Osun Imam Arrested for Alleged Child Rape, Sparks Community Protest

The Osun State Police Command on Saturday confirmed the arrest of an Islamic cleric, identified simply as Kadiri, for allegedly raping an eight-year-old minor in Ede, Osun State.

The incident, which occurred at Babasanya-Araka, Ede, triggered a swift and angry response from the community, leading to a protest and an attack on the suspect by an enraged mob before his apprehension.

The command spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, while speaking with reporters, confirmed that police operatives were promptly deployed to the scene after the matter was reported.

“The matter was reported, and we deployed operatives to the scene. When our men got to the scene, the Amotekun men who arrested him handed him over to us,” Ojelabi stated.

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He further said: “So, he is in our custody already. But we want the Division to investigate before the matter is transferred to SCID. That is all that is available for now.”

Providing further details about the suspect, Amotekun spokesperson, Idowu Yusuf, revealed, “The suspect is an Imam of a mosque. He also has an Arabic school in the area where he is teaching students Arabic. Further investigation is being done by the police.”

A resident of Babasanya-Araka, who requested anonymity, recounted how the suspect was apprehended. The resident explained that the young victim was discovered bleeding after going missing for a few hours.

“The victim, about eight years old, was missing for some hours on Saturday, and her mother was already looking for her. When she was found, she was crying and bleeding. She was taken to the hospital in Ede, where she was checked,” the resident said.