COURT ADMITS KILLABOI’S STATEMENT, INTERROGATION VIDEO IN GIRLFRIEND’S MURDER TRIAL

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

Fresh emotions resurfaced at the Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere on Thursday as the court admitted a written statement and interrogation video of Benjamin Nnayereugo, popularly known as “Killaboi,” in the ongoing trial over the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Augusta Onuwabhagbe.

The case, which has continued to attract widespread public attention, took a significant turn after the prosecution tendered both the defendant’s written statement and a video recording of the interrogation process before Justice Ibironke Harrison.

An investigating police officer attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, DSP Oderinde Gafar, told the court that the defendant was tracked, arrested in Qatar and extradited to Nigeria through international security collaboration.

According to the witness, Nnayereugo voluntarily wrote the statement after he was returned to Nigeria for prosecution.

“The defendant wrote his statement himself during the investigation,” Gafar told the court.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Adedayo Haroun, tendered the statement without objection from the defence counsel, Mr Marcel Oru (SAN), while the interrogation video was subsequently played in open court.

The proceedings revived memories of the emotional testimony earlier given by the deceased’s mother, Mrs Cordelia Onuwabhagbe, who had recounted how she once regarded the defendant as part of her family before her daughter’s death.

“Until this ugly incident that led to my daughter’s death, he was like a son to me. He came to my house, ate, rested, and slept, but I didn’t know he was a killer,” she had told the court during cross-examination.

She also revealed that she only became aware that the defendant was known as “Killaboi” after the incident.

According to her, the defendant attended her church on two occasions and appeared responsible before the relationship between him and her daughter allegedly became troubled during a trip to Seychelles in 2022.

Mrs Onuwabhagbe testified that arguments reportedly arose after the defendant accused Augusta of recording bikini videos for social media posts.

She rejected claims by the defence that her daughter was violent or irresponsible, insisting that nothing justified her killing.

“I don’t know, but that’s no reason to kill my daughter,” she said.

The court also heard that the defendant allegedly fled Nigeria after the incident and moved across several countries using false identities before he was arrested in Doha, Qatar, in February 2025 through biometric verification and international cooperation.

Nnayereugo is facing charges bordering on murder and alleged indecent interference with the corpse of the 21-year-old, who reportedly died at his Ajah residence on July 13, 2023.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Justice Harrison subsequently adjourned the matter until June 17 and 18, 2026, for continuation of trial.