At least 10 high-profile murders of employers by household staff recorded in past decade; police say 65% of cases involve employer-employee relations
The murder of retired broadcaster Mrs. Olakitan Oyesiku by her former security guard on June 21 in Ogun State has reignited concerns over Nigeria’s largely unregulated domestic labour market, where trusted household staff have increasingly been implicated in violent crimes against their employers, police and experts have said.
Oyesiku was found dead alongside another guard, Pelumi Adetayo, at her Owode-Egba residence, with her Lexus SUV stolen. Police alleged that dismissed guard Sodeinde Philip recruited two accomplices to carry out the killing in retaliation for his dismissal. Philip reportedly told investigators he wanted to “teach her a lesson.”
The case is part of a disturbing pattern. In 2015, former FUTA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Albert Ilemobade was murdered by his security guard and dismissed driver. In 2016, a housemaid in Surulere killed her employer and her 89-year-old mother just two days after resuming work. In July 2024, Dr. Aribim Ajumogobia, daughter of a federal judge, was killed in her Ikoyi apartment by her domestic worker.
Ogun State Police spokesman DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi said: “About 65 per cent of the cases we handle have elements involving employers and employees.”
Experts attribute the trend to weak regulation, informal recruitment through word-of-mouth, and the absence of background checks. Many domestic workers are hired without contracts, identification, or verifiable guarantors. Recruitment agents confirmed that employers often bypass professional agencies to cut costs, leaving themselves exposed.
A 2025 Senate bill seeking to regulate informal sector employment has not yet been enacted into law.
Human rights lawyer Tolu Babaleye called for legislative reforms, while Senior Advocate Dr. Monday Ubani urged families to obtain verifiable information about workers and treat them fairly.
Security expert Ajayi Okasanmi advised employers to profile workers through police agencies and avoid displaying wealth in front of staff.
Rights activist Debo Adeniran demanded diligent prosecution of offenders, saying: “Anyone who deliberately takes another person’s life must be arrested, investigated, and convicted.”
Meanwhile, domestic workers themselves frequently face abuse and exploitation. A 2023 study documented widespread physical and psychological mistreatment of underage helpers. In April 2025, an employer in Abia State was arrested after a young domestic worker was allegedly thrown from a second-floor building.
Until the sector is formalised with proper documentation, traceable identities, and accountability mechanisms, experts warn, the cycle of deadly trust is likely to continue.