FOLLOWING his arrest by the Nasarawa Police Command, a gospel singer, Timileyin Ajayi, 32, has admitted to killing 24-year-old Salome Adaidu, a corps member serving in Abuja.
Ajayi, arrested on Sunday, January 12, while conveying Adaidu’s severed head to an unknown location, claimed jealousy and infidelity pushed him to commit the crime when the deceased visited his residence in New Karshi, Karu Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State.
According to a video shared by Channels TV, Ajayi while speaking during his parade at the Nasarawa State Police Command headquarters in Lafia, confessed to dismembering the deceased body after the murder.
The ICIR reported how 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.
According to the police report, Ajayi used a knife and machetes to kill and dismember her body, placing the parts in multiple polythene bags.
He was subsequently paraded at the Nasarawa State Police Command headquarters.
“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),” he said.
When asked if he regretted his actions, he said he had no regret as he explained that the victim must reap the consequence of her infidelity.
“I don’t have any regrets because life is reciprocal that is what I thought. If you must do something to someone, you have to be reciprocal with that person (sic).
“You have to understand what that person is going through so that you can actually put yourself in the position that the person is going through. That is why I don’t have any regrets because we were actually compatible,” he replied.
Meanwhile, the confession has sparked outrage, as Ajayi tried to justify his actions by blaming the victim.
Many Nigerians who reacted to his confession urged the Nigerian police to investigate further as they alleged that the suspect must be hiding something.
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