Police Arrest Cleric Over Alleged Ritual Killing of Kwara College Student

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested an Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Mohad Ballo, for allegedly murdering a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, Lawal Hafsoh Yetunde, for ritual purposes.

Reports indicate that Ballo lured the victim after connecting with her on Facebook and obtaining her phone number. The incident occurred on Monday, February 10, 2025.

Sources revealed that Hafsoh 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 filing a missing person report at the Oja Oba Police Station in Ilorin the next day.

Police Investigation Uncovers Gruesome Evidence

Following an investigation, officers traced Hafsoh’s last known 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. However, a search of his residence led to a horrifying discovery—Hafsoh’s dismembered body was found in a bowl, along with tools suspected to have been used in the crime.

While Ballo claimed Hafsoh died from an asthma attack at his residence, forensic evidence suggests otherwise. The discovery of a table with dismemberment tools has raised suspicions that this may not have been his first crime.

The suspect, currently in police custody at the Kwara State Police Headquarters, is said to be the son of a prominent late Islamic cleric from Isalekoto. Investigations into the case are ongoing.