An Islamic cleric in Ilorin, Abdulrahman Bello, has been sentenced to death by hanging for the gruesome killing of Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student at the College of Education, Ilorin. Justice Hannah Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court delivered the verdict.
During the proceedings, the court found Bello guilty of murdering Lawal for ritual purposes and involvement in the illegal trade of human body parts. Justice Ajayi described the act as both cruel and inhumane, noting that Bello had deceitfully lured Lawal to his residence under the guise of love and the intentions of marriage.
Four co-defendants, Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Jamiu Uthman, Suleiman Muyideen, and Abdulrahman Jamiu, were acquitted due to a lack of compelling evidence connecting them to the crime.
The murder occurred on February 10, 2025, in Ilorin’s Olunlade area. Bello invited Lawal to his home, engaged in sexual activity with her, and subsequently killed and dismembered her. Investigators discovered chilling items in his room, including the victim’s severed palm, a blood-filled bottle, her possessions, and the weapon used. Additional remains were later found at a nearby dumpsite.
Justice Ajayi ended the trial by sentencing Bello to death by hanging.
