Tragedy struck in Ilorin, Kwara State, following the gruesome murder of Yetunde Hafsat, a 300-level student of the Kwara State College of Education, allegedly at the hands of a self-proclaimed cleric she met on Facebook. Her father, Mr. Ibrahim Lawal Adefalu, has called for justice, revealing that he recognized his daughter’s dismembered hands by the henna design she had applied for a naming ceremony before her disappearance.
Hafsat was reportedly last seen on February 10, 2025, after receiving a call while attending the ceremony. She left the gathering and was subsequently declared missing. Investigations led the police to the residence of AbdulRahman Bello, a 25-year-old man living in the Offa Garage area, with family ties to Isalekoto in Ilorin. Initially, Bello denied knowledge of Hafsat’s whereabouts. However, a search of his home uncovered shocking evidence, including her slippers and other personal belongings.
According to police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, Bello later confessed to the crime, revealing that he had killed Hafsat for ritual purposes. The search of his residence yielded gruesome findings, including both severed hands of the victim inside a pot, a plastic bottle containing her blood, and various ritual items such as a cutlass, a knife, an axe, charms, and black soap. Investigators also found a center table allegedly used in the ritual process. Bello and his accomplices reportedly admitted to carrying out the act in pursuit of “oshole/ajoo ówò” (money rituals).
At the family home of the deceased in the Adefalu Compound, Oju Ekun, Ilorin, a solemn prayer session was held over the weekend, with sympathizers gathered to mourn. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Adefalu described his daughter’s murder as heartbreaking and called for swift justice. He recounted how her fiancé, Lukman, actively joined the search efforts before the devastating discovery was made.
“We saw her slippers and other items in the suspect’s house. It was the ‘lalle’ (henna) on the hands found inside the pot that confirmed she was Hafsat,” he said. “I didn’t know the suspect as her boyfriend. Her fiancé had already informed me of his plans to formally ask for her hand in marriage. We want justice so that this can serve as a lesson to others and bring peace to society.”
Bello, who was arrested on Saturday, initially claimed that Hafsat died from an asthma attack. However, police findings and his eventual confession disproved this claim. Reports indicate that the suspect is the son of a recently deceased prominent cleric from Isalekoto.
The tragic incident has sparked outrage within the community, with many calling for stricter measures against ritual killings. Authorities have assured the public that the case will be prosecuted to its fullest extent.
