THE family of Salome Adaidu, a 24-year-old corps member murdered in New Karshi, Nasarawa State, has dismissed claims by the suspect, Timileyin Ajayi, that he was in a relationship with their daughter.
The family described Ajayi’s actions as inhumane and demanded justice for the lady whose life was cut short in a gruesome manner.
The family, while speaking with Channels TV, during Ajayi’s parade at the Nasarawa State Police Command headquarters in Lafia, noted that the accused had never made contact with them before the incident.
“This so-called Timi guy, we don’t know him. We have never seen him until we were called and informed that this guy murdered and dismembered our sister,” said Adaidu’s elder sister, Esther Adaidu.
“I demand and need justice to be served to this guy sitting over there because he is the one that murdered my sister and he confirmed it to me.”
Also, Adaibu’s uncle, Samson Adaji Adaidu, while giving the harrowing account of the crime, revealed that Ajayi butchered the victim into over 50 pieces.
“He has succeeded in destroying our daughter, not ordinary killing, he butchered her into pieces. He cut that body into more than 50 pieces and when you look at the whole thing, he is preparing that body for consumption because he cut them and left them in about six polythene bags.”
Ajayi, who was arrested on January 12 while attempting to dispose of Salome’s severed head, confessed to killing her during his parade at the Nasarawa State Police Command headquarters in Lafia.
He claimed his actions were fueled by jealousy and accusations of infidelity. “I killed her because we don’t have each other all the time. She was cheating. I don’t have any regrets because life is reciprocal,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Police Command has assured the family and the public that justice would be served.
The command noted that the suspect would be arraigned in court for prosecution, adding that he would not be spared if found guilty.
Salome Adaidu’s tragic death has drawn widespread outrage, with many Nigerians calling for justice.
The ICIR reported that Ajayi, who lives in the Pablana area, was caught around Angwan Bako near the Kaja Estate in the New Karu LGA when conveying the severed head of Salomey to an undisclosed destination on a commercial motorcycle, popularly known as ‘okada’.
“Consequently, an angry mob descended on the suspect, and upon receipt of the information, the Commissioner of Police directed police personnel to move to the scene immediately.
“They raced to the scene and rescued the suspect from being lynched. The suspect was then taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment. A follow-up investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at the suspect’s residence, where the remains of the lady who was later identified as Eliojo Salomey, 24 years old of Yanyan, FCT, Abuja, and a serving corp member, were recovered,” the Nasarawa police spokesperson Nansel Ramhan, said in a statement sent to The ICIR in the evening of Monday, January 13.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M