Emir Of Ilorin Condemns Islamic Cleric’s Alleged Murder Of Student
The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, on Sunday, bemoaned the gruesome murder of Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin.
Lawal was allegedly murdered by an Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello.
Reacting, Sulu-Gambari instructed Imams across the state to use their Friday sermons to preach against ritual killings and other inhuman acts.
He reiterated the need to maintain morality and dignity in society.
The Emir, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowana, on Sunday, described the incident as “most unfortunate, alien to the culture of Ilorin, and a regrettable act of wickedness.”
He said, “It has become pertinent for parents, guardians, and members of the community to remain vigilant about happenings around them, ensuring their children and wards associate with individuals of tested and trusted character with well-researched family backgrounds.”
He further called on youths to wage war against idleness, laziness and unwanted loitering in the guise of seeking survival.
Sulu-Gambari also urged clerics in the Ilorin Emirate and beyond to help sanitise the system by identifying and exposing individuals like Abdulrahman Bello to law enforcement agencies before they cause more harm.
He also called on the Nigeria Police and the judiciary to ensure that justice is served in the alleged murder case.
Quoting Sulu-Gambari “He, therefore, directs religious leaders, especially Imams in mosques across Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State, to ensure that their Friday Khutbah (sermon) focuses on morality, dignity in labour, and the importance of respecting human life, regardless of tribe, religion, or status.”
Bello was earlier arrested for the alleged murder of Lawal.
In a video that went viral on Saturday morning, Bello, who introduced himself as Mohammed, denied any involvement in the victim’s death, insisting that she was his girlfriend.
According to him, Lawal had told him that she would attend an event at 1 pm on the day she died but returned after 3 pm.
The cleric said the victim told him she was hungry and he stepped out to buy her food. However, upon his return, he allegedly found her gasping for breath.
Speaking in Yoruba, he said in the video, “My name is Mohammed. I’m a Muslim cleric.”
When asked about his education, he replied, “I will soon gain admission into KWASU.” When asked about the victim, he said, “Her name is Hafusa. She is my girlfriend. I met her on Facebook.”
He added, “I didn’t kill her. I am just a victim of circumstance. She told me that they had an event at 1 PM after school that day.
“She returned home after 3 PM and mentioned that she hadn’t eaten, so I went to get her some food. However, when I got back, she was gasping for breath.”
Bello alleged that Yetunde had previously told him she was asthmatic.
“I was in shock when she died, so I couldn’t cry out for help. I dismembered her body and disposed of it at the public refuse dump because I couldn’t think of any better way. I have never done this before. This is my first time.”
Lawal was reported missing on February 11 after she failed to return home. Her remains were later discovered in Bello’s residence, where police also found fetish items.
Recall that the Kwara State Police Command on Saturday, February 15, arrested a 29-year-old Islamic teacher and cleric over the alleged murder of Hafsoh Lawal.
The victim, identified as Miss Yetunde Hafsoh Lawal, was reportedly murdered on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, by the suspect, whom she had met on Facebook.
The suspect, who also serves as an Islamic teacher, allegedly invited the victim through a phone call on Monday, February 10, 2025, and subsequently killed and dismembered her body somewhere in Olunlade on the outskirts of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
Emir Of Ilorin Condemns Islamic Cleric’s Alleged Murder Of Student is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
