Ilorin, Kwara State—The city of Ilorin has been rocked by a gruesome murder allegedly committed by an Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Mohad Ballo, who is accused of killing a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, Lawal Hafsoh Yetunde, for ritual purposes.
The shocking revelation was made by Sahara Reporters on its official X handle, detailing how the cleric allegedly lured the young woman to her tragic fate.
Sources reveal that Ballo first connected with Hafsoh on Facebook, where he struck up a conversation and eventually obtained her phone number. Their exchanges seemed harmless—until he reportedly convinced her to meet him.
On Monday, February 10, 2025, Hafsoh, who had been attending a naming ceremony, received a call from a friend. Without finishing her meal, she stepped out to answer it—and was never seen alive again.
Her sudden disappearance sparked panic among family and friends, who searched tirelessly before filing a missing person report at the Oja Oba Police Station in Ilorin the following day.
Police investigators, working swiftly, traced Hafsoh’s last known call, which led them directly to Ballo. The suspect, who resides in the Offa Garage area of Ilorin but hails from Isalekoto, initially denied any involvement in her disappearance.
However, when officers conducted a search of his residence, they uncovered a scene of horror—Hafsoh’s dismembered body was found in a bowl, along with various tools believed to have been used in the ritual killing.
In a desperate attempt to explain the situation, Ballo claimed that Hafsoh had suffered an asthma attack and died in his home. But investigators were unconvinced. The presence of a table set up with what appeared to be dismemberment tools suggested a premeditated and ritualistic killing—raising chilling suspicions that this might not have been his first victim.
Further inquiries revealed that Ballo is the son of a well-known Islamic cleric from Isalekoto, who recently passed away. His arrest has sent shockwaves across the religious and academic communities in Ilorin.
At the time of filing this report, efforts by Sahara Reporters to reach the Kwara State Police spokesperson for an official statement proved futile, as her phone remained unreachable, and messages sent to her went unanswered.
Meanwhile, Ballo remains in custody at the Kwara State Police Headquarters, where authorities are continuing their investigation.
The brutal murder of Hafsoh has left residents of Ilorin in deep sorrow and outrage. Her untimely death has not only shattered her family but has also ignited fears about the growing menace of ritual killings in the country.
As the police dig deeper into the case, many are left wondering: Was Hafsoh the only victim, or is this just the tip of a more sinister iceberg?
PIONEER NEWS 