By Isaac Atunlute
Nigeria has seen a disturbing rise in femicide in recent years, typically at the hands of jealous or possessive partners. In response, efforts have intensified nationwide to protect women and address femicide with greater urgency.
One court ruling represents a significant step forward.
Five months after a corps member, Salome Adaidu, was murdered in cold blood, a high court sitting in Nasarawa State has sentenced her killer, Oluwatimileyin Ajayi, to death by hanging for culpable homicide.
Ajayi was convicted for butchering Adaidu after she visited him at his residence in the Karu local government area of Nasarawa State in January and was later nabbed at a border community between Abuja and Nasarawa carrying a polythene bag that contained the decapitated head of the deceased.
In a chilling post-arrest confession that sparked widespread outrage, Ajayi admitted to killing Adaidu out of spite.
“I saw her chats with other guys on the phone, that is why I decided,” he said.
Adaidu’s murder underscores a dual vulnerability: to gender-based violence and to the security risks faced by youth corps members deployed across the country.
Her death represents a double vulnerability: to gender violence and to the security risk youths corps members are exposed to throughout the country.
In Lagos and several other states, gender-based violence response teams have been strengthened through partnerships between government and civil society. The teams offer legal aid, emergency shelter, and psychosocial counselling for survivors.
Organisations like Stand To End Rape (STER), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), and Project Alert continue to run hotlines, offer safe spaces, and extend legal and emotional support to victims and their families.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is also reassessing its deployment and partnership strategies, especially in high-risk states.
In some communities, local initiatives like buddy systems, community watch programmes and curfews have been introduced to safeguard corps members, particularly women.
Legislatively, pressure is mounting to update domestic violence laws to explicitly recognise femicide and impose mandatory sentencing. Despite the existence of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP), its implementation remains uneven and often limited to urban areas.
The sentencing of Oluwatimileyin Ajayi may offer some measure of justice, but it does not close the chapter. Salome Adaidu’s murder is part of a wider trend of violence against women for exercising autonomy or independence.
Ending this epidemic demands more than punishment after the fact. It requires early intervention, increased education on toxic masculinity, stronger community-based protection networks, and institutional accountability.
From safer corps member accommodations to compulsory counselling in public universities and technology-based alert systems, there is room for practical and scalable solutions.
While Salome Adaidu’s story is a tragic reminder of what is at stake, the recent court ruling could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s long-overdue reckoning with femicide.
Nigeria has seen a rising trend in femicide, mostly perpetrated by jealous or possessive partners. Efforts have been made to protect women and address this issue urgently. A significant court ruling in Nasarawa State sentenced Oluwatimileyin Ajayi to death for killing Salome Adaidu, a corps member, spotlighting the dual vulnerability youth corps members face: gender-based violence and security risks.
In response, gender-based violence response teams have been strengthened in Lagos and other states. These teams, alongside organizations like Stand To End Rape, provide legal aid, emergency shelters, and support systems for victims. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is also reevaluating its strategies to improve safety for corps members, particularly in high-risk areas.
Legislatively, there is pressure to update domestic violence laws to specifically address femicide. Despite the existing Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, its application is inconsistent and mainly urban-focused. While Ajayi's sentencing offers some justice, a comprehensive response to ending femicide requires early interventions, education on toxic masculinity, and robust community protection networks.
Further, practical solutions like safer corps accommodations and tech-based alert systems are needed. Though Salome Adaidu's case is a tragic reminder of the stakes involved, the court ruling may signal a turning point in Nigeria’s fight against femicide.
