A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced an Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello, to death by hanging for killing 24-year-old Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, his lover whom he met on Facebook.
Justice Hannah Ajayi delivered the judgment on Thursday, concluding a four-month trial that revealed chilling details of a ritual killing. Bello, who identified as a cleric, admitted to luring the victim to his residence in the Offa Garage area of Ilorin on February 13, 2025, under the guise of a romantic meeting.
Hafsoh, a final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education, had left a naming ceremony to meet him.
During the trial, Bello confessed to murdering and dismembering Hafsoh’s body, claiming he needed her hands for money rituals. Although he later altered his narrative, alleging she died from an asthma attack, the court found his confessions inconsistent and incriminating.
Four other defendants initially arraigned with Bello; Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muyideen, Jamiu Uthman, and Abdulrahmon Jamiu, were discharged and acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
Justice Ajayi ruled that Bello acted alone and intentionally, stating that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
This ruling marks another stern warning against ritual-related crimes in Nigeria, particularly those targeting vulnerable individuals through social media.
