Osun Imam Arrested for Allegedly R@ping 8-Year-Old Girl

The Osun State Police Command has arrested an Islamic cleric, identified simply as Kadiri, for allegedly raping an eight-year-old girl in Ede, Osun State.

The incident, which occurred in the Babasanya-Araka area of Ede, led to a protest by angry residents who attacked the suspect before he was handed over to security agents.

The spokesperson for the command, Abiodun Ojelabi, who confirmed the incident on Saturday, July 5, 2025, said police operatives were deployed to the scene following a report.

“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. “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.”

The spokesperson for the Amotekun Corps, Idowu Yusuf, also confirmed the arrest. “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,” he said.

A resident of Babasanya-Araka, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained how the suspect was apprehended. According to the source, the young girl had gone missing for several hours on Saturday. When she was eventually found, she was crying and bleeding, prompting her mother to question her. The child was then taken to a hospital in Ede for examination. The police have since taken over the case and assured that further investigations are ongoing.