Months of speculation and doubts over the case of an Ilorin-based Islamic cleric, Abdurahaman Bello who brutally murdered his girlfriend, Hafzat Lawal in his Alebere residence of the Kwara State capital, came to an end on Thursday, July 30 in the Ilorin High Court which slammed a death penalty by hanging on him.
Until her gruesome murder on February 10, the unfortunate 24-year old was a final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, said to have been wooed into a relationship by Bello on social media (Facebook).
In her judgement, Justice Hannah Ajayi described the crime as “highest degree of human wickedness” and, therefore, found Bello guilty of all five-count charges but discharged and acquitted the quartet of Ahmed Abdulwasiu,41; Suleiman Muhydeen, 28; Jamiu Uthman, 29 and Abdulrahman Jamiu, 31 of all the charges because of lack of evidence that connected them to the crime.
According to the prosecution, the offences were contrary to Section 97, 221 of the Penal Code Law, Section 2 of the Kwara State (Prohibition Law) of dealing in human parts of Law 4 of 2018 and Section 1(2) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision Act) CAP R11 Law of the Federation of Nigeria.
The lady’s bereaved father, Mallam Ibrahim Lawal was spotted at the court premises. Contrary to his reservation about the case, he was full of praise that justice has been served the murderer.
It will be recalled that the deceased was attending a function with her family when she received the call and headed to his caller’s location, ostensibly unsuspecting she would never return to her equally unsuspecting family members.
The parents became impatient when there was no sign of her whereabouts; they promptly reported the matter at the Oja Oba Divisional Police Headquarters a day after. The policemen swung to action and traced her location; the suspect was rounded up and his apartment searched, instantly exposing the butchered parts of the deceased and tools he allegedly used in his nefarious activities.
President, Balogun Fulani Constituency Youth Development Association, Comrade Hassan Erubu expressed his angst over the incident and described the suspect as a black sheep of his family because, according to him, the suspect’s late father had no criminal record in his life time.
Erubu who claimed to be a friend of the family, attested that the late father was known as Alfa Baba- Idisin an easygoing person.
“In Ìlọrin Emirate, we should be more vigilant and secure our glory. The activities of these young and upcoming (acclaimed) Islamic scholars are unbearable, and they should be seriously dealt with in a voice. As a community practitioner, this is a serious challenge to us, and we shouldn’t sleep while the fire is on the roof,” he noted.
Published on August 2, 2025
Leave a Reply