Ilorin Cleric Confesses To Murder Of Facebook Lover For Money Rituals

In a chilling courtroom confession, Abdulrahman Bello, a self-proclaimed Islamic cleric (Alfa) from Ilorin, admitted to the brutal murder of his Facebook lover, Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education. The motive, he revealed, was to harvest her body parts—specifically her hands—for a money ritual.

The case, which has gripped the Ilorin community and sent shockwaves through social media, came to light during a hearing at the Kwara State High Court. Bello, who appeared with several alleged accomplices, confessed to acting alone in the actual killing but implicated others through his call records and connections leading up to the crime.

According to Inspector Ayodele Azeez of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the case was transferred from the C Division at Oja-Oba to the CID on February 14, 2025. Upon searching Bello’s residence, authorities recovered a grisly collection of items including an axe, a cutlass, various charms, and both the left and right hands of the victim. Also seized were mobile phones, a spiritual consultation book, and other ritual paraphernalia.

During his testimony, Inspector Azeez detailed how Bello’s statement was taken in the presence of a legal representative. He further revealed that the suspect’s call logs connected him to several co-defendants, both before and after the crime. These individuals—some reportedly teachers and students—were later apprehended and are currently under investigation, although no physical evidence was found in their homes.

Despite resistance from the defence counsel, the court admitted a compact disc containing Bello’s confession as evidence. Justice Hannah Olushola Ajayi ruled that the video recording of the confession be played in open court for transparency.

In his confession, Bello expressed regret, stating that he wouldn’t have murdered Lawal if he had known of alternative methods to acquire the ritual ingredients. His chilling remorse failed to sway the court as prosecutors pressed forward with charges of murder and conspiracy.

The case continues to unravel, revealing disturbing links between spiritual exploitation, deceit through social media, and a deepening crisis of ritual killings among youth in Nigeria.

Further hearings are expected in the coming weeks as investigators dig deeper into the roles of the alleged accomplices and the wider implications of the crime.