A 29-year-old Islamic cleric, Mohammed Bello, who was arrested in Ilorin, Kwara State, for allegedly killing and dismembering the body of a young woman he met on Facebook, has claimed that she died from an asthma attack.
Bello, in a police interrogation video obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, admitted to cutting up the body of the victim, Hafsoh Lawal, to conceal her death.
From Facebook Connection to Tragic End
Hafsoh, a private school teacher, was reported missing last Monday after leaving a naming ceremony to visit a friend she had met on Facebook. When she failed to return home, her family raised an alarm and reported her disappearance to the police.
An investigation into her phone records led authorities to Bello, who initially denied any involvement in her disappearance. However, a search of his residence uncovered Hafsoh’s dismembered body and other incriminating evidence.
In the interrogation video, Bello insisted he was not responsible for her death, claiming she was already struggling to breathe when he returned home after buying her food.
“She told me she hadn’t eaten, so I went to buy food for her. But when I returned, she was gasping for breath,” he stated.
Bello further alleged that Hafsoh had previously informed him she was asthmatic, and in a panic, he decided to dismember her body instead of reporting her death.
“I was in shock. I didn’t know what to do. I had never done anything like this before,” he claimed.
Family Rejects Asthma Claim, Demands Justice
Hafsoh’s family has dismissed Bello’s claim that she had asthma. A close family friend, Lawyer Odedele, questioned the suspect’s version of events, pointing out that Hafsoh had actively participated in cooking at the naming ceremony before heading to meet Bello.
“She was part of those who cooked at the event. If she had asthma, would she have been able to cook? Even if she truly died of an asthma attack, why would he dismember her body?” Odedele asked.
Attempts to reach the victim’s father, Alhaji Ibrahim Lawal, for comments were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Police Command has confirmed an ongoing investigation into the case. Police spokesperson Toun Ejire-Adeyemi assured the public that further details would be shared as soon as the investigation is concluded.
