They were welcomed into homes as trusted helps, entrusted with children and other chores woven around family life. But for some employers, that trust proved fatal. In this report, DANIEL AYANTOYE traces the growing pattern of domestic workers implicated in violent crimes, the lives shattered in their wake, and the measures experts say could stem the tide
For months, 22-year-old Sodeinde Philip was a familiar face around the home of retired broadcaster, Mrs Olakitan Oyesiku.
As her security guard, he exchanged pleasantries with neighbours, watched over the compound, and became intimately familiar with the family’s daily routines. Like many domestic workers, he was trusted with access to the home and became part of its everyday life.
But that trust would end in a brutal act of betrayal, as was later reported.
After he was dismissed over what family members described as behavioural issues, Philip reportedly nursed a grudge against his former employer.
Then came the devastating phone call.
On June 21, 2026, Oyesiku was found murdered alongside her security guard, Pelumi Adetayo, at her residence in Owode-Egba, Ogun State. Her Lexus RX 330 SUV was also stolen.
Investigations by the Ogun State Police Command alleged that Philip recruited two accomplices, 27-year-old Sakirudeen Abdulraheem Ayoola and 36-year-old Sobu Obafunsho, to carry out the attack in retaliation for his dismissal.
Having previously worked in the household, investigators said he was well acquainted with the family’s routines and allegedly exploited that knowledge in planning the killings.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Oyesiku’s close ally and former colleague, Oladipupo Ogunfowora, recalled the heartbreaking moment news of her death reached them.
“At first, we heard she had been kidnapped. Later, we were told she had been killed. Everybody was devastated. Aunty Kitan was a lovely and generous person. She related with everyone warmly. Even when she corrected you over an issue, she did it with love and still found a way to bless you with gifts. She was an exceptionally generous giver,” he said.
In his statement to the police, however, Philip allegedly claimed he orchestrated the killing to “teach her a lesson” over grievances he had harboured while working as her security guard.
A deadly pattern of broken trust
Oyesiku’s killing is far from an isolated tragedy.
Across Nigeria, a disturbing pattern has emerged over the years, with housemaids, drivers, security guards, cooks and other domestic employees repeatedly accused of murdering their employers or members of the households they served.
A review of reported cases reveals a chilling trend: relationships built on trust, familiarity and daily interaction ending in betrayal, violence and death.
One of the country’s most shocking cases occurred on June 28, 2015, when the former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof Albert Ilemobade, 78, was murdered in his home.
Police investigations identified the prime suspects as his domestic guard, Daniel Ita, and his former driver, Olayemi Bamitale, who had earlier been dismissed for allegedly stealing the late professor’s Toyota RAV4.
Investigators alleged that the dismissed driver later teamed up with the security guard to execute the attack.
While being paraded by the Ondo State Police Command, Bamitale admitted that the late professor had treated them well but claimed their original plan was simply to steal his vehicle.
He alleged that Daniel approached him with a plan to steal the professor’s newly acquired car after consulting a herbalist, who told them to kill the elderly academic and take sand from the compound before driving away with the vehicle.
Speaking with our correspondent, a close associate of the late don, Prof Clement Adebisi, described the murder as heartbreaking.
“He had domestic staff. They killed him. His son bought him a brand-new RAV4, and they took it away to sell. It was while they were negotiating to sell the vehicle that they were arrested,” he said.
Years of betrayal and bloodshed
Barely a year later, a similar tragedy struck in Lagos.
Mrs Mabel Okafor had employed Tanko Abdulateef as a security guard at her residence in the Ajah area, unaware that the decision would ultimately cost her life.
On August 17, 2016, Abdulateef allegedly stabbed her to death before fleeing to Bali, Taraba State, where police later arrested him with valuables reportedly stolen from the house.
In Surulere, Lagos Mainland, 38-year-old Oreoluwa John employed 22-year-old Joseph Ogbu from Benue State as a domestic worker.
Only two days after resuming work, Ogbu allegedly murdered Oreoluwa and her 89-year-old mother, Adejoke John, before fleeing with valuables from the residence.
In December 2016, a Cameroonian domestic worker, Leudjoe Koyemen Joel, allegedly murdered her employer, Mrs Dayo Adeleke, at her residence in Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, according to police investigations.
Two years later, another domestic worker, Raphael Jaja, allegedly killed his employer, a naval office, Lieutenant Abubakar Yusuf, and his girlfriend, Lorraine Onye, over a salary dispute.
In 2021, 21-year-old Emmanuel Akpan allegedly murdered his employer, Mrs Febisola Adedayo, in Ondo State before stealing valuables, including ATM cards, mobile phones and a generator.
Investigators also alleged that he attempted to set the house ablaze to cover his tracks.
The disturbing pattern resurfaced in July 2024 when Aribim Ajumogobia, popularly known as Chuchu and the daughter of Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, was found murdered in her apartment on Bembe Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The young medical doctor, who lived alone with her domestic worker, was killed during an attempt to steal cash and other valuables.
Police arrested her 21-year-old domestic worker, Peter Abigiel, alongside Olatunji Oluwasegun, 35, and Umaru Mamman, 45, in connection with the killing.
From Akure to Lagos, and from Ondo to Ogun, these tragedies reveal an unsettling pattern.
In many of the cases, the suspects were not strangers who forced their way into homes. They were people who had been welcomed into households, entrusted with the care of children, the security of homes or other domestic responsibilities, and who had become too familiar with their employers’ routines, vulnerabilities and possessions.
Each of these unsettling cases left grieving families with the same haunting question: How does trust become so deadly?
What the data reveals
There are no official national statistics tracking the number of employers killed by domestic workers.
Available police records, court proceedings, media reports and academic studies, however, suggest that such incidents are neither isolated nor new.
According to experts in a paper titled The Nigeria Watch Project and the Challenges in the Study of Lethal Violence in Nigeria, published in April 2021, the absence of a centralised reporting system makes it difficult to determine the exact scale of killings involving domestic workers, although available evidence points to a recurring pattern.
A University of Calabar study titled Information on Domestic Staff Utilisation and Household Crimes found a significant link between the employment of domestic staff and household crimes, including theft, kidnapping and other violent offences.
Based on a survey of 330 households in Cross River State, the researchers recommended proper screening and due diligence before employing domestic workers.
Similarly, a study titled Work Condition and Employment Relationship of Domestic Workers in Nigeria found that exploitation, delayed payment of salaries, abuse and poor welfare conditions were common among domestic workers.
The researchers, however, cautioned against stereotyping domestic workers, noting that the majority are law-abiding and that poor working conditions can create tension within households.
In the absence of comprehensive official statistics, media reports, police records and court proceedings have remained the primary sources for tracking reported cases involving domestic workers accused of killing their employers.
The studies also highlighted that domestic workers are frequently victims of abuse, unpaid wages and exploitation.
An industry without rules
Behind many of the reported cases involving domestic workers lies a broader challenge: Nigeria’s largely informal and unregulated domestic labour market.
Across the country, millions of households rely on housemaids, cooks, drivers, security guards, nannies and other domestic workers, yet the sector remains one of the least regulated areas of employment.
Many domestic workers are recruited through informal channels, including relatives, friends, neighbours, religious organisations, community leaders and word-of-mouth referrals, with little or no documentation, employment contracts or background checks.
The International Labour Organisation has identified domestic work as one of the world’s largest sources of informal employment, with many workers lacking written contracts, social protection and effective legal safeguards.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the President of the Confederation of Federal Workers of Nigeria, Itoro Obong, described the sector as poorly regulated, saying the absence of proper monitoring mechanisms makes it difficult to enforce labour standards, ensure accountability and protect both employers and workers.
He said, “If this sector is properly regulated through an agency that monitors the operations of domestic workers, there would be a significant reduction in many of these incidents. Such a system would improve accountability, ensure proper documentation and protect both employers and workers.”
In 2025, the Senate passed the Informal Sector Employment (Regulation) Bill, 2025, which seeks to formalise and regulate the employment of domestic workers and other informal sector employees.
However, checks by Saturday PUNCH showed that the bill has yet to be enacted into law.
How strangers gain access to homes
Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that many domestic workers and security guards in the Lekki area of Lagos are recruited through informal referral networks with little or no documentation, raising concerns about the ease with which individuals secure employment in private homes without proper background checks.
A resident of Lekki Phase II, who identified herself simply as Madam Seyi, said her household had engaged security guards and other domestic workers through a trusted guard living in the neighbourhood.
She said, “He has his own people that he brings from the village to do this kind of work. If you need a security guard or a maid, he will get one for you.”
When our correspondent visited some estates in Lekki on Monday, many of the security guards, most of whom were from northern Nigeria, said they secured their jobs through referrals from friends or relatives already working in Lagos.
Findings showed that in many cases, the recruitment process involved no formal documentation, written contracts or verifiable employment records.
Instead, employment was largely based on word-of-mouth referrals and personal trust.
One of the guards, Adamu Yusuf, said he was introduced to his employer by his elder brother.
“I am from Zamfara. My brother helped me get the job and brought me here. I have been working here for the past four years,” he said.
To better understand the recruitment process, our correspondent approached a well-known domestic worker recruitment local agent in one of the Lekki estates, Sule Usman, under the guise of seeking a security guard for a residence.
Usman, who works as a security guard in one of the estates, said he also sourced guards and house helps from his village and linked them with employers in Lagos.
Without requesting any identification documents or details about the prospective employer, he assured our correspondent that he could provide a security guard almost immediately.
He said the guard would earn a monthly salary of N60,000, with accommodation provided, while he would receive a commission for facilitating the arrangement.
Survivor recounts close calls
Some residents who spoke with Saturday PUNCH recounted how they narrowly escaped alleged attacks, while others said they had adopted stricter hiring measures to protect their families.
A retired Deputy General Manager at the Bank of Industry, Mr Adetokunbo Akinsola, said his family was forced to dismiss a housemaid after allegedly discovering WhatsApp conversations between her and her husband, whom he described as a native doctor.
According to him, the chats allegedly contained plans to use charms against the family, kill them and cart away their valuables.
“It was God who saved us. We sent her away that same night after seeing the messages,” he said.
Akinsola also recalled how a former boss in Ikoyi allegedly lost valuables after a newly employed housemaid drugged members of the household, leaving them unconscious for about two days before fleeing with cash, jewellery and other expensive items.
Employers speak on warning signs
A Lagos-based trader, Okechukwu Ibe, said he once dismissed his driver midway through a journey because he feared the man’s erratic behaviour could endanger his life.
“Some domestic workers expect to be treated exactly like your children, but employment is a contract. I can support you, but I cannot equate you with my children. There was a day I asked my driver to stop, paid him off and drove myself because I felt unsafe. I didn’t want to wait until something terrible happened,” he said.
For Mrs Adetola Uansohia, a Lagos-based mother, engaging domestic workers through registered agencies offers an extra layer of protection.
She said she insists on using agencies that conduct background checks and can be held accountable if problems arise.
She also installed surveillance cameras in her home to monitor activities.
Abused workers, broken relationships
While several employers have fallen victim to crimes allegedly committed by domestic workers, experts and rights advocates say many domestic workers themselves endure physical abuse, exploitation and degrading treatment in the homes where they work.
A 2023 study by Henry Ajibo and Ene Jacinta of the University of Nigeria, titled Under-18 Domestic Helpers in Southeastern Nigeria and Abusive Concerns, documented widespread psychological, emotional and physical abuse of underage domestic workers.
Sharing her experience with Saturday PUNCH, a 28-year-old domestic worker in Ikeja, Lagos, who identified herself simply as Sade, said some employers subject househelps to excessive workloads and poor welfare, noting that such ill-treatment sometimes leads to grave consequences when workers with criminal intent seek revenge.
She said, “Some madams can be very mean. You will cook, wash clothes, bathe the children, clean the house and sleep very late. You will still be the one to wake up first. They can even wake you up in the middle of the night to make tea.”
However, another domestic worker, 20-year-old Deborah Ayeyemi, who works in the Ajah area of Lagos, said her experience had been different.
Ayeyemi said, “The people I have worked with have been nice, so I always do my best to meet their expectations. In fact, I have completed my time with my current employers, but they don’t want me to leave because we have worked so well together.”
In April 2025, a Facebook user, Philipa Ottue, shared photographs alleging that a young domestic worker was severely maltreated and thrown from the second floor of a two-storey building on Niger Street, opposite Newday Fast Food, in Aba, Abia State.
Confirming the incident to Saturday PUNCH, the spokesperson for the Abia State Police Command, Maureen Chinaka, said the employer was arrested and charged in court.
Crisis fuelled by informal hiring
Recruitment agents have blamed some employers for contributing to the risks associated with domestic employment by avoiding professional recruitment processes and turning to informal agents to cut costs.
The Chief Executive Officer of Queenest Recruitment and Support Agency, Esther Obiemeka, said reputable agencies conduct background checks, verify identities, and properly document domestic workers before placing them with employers.
However, she noted that some employers consider recruitment fees too expensive and instead rely on unverified recommendations or informal connections, leaving themselves exposed to potential risks.
“Some clients, when you ask them to pay the necessary fees to enable us to do the right thing, say it is expensive and look for alternatives. That is where they get into trouble. Some people put signboards outside or connect domestic workers with clients without carrying out proper vetting,” she said.
Similarly, the Operations Manager of Dominion Consulting, Richard Uche, said his firm provides clients with workers’ profiles, government-approved identification cards and two verifiable guarantors before placement.
He warned that informal recruitment arrangements often lack accountability, adding that traceable documentation serves as a deterrent to criminal acts.
“If a domestic worker knows that you have his documents and that his guarantors can be held responsible if anything goes wrong, he would think twice before committing a crime,” he said.
Experts identify causes, demand stronger safeguards
Experts have attributed crimes involving domestic workers to a combination of personal factors, poor recruitment practices, weak regulation and the absence of reliable identity systems.
A Professor of Counselling Psychology at Tai Solarin University of Education, Abosede Ewumi, said some cases are driven by greed and a sense of entitlement among individuals who believe they must acquire wealth by any means.
She added that personal values and family background could also influence such behaviour.
Similarly, a Professor of Counselling Psychology at Adekunle Ajasin University, Clement Adebisi, warned employers against exposing sensitive financial information to domestic workers.
He said discussing large financial transactions, giving workers unrestricted access to finances or displaying wealth could create temptation, particularly where relationships between employers and workers are strained.
Adebisi, however, noted that poor treatment of workers could also contribute to conflict, urging employers to maintain healthy working relationships while ensuring proper screening before bringing domestic workers into their homes.
He advised families to insist on verifiable guarantors and proper documentation to improve accountability.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Monday Ubani, said the absence of a comprehensive identity and criminal records system in Nigeria makes it difficult for employers to verify the backgrounds of prospective domestic workers.
He urged families to carry out due diligence by obtaining verifiable information about workers, including their identity, place of origin and guarantors, while also treating them fairly.
“Don’t lose your guard because of familiarity,” Ubani warned, stressing that proper documentation should go hand in hand with the humane treatment of domestic workers.
In the same vein, a human rights lawyer, Tolu Babaleye, called for legislative reforms to regulate the domestic labour sector and improve accountability for both employers and employees.
He said a structured system would reduce the risks associated with employing individuals without proper background checks.
Security expert and founder of Oksom92 Security Consult, Ajayi Okasanmi, advised employers to subject prospective domestic workers to profiling by security agencies before employment.
The former police spokesperson also cautioned against displaying wealth or openly discussing financial matters in the presence of household staff, saying such actions could increase vulnerability.
Meanwhile, a former Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Postal Service, Bisi Adegbuyi, advocated integrating location intelligence into Nigeria’s identity management system to improve traceability.
He said National Identity Numbers should be linked to verifiable, machine-readable digital addresses to improve traceability and make identification easier.
Rights group seeks tougher punishment
Speaking on the issue, the National President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Debo Adeniran, described the killing of employers by domestic workers as a grave crime that should attract severe punishment.
According to him, anyone who deliberately takes another person’s life, including that of an employer, must be arrested, thoroughly investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“Wherever such killings occur, we recommend diligent investigation and prosecution by the authorities to ensure that those responsible are convicted,” he said.
Police vow crackdown on domestic worker-related crimes
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said many criminal cases handled by the police stem from employer-employee relationships, assuring that the command would intensify efforts to curb crimes involving domestic workers.
He said, “About 65 per cent of the cases we handle have elements involving employers and employees. Employers must properly profile prospective domestic workers and obtain verifiable information about them before engaging their services.
“The duty of care rests with the employer. That is why due diligence is essential. Proper documentation and accountability are also critical in preventing such crimes.”
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