LAFIA, NASARAWA STATE – The High Court in Lafia has sentenced gospel musician Oluwatimileyin Ajayi to death by hanging for the gruesome murder of 24-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Salome Adaidu.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Simon Aboki found Ajayi guilty of culpable homicide, describing the evidence presented by the prosecution as overwhelming and conclusive.
“The evidence before the court clearly shows that the accused intentionally caused the death of the deceased. The law is clear on this, and the punishment is death,” Justice Aboki ruled. “Therefore, the accused is hereby sentenced to death by hanging.”
Ajayi was arrested in January after he was found in possession of the severed head of the victim. The shocking case drew national outrage, especially after Ajayi admitted to the crime in an interview with Channels Television.
In the interview, the singer gave disturbing justifications for his actions, citing alleged infidelity. “I killed her because we don’t have each other all the time… She was cheating… I saw her chats with other guys,” he said. “I don’t have any regrets.”
Ajayi claimed the act was spontaneous and unplanned, though his statements suggested premeditated anger. “Life is reciprocal… if you must do something to someone, you have to be reciprocal with that person,” he added.
However, the victim’s family strongly disputed Ajayi’s claims. Esther Adaidu, the elder sister of the deceased, stated that there was no romantic relationship between her sister and the convict.
Salome Adaidu, who was serving at Nicon Insurance in Abuja at the time of her death, was described as dedicated, vibrant, and focused on her future. Her murder has sparked renewed calls for better protection of young women and stricter monitoring of mental health issues among the youth.
The court’s ruling brings closure to a case that has horrified many Nigerians and reignited public discourse around gender-based violence and justice for victims.
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