The Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced Abdulrahman Bello to death by hanging for the brutal murder of Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student at the College of Education, Ilorin.
Justice Hannah Ajayi delivered the judgment on Thursday, July 31, 2025, describing the act as “cruel, wicked, and a chilling reflection of human depravity.”
While Bello was found guilty and sentenced to death, the court acquitted four co-defendants — Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Jamiu Uthman, Suleiman Muyideen, and Abdulrahman Jamiu — of all charges. Justice Ajayi held that there was no evidence linking them to the crime and subsequently discharged and acquitted them.
In her ruling, Justice Ajayi stated that the evidence clearly showed Bello killed Hafsoh for ritual purposes, with the intent of trafficking human body parts. She dismissed his claims of affection and a marriage proposal as deliberate deception meant to lure Hafsoh to her death.
Background of the Case
Hafsoh Lawal was last seen on February 10, 2025, after she left a naming ceremony upon receiving a phone call. When she failed to return, her father, Mr. Adefalu Lawal, reported her missing at the Oja Oba Police Division in Ilorin.
Police investigations revealed that her last known communication was with Abdulrahman Bello. He was arrested on February 14 in the Isale Koto area of Ilorin. During interrogation, he confessed and led investigators to his residence, where horrifying evidence was uncovered.
Inside his room, police found a severed human palm, a bottle containing blood, personal belongings of the deceased, and a cutlass used in the crime. Additional decomposed body parts were discovered at a nearby dumpsite.
Final Verdict
Justice Ajayi condemned Bello’s actions as premeditated and inhumane, affirming that justice must be served to bring closure to the victim’s family. She consequently sentenced him to death by hanging.
The verdict marks a grim but necessary step toward justice in a case that shocked the Ilorin community and beyond.
