Abdulrahman Bello, the prime suspect in the murder of female final-year student Yetunde Lawal of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, has confessed to being solely responsible for the crime during his second court appearance.

The suspect appeared before Chief Magistrate S.B. Mohammed in Ilorin on Thursday for a 26-minute hearing. During the session, Abdulrahman Bello raised his hand to formally admit responsibility for the killing, which shocked the education community and sparked widespread condemnation.

The case remains under investigation, with further proceedings expected to determine sentencing and additional details surrounding the motive and circumstances of the crime.

After the request was granted by Magistrate Mohammed, Abdulrahman said, “I want to say something, ma. The remaining suspects didn’t know anything about the crime that I committed. I committed the crime all alone, and I hereby appeal to this court to release them to go freely.”

Asked further what happened on that fateful day by the Magistrate, Abdulrahman confessed, “When the deceased got to my house, she said she was hungry because she could not wait to eat before coming to my house. I told her to cook, but because of the hunger, I decided to go and get food that both of us ate together before we started romance and later had sex.

“But because God has destined that she will die that day, she died in the process. The only mistake I made that day was that, instead of me shouting for help, I was nervous and decided to dismember her body.

“After that, I packed the dismembered parts and dumped them in a public dustbin, from which the police have recovered some of them.

“The only part that was discovered in my house was her hands, which I was yet to dispose of because I was afraid and ran out of the house since the day of the incident,” he added.

Asked if he had done such a thing before, Abdulrahman said, “This is the first time. I have never done such a thing before. It was a spirit that entered me, and immediately after it departed my body, I realized that what I did was bad. Please allow the remaining suspects to go back home freely.”

At the court sitting on Thursday, no legal representation was announced for Abdulrahman, but four other suspects in the case were legally represented before Magistrate Mohammed.

Chief State Counsel, Issa Zakari, who appeared for the state government, told the court that the legal advice from the state Attorney General is out, stating that “all the suspects have a case to answer.

“Charges have been served on them, and we hereby request that the case be transferred to the state high court for proper prosecution,” the state counsel stated.

In her ruling, Magistrate Mohammed disclosed that legal advice for the transfer of the case has been tendered, adding that Abdulrahman can make such a request when he gets to the high court, which has the jurisdiction to try him along with his accomplices.

The trial judge adjourned the case till March 20, 2025, for further hearing.

Yetunde Lawal, a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, was allegedly killed and dismembered by Abdulrahman, a situation that was described by Nigerians as the height of wickedness.

Arraigned along with Abdulrahman Bello are: Ahmed Abdulwasiu, ‘M’, 41 years, of Zone C, No. 47, Adualere Area, Ilorin; Suleiman Muyideen, ‘M’, 28 years, Neolife Business, No. 7, Adualere Area, Amilere Milengbe, Ilorin; Jamiu Uthman, ‘M’, 29 years, phone repairer, Adualere Area, Ilorin; and Abdulrahmon Jamiu, ‘M’, 31 years, farmer, Elemere Village via Malete Town in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.

DAILY POST recalls that the suspects were accused of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, possession of human parts, and armed robbery.

The offences are contrary to Sections 97 and 221 of the Penal Code Law, Section 2 of the Kwara State (Prohibition Law) of Dealing in Human Parts Law 4 of 2018, and Section 1(2) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act CAP R11 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.