Justice has finally caught up with Abdulrahman Bello, the man who lured, k!lled, and dismembered his girlfriend, Hafsoh Lawal—a final-year student at the College of Education, Ilorin. On Thursday, the Kwara State High Court sentenced him to death by hanging for the horrifying crime that shocked not just Ilorin, but the entire country.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Hannah Ajayi didn’t mince words. She described the m¥rder as “cruel, wicked, and an extreme display of human wickedness.” According to the court, Bello pretended to be in love with Hafsoh, even going as far as promising marriage—just to lure her into his trap for ritual purposes and the human body parts trade.
While Bello will face the full weight of the law, four other suspects—Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Jamiu Uthman, Suleiman Muyideen, and Abdulrahman Jamiu—were discharged and acquitted due to lack of concrete evidence tying them to the crime.
The tragic event happened on February 10, 2025, in the Olunlade area of Ilorin. Court records revealed that Bello had sexual relations with Hafsoh before brutally m¥rdering her. Police investigators recovered chilling evidence in his home: the victim’s severed palm, a bottle filled with blood, her belongings, and a bloodstained cutlass used in the crime. More decomposed parts were later found at a dumpsite nearby.
For many, the judgment offers a glimmer of closure in a case that left the community in grief and disbelief. Yet, it also raises deeper concerns about the growing threat of ritual k!llings under the guise of love and trust.
As Hafsoh’s family and loved ones mourn her, the court’s decision sends a clear message: such evil acts will not go unpunished.
