The much-anticipated murder trial of Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, popularly known as “Killaboi”, has officially commenced at the Lagos High Court in Igbosere. The case relates to the alleged killing of his girlfriend, Augusta Onuwabhagbe, a matter that has drawn extensive public attention in Nigeria.
Nnayereugo, who was first arraigned in November 2025, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge before the court. The prosecution alleges he stabbed Augusta to death and later indecently interfered with her corpse, including cutting her stomach and removing body parts. These actions, the prosecution says, violate Sections 165 and 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
During the opening day of the trial on Wednesday, the first witness, Reginald Okonye — the late Augusta’s uncle and a regional sales head with a multinational company — provided the court with detailed testimony. Okonye recounted how the victim’s family grew concerned after they became unable to reach Augusta for several days and subsequently traced her to Nnayereugo’s residence in the Oral Estate area of Ajah. After gaining access with police assistance, they found her body in a pool of blood, Okonye testified.
The prosecution also presented photographs of the deceased and the Ajah property as exhibits, which were admitted by Justice Ibironke Harrison after the defence reserved objections. The trial was then adjourned to allow for the continued testimony of Augusta’s mother at the next hearing.
This legal process comes after a long and complex investigation involving several international law-enforcement actions. Nnayereugo was declared wanted in 2023, with an INTERPOL Red Notice issued for his arrest following the disappearance and subsequent death of Onuwabhagbe. He was first apprehended in Sierra Leone under a false identity but escaped custody in a prison break, then later arrested in Doha, Qatar in early 2025. He was subsequently extradited to Nigeria in April 2025 to face prosecution.
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Outside the courtroom, correctional officers shielded the defendant from media cameras as he was escorted out of the premises at the close of the day’s proceedings. The case continues to capture national attention due to its serious nature, the international efforts that led to his capture, and the painful death of a young woman whose life and potential remain at the centre of the trial.
