An Islamic cleric in Ilorin, Abdulrahman Mohad Ballo, has been taken into custody for allegedly murdering Lawal Hafsoh Yetunde, a final-year student at Kwara State College of Education, for ritual purposes.
Reports indicate that Ballo lured Yetunde by first connecting with her on Facebook before obtaining her phone number. The tragic incident occurred on Monday, February 10, 2025.
According to sources, Yetunde was attending a naming ceremony when she received a phone call from a friend. She left her meal to answer the call but never returned.
Concerned family members and friends searched for her unsuccessfully before reporting her disappearance to the police at Oja Oba Station in Ilorin the following day.
Investigators later examined her phone records, tracing her last call to Ballo, who resides in the Offa Garage area of Ilorin, though his family home is in Isalekoto.
Shocking Discovery at the Suspect’s Residence
Initially, Ballo denied any involvement in the case. However, a search of his residence revealed a gruesome scene—Yetunde’s dismembered body was found in a bowl, along with tools believed to have been used in the crime.
Despite this, the suspect claimed that Yetunde had died from an asthma attack while visiting his home. However, the presence of dismemberment tools and other evidence at the scene raised suspicions that this may not have been his first offense.
Currently, Ballo is being held at the Kwara State Police Headquarters. He is said to be the son of a respected Islamic cleric from Isalekoto who recently passed away.
Efforts to reach the Kwara State Police spokesperson for comments were unsuccessful, as calls to her phone went unanswered, and she had not responded to messages.
