A NASARAWA State High Court has remanded 32-year-old Timilehin Ajayi at the Lafia Correctional Facility after his arraignment on charges of culpable homicide punishable by death.
This remand order, made on Friday, January 17, followed his arrest and confession to the gruesome murder of 24-year-old Salome Adaidu, a corps member serving in Abuja.
The Nasarawa State Police Command, in a statement released via its official X handle disclosed that Ajayi was charged with culpable homicide punishable by death, as stipulated in Section 221 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.
The court directed that he remains in custody pending a formal arraignment on a date yet to be assigned.
The ICIR reports that this latest development was at the heel of his arrest on January 12, 2025, when he was caught transporting Adaidu’s severed head on a commercial motorcycle in New Karshi, Karu Local Government Area of the state.
Subsequent investigations by the police revealed that he had killed and dismembered the victim at his residence.
During his parade at the Nasarawa State Police Command headquarters, Ajayi confessed to the crime, claiming jealousy and suspicions of infidelity drove him to kill Adaidu during her visit.
He admitted to using a knife and machete to dismember her body, placing the remains in polythene bags.
“I killed her because we don’t have each other all the time. It’s not something I planned. It happened on that day and it happened. Not that I had the plan in mind, she was cheating.
“She hides most of the things from me most times. I got to know from her phone. I saw her chats with other guys on the phone, that was why I decided (to kill her),” Ajayi said in a video posted by Channels Television.
Ajayi’s claims sparked public outrage, with many Nigerians calling for a thorough investigation into his motives, with the police emphasising their commitment to ensuring justice for the victim.
The family of the deceased, however, dismissed claims by the suspect 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.
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.”
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