My Mission Is to Tackle Crime, Not Ethnic Groups — Sunday Igboho

By Opeyemi Adelakun

Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has clarified that his renewed call for improved security in the South-West is not directed at any ethnic nationality but strictly at criminal elements responsible for killings, kidnappings and other violent crimes.

In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, Igboho said his advocacy is rooted in the need to protect lives and restore peace across communities affected by insecurity.

He stressed that his position has consistently been about confronting criminals, regardless of their ethnic, religious or political background.

According to him, Nigeria’s security challenges require collective action from citizens, government institutions and security agencies to effectively dismantle criminal networks operating across the country.

Igboho said he has never called for hostility against any ethnic group, insisting that attempts to frame his comments as ethnic attacks were misleading and a distortion of his position on insecurity in the region.

“It is obvious that since my agitation for improved security in the South-West and other parts of the country, I have never declared war against any ethnic group,” the statement read.

He added that his focus remains the protection of innocent lives and the restoration of safety in rural and urban communities increasingly affected by kidnapping and violent attacks.

The activist described recent calls for him to be cautioned by authorities as “misplaced,” arguing that attention should instead be directed at strengthening security operations and dismantling criminal groups.

He also commended the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, the Department of State Services and other security agencies for ongoing efforts against criminal activities in the South-West and other parts of Nigeria.

Igboho further called for stronger collaboration between citizens and security agencies, stressing that achieving lasting peace cannot be left to government alone.

He urged stakeholders to prioritise coordinated security responses that target offenders while avoiding actions that could inflame ethnic tensions.

The clarification comes amid renewed public debate over insecurity in parts of the South-West and concerns raised by some groups about the framing of security-related statements in the region.