Killer Of Hafsor Lawal, Muhammed Bello Has Been Arrested

 In Ilorin, Kwara State, Mohammed Bello—a 29-year-old Islamic cleric—has been arrested in connection with the death of Hafsoh Lawal, a private school teacher he met on Facebook. Bello is accused of dismembering her body in an attempt to cover up what he claims was an asthma-related death.

According to reports, Hafsoh went missing last Monday after attending a naming ceremony and then visiting a friend she connected with online. Her disappearance prompted her family to report her missing, and an investigation into her phone activity led police to Bello.

In an interrogation video, Bello maintains that he did not kill Hafsoh. He explained that on the day in question, his girlfriend visited him feeling hungry. Bello said he went to get food for her and, upon returning, found her struggling to breathe. Speaking in Yoruba (with a translated version available), he stated: 

“My name is Mohammed. I’m a Muslim cleric, and I’m about to join KWASU. The girl is Hafsoh—my girlfriend, whom I met on Facebook. I didn’t kill her. I was simply caught up in unexpected circumstances. She mentioned she had an event at 1 pm and returned after 3 pm. When she arrived, she said she hadn’t eaten, so I went to get her food, but when I came back, she was gasping for breath.”

Bello further claimed that Hafsoh had told him she was asthmatic, and in a state of shock, he dismembered her body and disposed of it at a public refuse dump, saying he couldn’t think of a better way to handle the situation.

However, members of Hafsoh’s family dispute his claim about her having asthma. A friend of her father, Lawyer Odedele, noted that Hafsoh had been actively involved in cooking at the naming ceremony—a task unlikely for someone with severe asthma. “Even if she had asthma, dismembering her body doesn’t make sense. She was participating in a physically demanding activity. His explanation is unconvincing,” Odedele said.

Efforts to reach Hafsoh’s father, Alhaji Ibrahim Lawal, have so far been unsuccessful. The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that an investigation is underway, with further details to be released once the probe is concluded.

Written by Imisi