The father of Yetunde Lawal, the Kwara final-year student who was allegedly murdered by a Facebook friend, has said that items recovered from the suspect’s room suggest his daughter was killed for ritual purposes.
Alhaji Ibrahim Lawal spoke to journalists on Saturday during a special prayer session held for Yetunde at Adefalu Compound, Ojuekun area, Ilorin. The prayer was led by Imam Alabidun, a well-known Islamic scholar, who prayed for the deceased and called for justice.
“Those who committed the act of ending the life of Hafsat will face the wrath of God in this world and the hereafter,” Imam Alabidun said.
Yetunde, who recently completed her National Certificate of Education (NCE) in Chemistry and Integrated Science, was last seen on Monday when she left a friend’s naming ceremony to meet someone. When she failed to return home, her family reported her missing at the Oja-Oba Police Station.
Her father explained, “She returned from her teaching job around 12:30 pm and went for the naming ceremony. She later told her friends she was going to visit someone. That was the last we heard from her.”
According to him, police investigations revealed that Yetunde was called by Abdulrahman Mohammed Bello, a 29-year-old cleric, who later admitted to killing her. Initially, Bello told the police that Yetunde died of asthma, but later confessed to the murder.
“Some of the items recovered from his room included a horn, black soap, and charms. This clearly shows my daughter was murdered for ritual purposes,” Alhaji Lawal said.
He also stated that he did not know Bello as Yetunde’s boyfriend, adding that another man was preparing to formally ask for her hand in marriage.
“Just 15 days ago, I told her to ask the man I knew as her boyfriend to bring his family for marriage discussions,” he said.
The grieving father called for justice, urging the police and traditional leaders to ensure a transparent investigation.
“I want the Nigeria Police Force and our father, the Emir of Ilorin, to ensure justice is done. People need to learn from this incident so our society can be free from dangerous individuals,” he said.
The suspect is currently in police custody in Ilorin, while investigations continue.
