The Osun State Amotekun Corps has reunited a woman and her two young children with their family after they were found wandering along the Gbongan-Ibadan road in Osogbo.
The reunion came less than 24 hours after reports of the rescue were published, following the discovery of the woman and the children during a night patrol.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Corps’ spokesperson, CSA Yusuf Idowu Abass, operatives found the woman with the children, aged about three years and one year, respectively, around Ogii town on Thursday night.
The family was reportedly found wandering along the road at a late hour, prompting the operatives to take them to the Amotekun headquarters in Osogbo for safety and further investigation.
The statement said officers initially faced difficulties establishing the woman’s identity because she was reluctant to speak and reportedly communicated with unclear words.
She was subsequently referred to the Gender, Family and People with Disabilities Unit of the Corps for further assistance.
According to the Corps, personnel attached to the family-focused unit were eventually able to obtain fragments of information from the woman, which helped them trace her relatives to Ede.
The woman’s husband, identified as Olawale Muideen, was reportedly away from town at the time. His younger brother, Mutiu Sodiq, and his first son, Muideen Aliyullah, subsequently went to the Amotekun headquarters, where the woman was identified.
The family was later traced to the Ogberin area of Ede, paving the way for the reunion.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Sodiq expressed appreciation to the Amotekun officers for rescuing the woman and her children and ensuring their safety.
He said the family had been searching for the woman for days after she failed to return home with the children.
Sodiq also commended the Corps for the care provided to the woman and the children while efforts were being made to establish their identity.
The Corps Commander, Adekunle Isaac Omoyele, praised the officers involved in the rescue and thanked members of the public and the media for helping to circulate information about the incident.
Omoyele said the protection of lives and property remained a core responsibility of the Corps, particularly when vulnerable persons were involved.
“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,” he said.
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He urged residents to report missing persons promptly, particularly children, vulnerable adults and people experiencing mental or psychological difficulties.
The Field Commander of the Corps, Dr Olusoji Benedict Akanni, described the successful identification of the woman and location of her family within 24 hours as a result of coordinated efforts by the officers.
Akanni said the operatives had worked with the limited information obtained from the woman before eventually tracing her family to Ede.
The Osun Amotekun Corps has since handed the woman and her two children over to their family after completing the necessary investigations.