By Abigail Philip David
A 29-year-old Islamic teacher, Abdulrahman Bello, has pleaded innocence after being arrested for the alleged murder of Yetunde Lawal, a final-year student at Kwara State College of Education.
Bello, also known as Mohammed, was apprehended on Saturday following the discovery of Lawal’s remains in his residence. In a viral video circulating online, he denied any wrongdoing, claiming he was merely a “victim of circumstance” and insisting that Lawal was his girlfriend.
According to his account, Yetunde had attended an event around 1 p.m. that day but returned sometime after 3 p.m., complaining of hunger. Bello stated that he stepped out to buy her food but found her struggling to breathe upon his return.
Speaking in Yoruba, he introduced himself as a Muslim cleric and an aspiring student at Kwara State University (KWASU).
“The girl is Hafusa. She is my girlfriend. I met her on Facebook,” he said in the video. “I didn’t kill her. I am just a victim of circumstance.”
Bello further alleged that Yetunde had previously mentioned having asthma. He claimed that panic overwhelmed him when she passed away, leading him to dismember her body and dispose of it at a refuse dump.
“I was in shock when she died, so I couldn’t cry out for help. I have never done this before. This is my first time,” he added.
Yetunde was declared missing on February 11 after failing to return home. Authorities later uncovered her remains at Bello’s residence, along with fetish items, raising suspicions that this might not have been his first offense.
Investigations are ongoing as police work to uncover the full details of the case.
