“How My Daughter’s Boyfriend Threatened Her Before Killing Her,” Mother Tells Lagos Court

Mrs. Cordelia Okonye on Thursday told a Lagos High Court how her daughter, 21-year-old Augusta Onuwabhagbe, allegedly died after a series of threats from her boyfriend, Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, popularly known as “Killaboi.”

Okonye gave evidence before Justice Ibironke Harrison at the Criminal Division of the Lagos State High Court while being led by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins.

Nnayereugo is standing trial over the alleged murder of Augusta at his residence in Oral Estate, Ikota, Ajah, Lagos, on July 13, 2023. He is charged with murder and indecent interference with a body but pleaded not guilty.

Police said the defendant fled Nigeria shortly after the incident and was later arrested in Doha, Qatar, in February 2025 following an international manhunt involving INTERPOL. He was extradited to Nigeria in April 2025.

During her testimony, the 56-year-old civil servant said her daughter had previously alerted her that the defendant was threatening her.

“She said, ‘Mummy, I don’t know. Benjamin has been threatening me. He swore by his mother’s grave that he was going to show me,’” she told the court.

Okonye said Augusta introduced the defendant to her in 2021 after informing her they had begun a relationship.

“As a single mother trying to be careful, I asked her to bring him home. She said she loved him, so I accepted him not just as someone interested in my daughter but as a son,” she said.

According to her, signs of violence later emerged during a vacation the couple took in November 2022. She said the defendant later apologised to the family after allegedly assaulting Augusta during the trip and promised it would not happen again.

Trouble resurfaced in July 2023 when the defendant accused Augusta of planning to cheat on him.

Okonye said the defendant called her late on July 11, 2023, claiming he had impersonated another person online to test her daughter’s loyalty. Shortly after, Augusta complained that the defendant had taken control of her Instagram account, which she used for her work as an influencer.

The witness said the family became worried when they could no longer reach Augusta in the following days and later traced her to the defendant’s residence in Oral Estate.

“When we got there, the gate was locked, but my daughter’s car was outside,” she said.

Okonye told the court that after gaining access to the house, her brother informed the family the following day that Augusta had been found dead.

She added that the defendant later posted a message online admitting he had stabbed his girlfriend during an argument.

“He said nobody should pity him and that he would turn himself in to the police,” she told the court.

The case was adjourned for continuation of trial.