Court Sentence Gospel Singer to Death by Hanging For Killing NYSC Member

A high court in Lafia, Nasarawa state, has sentenced gospel singer Timileyin Ajayi to death by hanging for the brutal murder of Salome Adaidu, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Delivering judgment, Justice Simon Aboki found Ajayi guilty of culpable homicide punishable by death, as stipulated under Section 221 of the Penal Code applicable in northern Nigeria.

The case attracted national attention in January when Ajayi was arrested at Agwan Sarki, Orozo—a border community between Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory—carrying the severed head of Adaidu in a polythene bag. During police interrogation, he confessed to killing her out of anger over alleged infidelity.

“I didn’t plan to kill her. She is always cheating; she hides most things from me. I discovered she was cheating when I saw her phone, so I got angry seeing her chat with other guys, and that’s why I killed her,” Ajayi told investigators.

Despite his confession, Ajayi had pleaded not guilty during his trial.

He also showed no remorse throughout the proceedings, a factor the court noted in its ruling.

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While Ajayi claimed he had been in a relationship with the deceased for a year, the family of Adaidu refuted this, stating that she was never in a romantic relationship with him.

The court’s ruling brings closure to a case that has shocked the nation, highlighting growing concerns over gender-based violence and mental health.