By Muyideen Aliyu
A prominent Islamic cleric, Alfa Iliasu, has been killed following an attack by suspected assailants in the Ilesha-Baruba community of Baruten Local Government Area, Kwara State.
The attackers stormed the cleric’s residence on Saturday, stabbing him in the head with a cutlass.
Although he was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency medical attention, he succumbed to his severe injuries before treatment could be administered.
Iliasu was widely known across the Baruten local government and neighboring communities for his claims of spiritual prowess and his self-proclaimed ability to identify witches, a reputation that brought him significant public attention over the years.
However, local sources revealed that his activities had also generated deep-running resentment, as his public accusations reportedly led to the deaths of several innocent people falsely branded as witches.
Three suspects were reportedly involved in the fatal assault. One of the attackers was killed at the scene during the incident, while another was successfully arrested and taken into police custody for further investigation. The third suspect managed to evade capture and remains at large.
Family members, friends, Islamic scholars, and sympathizers gathered to pay their last respects as the late cleric was buried at the Ilesha-Baruba Muslim Cemetery.
Efforts to secure an official reaction from the Kwara State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the State Police Spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, did not respond to inquiries in the twelve hours leading up to the filing of this report.
