The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a cleric identified simply as Kadiri, who is alleged to have sexually assaulted an eight-year-old girl in the Babasanya-Araka area of Ede.

According to police spokesperson SP Abiodun Ojelabi, officers were dispatched to the area after receiving a report of the incident.

He said the suspect was initially apprehended by operatives of the Amotekun Corps and later handed over to the police.

“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. 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,” Ojelabi stated.

The arrest of the suspect sparked a protest by residents who reportedly attacked him before he was rescued by security personnel.

Amotekun spokesperson, Idowu Yusuf, confirmed that the suspect is an Imam who also runs an Arabic school in the area.

“Further investigation is being done by the police,” Yusuf added.

A resident of Babasanya-Araka said the child had been missing for several hours on Saturday before she was found crying and bleeding. The girl’s mother reportedly took her to a hospital in Ede where she received medical attention.

“She was taken to the hospital in Ede, where she was checked,” the resident said.

Police say investigations are ongoing. The suspect remains in custody as authorities assess the next steps in the case.