the end of the video, the armed men addressed the captives collectively, asking whether they would continue participating in Iru Ekun’s activities.
The captives responded in the negative, declaring that they would no longer participate in the group’s activities.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction and the identities of the armed men could not be independently established from the footage.
Iru Ekun and Its Activities
Iru Ekun was launched by Yoruba activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, as a self-defence initiative intended to confront armed bandits and terrorists accused of attacking and kidnapping residents across parts of the South-West and neighbouring areas, including Kwara and Kogi states.
The initiative emerged amid growing concerns over insecurity, particularly attacks on rural communities, kidnappings and threats to residents’ livelihoods.
Supporters of the group have presented it as a community protection initiative aimed at confronting armed groups and improving security in affected areas.
The incident in Bani comes amid tensions surrounding the activities of Iru Ekun and previous threats directed at Igboho by a man from the same community.
Earlier Threat Against Sunday Igboho
Kwara Reporters had earlier reported a video in which a man identified as Fulani and said to be from Bani threatened Sunday Igboho, warning the activist against entering the community to chase Fulani residents away.
In the footage, the man, dressed in native attire and seated on a motorcycle in what appeared to be a bushy area, spoke in Yoruba while issuing warnings and insults against the Yoruba nation agitator.
He accused Igboho of mentioning the name of Bani’s traditional ruler and warned him against disrespecting the monarch.
“Today, I want to talk to Sunday Igboho, and I want this video to reach him.
“Igboho, let me tell you this. I swear to God, I heard that you mentioned the name of the traditional ruler of Bani. You should be very careful. The monarch is not your mate. Bani is not like Igangan. We, the people of Bani, are not scared of you. You are just a kid,” the man said.
He also rejected allegations linking Fulani residents in Bani to banditry, insisting that members of the community were engaged in legitimate economic activities, particularly mining.
“We Fulani in Bani are not bandits. Call Yoruba people in Bani and ask them whether the Fulani in Bani are bandits,” he said.
“We are looking for money through legitimate means. The mining you are seeing is where we are getting our money from. Anyone who wants to become a bandit will not go into mining.”
The man subsequently warned Igboho against visiting the community, threatening that the activist would not return home safely if he entered Bani.
“If you dare set foot in Bani, you will not go home safely, I swear to God,” he said.
He further declared that Bani was different from Igangan and warned Igboho against attempting to enter the area through Igbeti.
“Who are you? Bani is not like Igangan. Once you dare come to Igbeti and dare to enter Bani, you will not go home safely.
“Are we bandits? How many bandits have they arrested in Bani? You are mentioning the name of the Bani monarch. Was it the monarch that killed your father or your mother?” he asked.
The man also mocked Igboho, claiming that the community could provide him with transport money to visit while insisting that Fulani residents in the area were not intimidated by him.
“We will send you transport money to come over. Are you a soldier or what? We Fulani from Bani are not scared of you,” he said.
“You are killing fake Fulani; you cannot kill original Fulani.”
