Alleged Murder: Court Adjourns Killaboi’s Trial to May 21

A Lagos High Court sitting at the JIC Taylor Courthouse in Igbosere has adjourned the alleged murder trial of Benjamin Nnayereugo, popularly known as “Killaboi,” until May 21 and 22 for further cross-examination of Mrs. Cordelia Onuwaghagbe, the mother of the deceased, Augusta Onuwaghagbe.

Killaboi is standing trial over the alleged murder of 21-year-old Augusta, who was said to have been killed at his Ajah residence in Lagos on July 13, 2023.

During Thursday’s proceedings before Justice Ibironke Harrison, the defence counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Marcel Oru, continued the cross-examination of the witness after it had commenced earlier in the week.

Mrs. Onuwaghagbe told the court that shortly after the defendant was arrested in Sierra Leone, someone claiming to be his father contacted her and asked her to meet with the family so the matter could be settled.

She said she rejected the request, insisting that any form of discussion could only take place after Killaboi had been extradited to Nigeria.

The witness also testified that she had some communication with the defendant after her daughter’s death and disclosed that he sent 1,530 dollars to her account.

She further stated that although the defendant opened a cryptocurrency account for her daughter before her death, the money used for the account belonged to Augusta herself.

Mrs. Onuwaghagbe added that she was unaware of any money allegedly sent by the defendant for her daughter’s burial.

The proceedings were, however, cut short due to a power outage in the courtroom, which prevented the defence from presenting some electronic evidence intended to support its case.

Killaboi was declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force State Criminal Investigation Department in October 2023, after he allegedly fled Nigeria following Augusta’s death.

An INTERPOL Red Notice was later issued for his arrest.

Authorities said he was first arrested in Sierra Leone under a false identity but escaped during a prison break in November 2023.

He reportedly continued to evade arrest across several countries using forged identities before relocating to Doha, Qatar, in January 2025.

Following biometric verification and international collaboration, he was rearrested in Qatar in February 2025 and extradited to Nigeria in April 2025.

The Lagos State Government filed a two-count charge against him in June 2025, including alleged murder and indecent interference with the victim’s corpse.

He pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned in November 2025.