The High Court sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has delivered a capital punishment verdict in a case that shook the community, sentencing Oluwatimileyin Ajayi to death by hanging for the murder of Salome Adaidu, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The grim judgment was handed down by Justice Simon Aboki, who presided over the trial.
Ajayi stood before the court on a single charge of culpable homicide, a crime that falls under Section 221 of the Penal Code operative in Northern Nigeria. The provision imposes the death penalty for any individual found guilty of intentionally causing the death of another human being.
Justice Aboki, in his verdict, stated unequivocally that the prosecution had succeeded in proving its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court established that Ajayi not only murdered Adaidu but went further to dismember her body—a detail that underscored the brutality of the crime and weighed heavily in determining the appropriate sentence.
The case drew public attention due to the victim’s status as a national youth corps member, a role symbolic of national unity and youth service. Adaidu’s death sparked outrage, especially among young Nigerians, many of whom called for swift and decisive justice. The court’s ruling is now being viewed by some as a statement against violence targeting youth corps members and women in general.
Ajayi’s conviction followed a meticulous legal process where evidence, including forensic material and witness testimony, was presented to establish his culpability. Throughout the trial, the court maintained that the defendant had a fair opportunity to defend himself.
In sentencing Ajayi to death by hanging, Justice Aboki emphasized the gravity of the crime and the necessity for the law to take its full course in deterring similar offenses. The court’s judgment has since been met with a mixed response—some commending the judiciary for upholding justice, while others revisited the debate around capital punishment in the country.
What you should know
Oluwatimileyin Ajayi has been sentenced to death by hanging for the brutal killing and dismemberment of NYSC member Salome Adaidu. The ruling, delivered under Section 221 of the Northern Nigeria Penal Code, underscores Nigeria’s continued use of capital punishment in extreme cases of violent crime.
