Ado-Ekiti— A suspected gay man identified as Adegboye Pelumi has been gruesomely murdered by suspected cultists after he was allegedly caught engaging in homosexual activity with his lover, Akinluyi Oluwatimilehin Dotun, at a residential apartment on Peace Avenue, opposite Branner School, off Iworoko Road, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The incident occurred on September 29, 2025, which coincided with Pelumi’s birthday. According to reports, the two lovers had chosen to celebrate privately inside the apartment to avoid public attention.

However, their secret meeting reportedly took a tragic turn when an elderly female cleaner entered the building for her routine duties and allegedly caught the duo in the act. Shocked by the scene, she was said to have alerted some community youths to witness what she described as an “abominable act.”

Eyewitnesses who spoke to journalists under condition of anonymity said the angry youths stormed the building and brutally assaulted Adegboye Pelumi, accusing him of desecrating the community.

While Akinluyi Oluwatimilehin Dotun reportedly escaped from the scene by scaling a walled-fence, Adegboye Pelumi was not as fortunate. He was allegedly beaten to death by the irate mob, believed to include members of the Black Axe confraternity.

Pelumi was later confirmed dead by the police.

In a statement made available to newsmen, the Ekiti State Police Command confirmed that it received a report of an alleged homosexual act involving the two suspects in the said apartment.

The Command stated that it has launched a full-scale investigation into the incident, describing it as a heinous murder. It added that efforts have been intensified to arrest all suspects involved, including members of the Black Axe cult group linked to the killing.

According to the police, 24-year-old Akinluyi Oluwatimilehin Dotun remains at large, and a manhunt has been launched in collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilantes to apprehend him.

Nigeria’s Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, signed into law in 2013, criminalizes same-sex relationships and related activities. Under the law, offenders found guilty of engaging in homosexual acts face up to 10 to 14 years imprisonment upon conviction.

The Ekiti State Police Command assured that justice would be served both for the murder of Adegboye Pelumi and for the alleged homosexual offence, in accordance with the nation’s laws.