An Ilorin High Court has sentenced an Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello, to death by hanging for the brutal murder of Hafsat Lawal, a final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education, whose body was found dismembered in a suspected ritual killing.
Justice Hannah Ajayi, who presided over the case, handed down the judgment on Thursday, condemning the act as one of “the highest degrees of human wickedness” and rejecting Bello’s claims that he had no intent to kill the victim. In addition to the death sentence, Bello was given 10 years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of human parts and blood, with an option of a ₦100,000 fine or an additional six-month sentence. He was, however, acquitted of a rape charge.
Four other suspects, previously charged with him– Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman, and Abdulrahman Jamiu– were discharged and acquitted of the murder charge by the court, due to insufficient evidence linking them to the crime.
According to the facts presented during the trial, Bello met Hafsat on Facebook and began communicating with her via calls and text. On February 10, Hafsat left a family gathering abruptly after receiving a call from Bello. Her disappearance led to a police investigation, which traced her last known contact to the cleric’s residence in the Garage Offa area of Ilorin.
Initially, Bello denied any involvement or knowledge of her whereabouts, later claiming that she had died from an asthma attack. However, the investigation revealed a far more gruesome truth. Her dismembered body was discovered in buckets, with some parts soaked in alcohol and others dumped at a refuse site in Olunlade. The victim’s father, Mr Lawal, said he was only able to identify her remains through the henna on her wrists.
A search of Bello’s residence uncovered a book containing information on money-making rituals, which the court cited as key evidence supporting the prosecution’s argument that the killing was premeditated. Justice Ajayi ruled that Bello’s defense was riddled with inconsistencies, and his claim of a romantic relationship with the deceased was a calculated attempt to mislead the court.
The court also reviewed video and written confessions obtained by the police and the Department of State Services (DSS), which were deemed admissible and obtained lawfully. Bello had initially pleaded guilty at the Magistrate Court and stated that the other four accused were not involved. However, he later changed his plea to not guilty at the High Court, alongside the other defendants.
In her closing remarks, Justice Ajayi issued a stern warning about the dangers of social media, stating that the tragedy might have been avoided had the victim informed her family or friends about her plans. “The public must be cautious about online interactions, especially when they involve meeting strangers in private locations,” she said.
The verdict was welcomed by the victim’s family and religious leaders in the state. Mr Lawal, the victim’s father, described the judgment as a “welcome development” and praised the efforts of the police, DSS, and other agencies involved in the investigation. He also urged Islamic clerics and institutions to place greater emphasis on promoting knowledge and moral teachings rather than enabling superstitions or harmful practices.
The Kwara State Council of Ulama, led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammad Bashir Solih, condemned the killing and called on authorities to ensure that justice prevailed. “We insist the law must take its course. Anyone found guilty should be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others,” Solih stated in an earlier reaction to the incident.
The case has reignited concerns over the rising cases of ritual killings in Kwara and neighboring states, with renewed calls for vigilance, public education, and stronger regulation of fringe spiritual practices masquerading as religion.
Bello will now await execution, as the court seeks to make an example of those who exploit religion for evil.
