Court sentences man to death by hanging for gruesome murder of female corper

The High Court in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has sentenced Oluwatimileyin Ajayi to death by hanging for the brutal murder of Salome Adaidu, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Justice Simon Aboki, who presided over the case, delivered the judgment on Thursday, declaring Ajayi guilty of culpable homicide after the court found overwhelming evidence linking him to the killing and dismemberment of the corps member.

Ajayi was charged with a single count of culpable homicide, an offence that contravenes Section 221 of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria. The section prescribes the death penalty for anyone found guilty.

The judge, in a firm ruling, stated that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, detailing how Ajayi lured the victim and carried out the heinous act. Justice Aboki described the killing as “deliberate, premeditated, and carried out with unimaginable cruelty.”

The victim, Salome Adaidu, was a young graduate deployed to Nasarawa State for her mandatory national service under the NYSC scheme. Her gruesome death sparked public outrage and renewed calls for greater protection of corps members across the country.

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Following the judgment, court officials said Ajayi would remain in custody until the execution of the sentence, pending any appeal he might file.

The case had drawn national attention due to its tragic circumstances and the vulnerability of youth corps members serving in unfamiliar regions. Rights groups and youth organizations have since called for a review of safety protocols for NYSC participants, urging the government to do more to safeguard their welfare.