Abdulrahman Bello, the prime suspect in the murder of Yetunde Lawal, a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, has claimed sole responsibility for the heinous crime.
During his second court appearance before Chief Magistrate S.B. Mohammed in Ilorin on Thursday, which lasted 26 minutes, Abdulrahman requested to speak. After being granted permission, he declared, “The other suspects know nothing about the crime. I committed it alone, and I plead with the court to release them.”
When questioned further by the Magistrate, Abdulrahman detailed the events of the fateful day.
According to him, Yetunde arrived at his house hungry, so he offered her food before they engaged in intimacy. He claimed that during their encounter, she unexpectedly died. “God had destined that she would die that day,” he stated.
He admitted that panic led him to dismember her body instead of calling for help. “I packed the dismembered parts and dumped them in a public dustbin, from which the police recovered some. The only parts still in my house were her hands, which I hadn’t disposed of because I was afraid and fled,” he confessed.
When asked if he had committed such a crime before, Abdulrahman insisted it was his first time. “It was a spirit that entered me. Once it left, I realized what I had done was wrong. Please let the other suspects go free,” he pleaded.
At Thursday’s hearing, Abdulrahman had no legal representation, unlike the four other suspects who were represented in court. Chief State Counsel Issa Zakari, appearing for the state, informed the court that legal advice from the Attorney General had been received, confirming that all suspects had a case to answer. He requested that the case be transferred to the state high court for proper prosecution.
Magistrate Mohammed ruled that the case be transferred, noting that Abdulrahman could make his plea at the high court, which has jurisdiction over the matter. The trial was adjourned to March 20, 2025.
Yetunde Lawal’s murder and dismemberment have sparked outrage, with many Nigerians condemning the act as inhumane.
Alongside Abdulrahman Bello, four others—Ahmed Abdulwasiu (41), Suleiman Muyideen (28), Jamiu Uthman (29), and Abdulrahman Jamiu (31)—were arraigned on charges of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, possession of human parts, and armed robbery.
The charges violate Sections 97 and 221 of the Penal Code, Section 2 of the Kwara State Prohibition Law on Dealing in Human Parts (2018), and Section 1(2) of the Robbery and Firearms Act (CAP R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004).
