Police present dismembered remains of Hafsat Lawal in court
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
The Kwara State High Court in Ilorin witnessed an emotionally charged session on Wednesday as police presented dismembered body parts of Hafsat Lawal, a final-year student allegedly murdered in February 2025.
During the hearing before Justice Hannah Ajayi, two police witnesses introduced 16 exhibits recovered from the residence of the primary suspect, Abdulrahman Bello. These included a cutlass, blood-stained center table, axe, knife, keg containing human blood, wooden box with black soap, lady’s slippers, two earrings, three mobile phones, a bag containing charms and animal horns, an exercise book detailing charm accounts, and two severed human hands believed to be the victim’s.
The victim’s father, Ibrahim Lawal, a teacher residing in Oju Ekun, Ilorin, was overcome with grief upon identifying his daughter’s hands, recalling the distinctive “lali” design she had applied for a friend’s naming ceremony.
Inspector Yusuf Dauda, custodian of exhibits at the Criminal Investigation Department, confirmed registering the items brought by Inspector Ayodele Azeez on February 16, 2025. Inspector Mohammed, also from the CID, testified that he deposited the recovered human parts at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital for preservation and presented them in court.
Ibrahim Lawal recounted the events leading to the discovery of his daughter’s remains, detailing her disappearance on February 10, 2025, after attending a friend’s naming ceremony.
He added that despite initial searches and calls to relatives, her whereabouts remained unknown until police investigations, aided by call log tracking, led to the arrest of Abdulrahman Bello on February 13. Bello confessed to the murder and dismemberment of Hafsat, a revelation that left her father devastated.
The court also heard testimony from Hafsat’s close friend, Falilat Abdul Hafiz, a student and resident of Oju Ekun.
Justice Hannah Ajayi adjourned the case until Monday, May 12, 2025, for further proceedings.
