The Kwara State Police Command has arrested an Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Mohad Ballo, for allegedly killing Lawal Hafsoh Yetunde, a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, for ritual purposes.
Sources revealed that Ballo reportedly lured Yetunde after connecting with her on Facebook and obtaining her phone number. The tragic incident occurred on Monday, February 10, 2025.
Yetunde was attending a naming ceremony when she received a phone call from a friend. She left her food to answer the call but never returned.
After hours of searching, her family and friends reported her disappearance to the police at the Oja Oba Station in Ilorin the following day.
Police investigators traced Yetunde’s last phone call to Ballo, who resides in the Offa Garage area of Ilorin, though his family house is in Isalekoto.
Initially, the suspect denied any involvement, but a search of his residence led to a gruesome discovery.
Yetunde’s dismembered body was reportedly found in a bowl, along with various tools suspected to have been used in the crime.
The police also discovered a table equipped with dismemberment tools, raising suspicions that this might not have been Ballo’s first crime
Despite the overwhelming evidence, Ballo claimed that Yetunde died from an asthma attack after visiting his residence. However, investigators remain skeptical, given the state in which her remains were found.
The suspect, who is now in police custody at the Kwara State Police Headquarters, is said to be the son of a well-known Islamic cleric from Isalekoto, who passed away recently
Efforts to reach the Kwara State Police spokesperson for comments were unsuccessful, as her phone was unreachable, and she had yet to respond to messages sent to her line.
Investigations are ongoing, and the police are expected to provide further updates on the case.