Court Sentences Islamic Cleric to Death by Hanging for Killing Kwara Final-Year Student
The Kwara State High Court in Ilorin has sentenced an Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello, to death by hanging for the cruel killing of Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student at the College of Education, Ilorin.
Justice Hannah Ajayi delivered the judgment on Thursday, July 31, 2025. She called the crime “cruel, wicked, and an extreme display of human wickedness.”
The court found that Bello, who once claimed to love Hafsoh and wanted to marry her, had tricked her into his house. There, he had s3x with her and then k!lled and dismembered her body for money rituals and human spare part trading.
During the investigation, police found the palm of the late Hafsoh, a bottle filled with blood, her belongings, and the cutlass used in the crime all inside Bello’s room. The rest of her body was discovered dumped at a nearby site.
The court also ruled on the four other people accused with him – Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Jamiu Uthman, Suleiman Muyideen, and Abdulrahman Jamiu. The judge said there was no proof linking them to the crime and therefore declared them innocent.
The crime happened on February 10, 2025, at Olunlade area in Ilorin. Justice Ajayi said all the evidence clearly showed that the murder was planned and carried out by Bello alone.
In her words, “All the claims of love were lies to get her to his house. He planned to use her body parts for evil gains.”
Abdulrahman Bello was sentenced to death by hanging, while the other four were set free.
