Ilorin Cleric Sentenced to Death for Murder of Final-Year Student, Hafsoh Lawal

A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello, to death by hanging for the murder of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, a 24-year-old final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, July 31, 2025, Justice Hannah Olushola Ajayi found Bello guilty of culpable homicide for killing and dismembering Lawal for ritual purposes. The court ruled that evidence—ranging from police investigations, statements, and exhibit recoveries—proved that Bello lured Lawal to his residence through Facebook, murdered her, and mutilated her body. Human palms, containers of blood, body parts, and ritual items were presented as evidence.

Lawal went missing on February 10, 2025, after receiving a phone call while attending a naming ceremony. A frantic search by her family led to a police investigation, uncovering her remains and linking her disappearance to Bello.

During the trial, Bello alternately confessed to killing Lawal for money rituals and claimed she died during sex, but admitted to dismembering and disposing of her body. The judge described the act as “wicked and cruel,” emphasizing the overwhelming evidence against Bello, including his own confessions and recovered items from his home.

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Four co-accused persons—Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muyideen, Jamiu Uthman, and Abdulrahman Jamiu—were discharged and acquitted due to the failure of the prosecution to establish their direct involvement in the murder.

The case, which has drawn widespread condemnation from the community and authorities, underlines growing concerns over ritual killings in the region and calls for greater vigilance among youth on the dangers of online acquaintanceships.