Popular Gospel Singer Oluwatimileyin Ajayi Sentenced to Death for NYSC Members’ Murder

Justice Simon Aboki of the Nasarawa State High Court sitting in Lafia has sentenced gospel singer Oluwatimileyin (Timileyin) Ajayi to death by hanging under Section 221 of the Northern Nigeria Penal Code, after finding him guilty of culpable homicide in the brutal killing and dismemberment of National Youth Service Corps member, Salome Eleojo Adaidu.

The 32-year-old Ajayi had earlier pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on January 27, 2025, and remanded in custody. The prosecution presented forensic evidence and eyewitness testimony confirming Adaidu’s brutal death in his Papalana, New Karshi residence in Karu LGA, Nasarawa State.

Court records reveal that Adaidu, 24, visited Ajayi’s home on January 12 and was later discovered to have been fatally stabbed and dismembered. Ajayi was arrested shortly thereafter, carrying her severed head in a nylon bag—his capture caught on video.

Prosecutor Stanley Ifeanyi argued the case drew from conclusive findings—photographs, forensic pathology, and Ajayi’s own confession all conspired to substantiate the charge under the legal code invoking capital punishment. No extenuating circumstances were deemed sufficient to reduce his culpability.

During the trial, Ajayi’s defense team pursued a plea of provocation, citing alleged infidelity uncovered on Adaidu’s phone. He maintained this triggered a sudden, uncontrollable rage. However, the prosecution argued that the vicious method—using a knife, machete, and subsequent concealment—exceeded any immediate emotional response.

The judge described the crime as “heinous and calculated” and devoid of remorse, citing Ajayi’s lack of contrition and the public horror sparked by the incident. He stressed that the dehumanizing nature of dismemberment weighed heavily in the court’s sentencing decision.

As appeals can be pursued in higher courts, Ajayi’s execution is not immediate. Adaidu’s family, present in court, expressed relief at the verdict and urged the judiciary to uphold the sentence, calling it “justice for Salome”—a legal closure to a horrific chapter that shocked the nation.