Mother's Emotional Breakdown in Lagos Court Over Daughter's Alleged Murder
A grieving mother broke down in tears at the Lagos High Court on Thursday, March 5, as she testified about the alleged murder of her daughter by her boyfriend. Cordelia Onuwabhagbe, a 56-year-old civil servant and single mother of two, gave emotional testimony before Justice Ibironke Harrison in the Igbosere area of Lagos Island.
Relationship Beginnings and Early Warning Signs
Mrs. Onuwabhagbe told the court how her daughter Augusta, a 24-year-old model and final-year Medical Laboratory Science student at Lead City University, Ibadan, first introduced her to Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, also known as Killaboi, in December 2021. "As a single mother trying to be safe and careful, I asked her to bring him home," she testified. "When they came and because my daughter said she loved him, I accepted him as a son."
The relationship initially appeared normal, with Benjamin frequently visiting the family home and sharing meals even when Augusta was away at university. However, the mother testified that troubling signs emerged during a vacation the couple took in November 2022.
Escalating Violence and Disturbing Incidents
"Seven days into the vacation, he mercilessly abused and beat my daughter, smashed her phone and pulled off her hair," Mrs. Onuwabhagbe stated. She explained that while Benjamin didn't record his own violent actions, he did record Augusta's reaction when she threw pillows at him and called him a wicked man, forwarding that video to her mother.
After returning from the trip, Benjamin allegedly begged for forgiveness from both Mrs. Onuwabhagbe and her son, promising never to be violent again. "He said if he beat her again, she should walk out of the relationship," the mother recalled. Augusta pleaded for him to be given a second chance, and the relationship continued without further violence for several months.
The Final Days and Tragic Discovery
The situation took a dramatic turn in July 2023 when Benjamin called Mrs. Onuwabhagbe claiming Augusta was planning to cheat on him. He revealed he had impersonated someone else to test her loyalty and that she had agreed to meet this fictional person in Lagos. That same night, Augusta reported that Benjamin had taken control of her Instagram account, which was critical to her work as an influencer.
On Saturday, July 15, 2023, Mrs. Onuwabhagbe's son expressed concern about his sister's whereabouts after having a bad feeling about her safety. The mother then revealed that Augusta had sent her a voice note indicating Benjamin had threatened her, swearing on his mother's grave that he would "show" her.
With the help of Augusta's godmother, whose husband is a military officer, Mrs. Onuwabhagbe organized a group to visit Benjamin's residence at Oral Estate. After gaining access with police assistance, they found Augusta's car parked in the compound with keys on the bonnet, all windows open, and air conditioners running. When police officers weren't proactive enough, Mrs. Onuwabhagbe's brother climbed a ladder to peer into the balcony but didn't immediately reveal what he saw.
Heartbreaking Revelation and Aftermath
"After Sunday service I started pressing on my brother so we could go look for her," Mrs. Onuwabhagbe testified, her voice breaking. "It was then my brother broke the news that Augusta was dead."
Benjamin initially went silent but later confessed online that he had "mistakenly stabbed her to death" during a heated argument. He claimed to have N300 million and promised to turn himself in to police. In subsequent chats with Mrs. Onuwabhagbe, he repeatedly apologized but also threatened to release a supposed sex tape of Augusta, claiming it would damage the family's reputation since they attended church.
The mother challenged his characterization of the stabbing as a mistake: "I told him that a stab is a mistake after which you immediately rush her to the hospital, and whether she lives or dies, I'll take it as fate, but to stab her and go at large, it was not a mistake, it was premeditated."
International Manhunt and Arrest
Benjamin fled Nigeria and was eventually declared wanted. He was first arrested in Sierra Leone, where he had obtained a passport under the name Samuel Kanu Princeton for $25,000. After a prison break in Sierra Leone on November 26, 2023, Benjamin was the only prisoner who wasn't recaptured when authorities rounded up escapees.
With assistance from human rights lawyer Femi Falana, Benjamin was tracked to Qatar and arrested on January 15, 2025. He was extradited back to Nigeria in April 2025 with multiple passports in his possession. "For a long time, I never set my eyes on him until I saw him here in court yesterday," Mrs. Onuwabhagbe concluded her testimony.
Court Proceedings and Adjournment
The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, Dr. Babajide Martins, informed the court that electronic evidence including videos and chat messages had been served to the defense counsel just the previous day. Defense counsel Marcel Oru, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, requested time to study the evidence.
Justice Harrison adjourned the case to April 22 and 23 for cross-examination of Mrs. Onuwabhagbe, allowing the defense adequate time to review the newly provided materials in this emotionally charged murder trial.
