The Kwara State High Court in Ilorin has sentenced Abdulrahman Bello to death by hanging for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student of the College of Education, Ilorin.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Hannah Ajayi described the crime as “cruel, wicked, and an extreme display of human depravity.”
The court found that Bello lured Hafsoh to his residence in the Olunlade area of Ilorin on February 10, 2025, under the guise of a romantic relationship. After engaging in sexual activity, he murdered and dismembered her body for ritual purposes.
Police investigations revealed chilling evidence in Bello’s room, including a bloodstained cutlass, a bottle containing blood, the victim’s severed palm, and other personal belongings. Parts of her decomposed remains were later found at a nearby dumpsite.
Four co-defendants — Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Jamiu Uthman, Suleiman Muyideen, and Abdulrahman Jamiu — were acquitted and discharged due to insufficient evidence linking them to the crime.
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Justice Ajayi rejected Bello’s claim of intending to marry Hafsoh as “a concocted lie to lure the unsuspecting victim to her death.”
The judge emphasized the ruling as a deterrent to others:
“This court must send a strong message that human life is sacred and those who take it in cold blood will face the full consequences.”
The high-profile case has sparked public outrage and renewed calls for decisive action against ritual killings in Nigeria.