Yetunde Lawal: Prayer held as father seeks justice for murdered daughter

A prayer session was held on Saturday at Adefalu Compound, Ojuekun Area, Ilorin, in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State for the repose of the soul of Miss Yetunde Lawal, a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, who was allegedly murdered for ritual purposes by a Facebook friend.

The session, organized by Muslim leaders in the Ojuekun/Sarumi area, was led by Imam Alabidun, a prominent Islamic scholar. He prayed to Allah to grant Yetunde eternal rest and urged her grieving parents to accept her passing as the will of Allah. He also called for divine justice against those responsible, stating, “Those who took Hafsat’s life will face the wrath of God in this world and the hereafter.”

Speaking to reporters after the prayers, Yetunde’s father, Alhaji Ibrahim Lawal, described his late daughter as a resident of the family compound who had recently secured a teaching job at a private nursery and primary school in the area.

“She returned home from work around 12:30 p.m. on Monday and later attended a friend’s naming ceremony nearby. She then told her friends she was going to visit someone. That was the last we heard from her,” he said.

When Yetunde failed to return home that night, her family reported her missing at Oja-Oba Police Station on Tuesday. A phone tracking investigation revealed that she had been contacted by the suspect, who later confessed to her murder.

Police recovered ritual-related items, including a horn, black soap, and charms, from the suspect’s apartment. Alhaji Lawal, a school teacher, lamented, “These findings confirm that my second daughter was murdered for ritual purposes.”

He further revealed that he was unaware of any relationship between Yetunde and the suspect, stating that the man he knew as her boyfriend was preparing to formally seek her hand in marriage.

“About fifteen days ago, I told her to ask the young man she was seeing to bring his family to ours for marriage discussions,” he added.

Demanding justice, Alhaji Lawal urged the Nigeria Police Force and the Emir of Ilorin to conduct a transparent investigation, ensuring that the perpetrators are held accountable.

“I appeal to the police in Kwara and across the country, as well as to our father, the Emir of Ilorin, to ensure that justice is served. This will serve as a lesson to others and help rid society of dangerous individuals,” he said.

Yetunde, who had recently completed her National Certificate of Education (NCE) in Chemistry and Integrated Science, was allegedly killed by Abdulrahman Mohammed Bello, a 29-year-old Islamic teacher and cleric, currently in police custody in Ilorin.

She was murdered on Tuesday at the suspect’s rented apartment in the Olunlade area of Ilorin South Local Government Area.

Bello allegedly invited Yetunde over while she was at her friend’s naming ceremony on Monday. He initially told the police she died of an asthma attack but later confessed to murdering her.