Operatives of the OSun state Police Command have arrested an Islamic cleric, identified as Kadiri allegedly having sex with a minor in the Babasanya-Araka area of Ede in the state, reports thegazellenews.com.
The Osun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, who confirmed the arrest of the suspect, said the incident sparked outrage among residents, who apprehended the cleric before handing him over to the security operatives after a brief protest.
According to Ojelabi, the incident happened on Saturday, 5 July, 2025, immediately police personnel were deployed to the area following a report from members of the community.
“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,” he said.
The state police image-maker disclosed that the suspect is currently in police custody, while preliminary investigations were being carried out by the Division before the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Osogbo.
Speaking also on the development, the Public Relations Officer for the Amotekun Corps in the state, Idowu Yusuf, said, “The suspect is an Imam of a mosque. He also has an Arabic school in the area where he teaches students Arabic language. Further investigation is being carried out by the police.”
It was gathered that the victim, name withheld, is an 8 year old girl who was missing for some hours on Saturday, 5 July, 2025 after which her mother raised an alarm.
After she was found crying and bleeding, she was taken to the hospital in Ede, where she was checked.
According to residents, the suspect was apprehended by community members and handed over to the Amotekun Corps, who later transferred him to the police.
