Suspected bandits have killed a prominent Islamic cleric, Alfa Iliasu, in Ilesha-Baruba, Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The attackers stormed the cleric’s residence on Saturday and struck him on the head with a cutlass, according to reports. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but died before receiving treatment.
Alfa Iliasu was widely known across Baruten and neighbouring communities for his spiritual activities and his reputation for identifying witches, which drew significant public attention over the years.
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Sources said three suspects were involved in the attack. One was killed at the scene, while another was arrested and taken into police custody for further investigation. The third suspect escaped and remains at large.
Family members, friends, Islamic scholars, and sympathizers gathered to pay their last respects as the cleric was buried at the Ilesha-Baruba Muslim Cemetery in accordance with Islamic rites.
Efforts to reach the Kwara State Police Command spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
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