By Patrick Idowu
The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of an Islamic cleric, identified simply as Kadiri, for allegedly defiling an eight-year-old girl in the Babasanya-Araka area of Ede, Osun State.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, sparked outrage in the community, with an angry mob attacking the suspect before he was handed over to security operatives.
Spokesperson of the Command, SP Abiodun Ojelabi, said police officers were promptly deployed to the scene after the case was reported.
“The matter was reported, and we deployed operatives to the scene. When our men arrived, the Amotekun Corps who apprehended him handed him over to us,” Ojelabi stated.
He added that the suspect is currently in police custody and that the divisional police headquarters will carry out preliminary investigations before transferring the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Amotekun spokesperson, Idowu Yusuf, confirmed that the suspect is an Imam and Arabic teacher in the community.
“He is the Imam of a mosque and also runs an Arabic school in the area. Further investigations are now being handled by the police,” Yusuf said.
A resident of the community, who pleaded anonymity, said the victim had been missing for several hours on Saturday before she was found in distress.
“The girl was missing for hours, and her mother was already searching for her. When she was eventually found, she was crying and bleeding,” the source said.
The victim was taken to a hospital in Ede for medical examination and treatment.
Police authorities have assured that a thorough investigation will be conducted to ensure justice is served.
