•Late Hafsah and Abdulrahman
A high court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced a 29-year-old self-proclaimed Islamic Cleric, Abdulrahman Mohammed Bello, to death by hanging for the ritual murder of Hafsah Yetunde Lawal, a 24-year-old final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education.
The presiding judge, Justice Hannah Olushola Ajayi, found Bello guilty of conspiracy, murder, and unlawful possession of human parts, following his arrest and confession to the killing which occurred on February 10, 2025, reports Daily Independent.
Court records show that Hafsah had gone missing after attending a naming ceremony in Ilorin. Investigators traced her disappearance to Bello, who was discovered to be the last person she contacted.
A subsequent search of his residence led to the recovery of human remains, a container of blood, an axe, a cutlass, and other suspected ritual items.
The court concluded that the killing was premeditated, noting that Bello lured the victim under false pretenses before taking her life.
Prosecutors presented multiple pieces of evidence, including a recorded confession, call logs, and physical exhibits, all of which were admitted by the court.
Although Bello initially confessed to the crime, he later claimed the statement was made under duress and alleged that the victim died from an asthma attack during a sexual encounter.
He denied mutilating her for ritual purposes. However, Justice Ajayi rejected the explanation, citing the weight of evidence against him.
In the same judgment, the court discharged and acquitted four co-defendants. Ahmed Abulwasiu (41), Sulaiman Muhyideen (28), Jamiu Uthman (29), and AbdulRahman Jamiu (31)due to insufficient evidence connecting them to the crime.
The case drew significant public attention and outrage across Kwara State and beyond, with many demanding swift justice to curb the rising cases of ritual killings.
In her ruling, Justice Ajayi decried the disturbing trend of ritual-related murders masked as spiritual or religious practices. She warned that the judiciary would not hesitate to apply the full force of the law in similar cases.
With the verdict, Bello is to be executed by hanging, marking the conclusion of a case that has gripped the state for months.
Observers have drawn parallels between this case and that of Rev. Chris Ezugo of the Christ Praying Assembly (CPA), who was sentenced to death over 15 years ago after one of his female church members was brutally flogged and set on fire over allegations of fornication, a punishment that led to her death.
Despite the Supreme Court affirming his conviction, Ezugo remains on death row, underscoring concerns over delays in carrying out capital punishment in Nigeria.
