Cleric confesses to killing, dismembering Kwara student

AbdulRahman Bello, an Islamic cleric accused of the brutal murder and dismemberment of Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, has admitted to carrying out the crime alone.

During a court hearing on Thursday, March 6, 2025, Bello pleaded with the judge to release his four co-defendants, insisting they had no involvement in the killing. According to him, he met Hafsoh on Facebook and was solely responsible for her gruesome murder.

The other suspects standing trial alongside Bello include Ahmed AbdulWasiu, Suleiman Muhyideen, Jamiu Uthman, and AbdulRahman Jamiu. However, the court advised Bello to present his request for their release at the High Court, where the case has now been transferred for proper trial.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Ministry of Justice has officially taken over the case. A legal representative from the ministry, Barr. Issa Zakari, informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had reviewed the case and found Bello culpable.

Dr. Folorunso Ahmad Hussein, the legal counsel for the victim’s family, did not oppose the ministry’s takeover but emphasized the need for justice.

Magistrate Sanusi Muhammad adjourned the case until March 20, 2025, for further mention, while ordering the suspects to remain in custody at Oke Kura Correctional Centre in Ilorin.