THE Osun Amotekun Corps has reunited a woman and her two young children found wandering in Ogii town, along the Gbongan-Ibadan road, Osogbo, with their family.
The development is coming less than 24 hours after the story was published on media and after operatives rescued them.
According to a statement by the Osun Amotekun spokesperson, CSA, Yusuf Idowu Abass on Saturday, the woman and her children, aged approximately three years and one year, were rescued by Amotekun operatives during a night patrol on Thursday after they were found wandering along the road at a late hour.
The statement noted that “Following the rescue, the woman and the children were taken to the headquarters of the Osun Amotekun Corps in Osogbo, where they were provided with care while officers commenced efforts to establish their identity and locate their relatives.
“The woman initially declined to speak for several hours and reportedly communicated using unclear words. She was subsequently referred to the Amotekun desk of the Gender, Family and People with Disabilities Unit for further investigation.
“Personnel attached to the family-focused units were able to obtain fragments of useful information from the woman, which assisted the investigation and eventually led officers to trace her family to Ede.
“The woman’s husband, Olawale Muideen, was reportedly out of town when the family was located. He was represented at the Amotekun headquarters by his younger brother, Mutiu Sodiq, and his first son, Muideen Aliyullah, who identified the woman.”
Speaking during the reunion, Sodiq, who represented the family, expressed appreciation to the officers and men of the Osun Amotekun Corps for rescuing the woman and her children at the late hour and ensuring their safe return.
He also praised the operatives for obtaining useful information despite the woman’s condition and subsequently tracing her residence to the Ogberin area of Ede.
Sodiq commended the Corps for the humane treatment and care given to the woman and her children while they remained in its custody, adding that the family had been searching for her for days after she failed to return home with the children.
The Corps Commander, Adekunle Isaac Omoyele, also commended members of the public and the media for supporting efforts to disseminate information about the rescued woman after the incident was announced on Thursday night.
Omoyele said protecting lives and property remained one of the core mandates of the Osun Amotekun Corps, while commending the operatives who rescued the woman and her children during the late-night patrol.
He said, “It is the mandate of the Corps to protect the lives and property of residents of the state. It is commendable that our officers on patrol rescued this woman and her children who were wandering along the road at such a late hour.”
The Corps Commander stressed the importance of protecting vulnerable persons, particularly young children who may be unable to protect themselves, and urged families to promptly report missing relatives to law enforcement authorities.
He also advised families not to delay in reporting missing persons, particularly children, vulnerable adults and persons experiencing mental or psychological difficulties.
The Field Commander of the Corps, Dr Olusoji Benedict Akanni, described the identification and location of the woman’s family within 24 hours as a significant outcome of the command’s coordinated efforts, adding that officers carefully worked with the limited information obtained before tracing the family to Ede.
The Osun Amotekun Corps has since handed over the woman and her two children to their family after completing its investigation.