A High Court in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has sentenced 32-year-old gospel singer Oluwatimileyin Ajayi to death by hanging for the brutal murder and dismemberment of his girlfriend, Salome Adaidu, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Simon Aboki found Ajayi guilty of culpable homicide, contrary to Section 221 of the Penal Code applicable in Northern Nigeria, which prescribes the death penalty for such an offence.
According to court proceedings, Ajayi was convicted for killing and dismembering Adaidu, a 24-year-old corps member deployed to Abuja, where she worked at Nicon Insurance in Abuja.
The incident occurred when Salome reportedly visited Ajayi’s residence in the Papalana area of New Karshi, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. She was last seen alive there.
Ajayi was arrested and remanded on January 14, 2025, at the Criminal Investigation Department of the Nasarawa State Police Command in Lafia. He was reportedly caught trying to conceal her remains.
The police revealed that Ajayi was apprehended while carrying a sack containing the severed head of the deceased. During his parade, the alleged murder weapons, including a knife and machetes, were displayed.
A church member, Umaru Caleb, who shared the details on Facebook, said the suspect was caught during a Sunday church service. He recounted how a fellow worshipper grew suspicious of a sack Ajayi brought into the church and demanded to inspect its contents.
Upon inspection, the sack was found to contain “the fresh head of the suspect’s girlfriend.” Caleb added that the severed head had recently braided hair styled in “million braids.”
The horrific discovery caused panic among worshippers, who raised an alarm. Ajayi was immediately accosted by a mob, beaten, and later handed over to authorities.
In a later interview with Channels Television, Ajayi admitted to killing Salome, insisting it was not premeditated but the result of personal frustrations.
“I killed her because we don’t have each other all the time, it’s not something I planned. It happened on that day and it happened. Not that I have the plan in mind, she was cheating. She hides most of the things from me most times. I got to know from her phone. I saw her chats with other guys on the phone, that was why I decided,” he confessed.
Asked whether he regretted his actions, Ajayi showed no remorse. “I don’t have any regrets because life is reciprocal that is what I thought, if you must do something to someone, you have to be reciprocal with that person,” he said.
“You have to understand what that person is going through so that you can actually put yourself in the position that the person is going through, that is why I don’t have any regrets because we were actually compatible.”
