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Trial of Killaboi for Alleged Murder Of Girlfriend Commences

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Trial has commenced in the murder case against Benjamin Best Nnayereugo also known as “Killaboi”who is charged with killing his girlfriend, Augusta Onuwabhagbe.

At the Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, Lagos island, the first prosecution witness, an Uncle to the late Augusta, Mr. Reginald Okonye took the witness stand to narrate how the family discovered her body at the boyfriend’s house in the Ajah area of Lagos.

Led in evidence by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Dr. Babajide Martins, the witness told trial judge, Justice Ibironke Harrison that for 2-3 days in July 2023, Augusta would respond to messages from her mother and brother but refused to pick up the phone when called. This made them suspicious and worried and through the help of her roommate at the Lead City University, Ibadan, the family was able to trace her to the boyfriend’s house in Ajah, Lagos.

The witness said.,”my name is Reginald Okonye. I am Regional Head of Sales, West and Central Africa for Siemens Energy. The deceased is my niece and her mother is my eldest sister.

“I met the defendant once before my niece, Augusta Onuwabhagbe passed but really couldn’t recognise him, but after her death, his picture was all over the media so I recognise him now.

“He once came to church with Augusta because her mother runs a church, but I saw him from afar. But on this faithful Saturday, July 15, 2024, Augusta’s mom came to my place and said for 2-3 days, She had not been able to speak to her daughter who usually calls her every morning.

“She said they had been chatting on WhatsApp because when she sends messages, Augusta responds but when she calls, Augusta never picks.

“Augusta’s brother had also expressed worry that he had not been able to reach her for 3 days. He insisted that the mother had to go look for her as he had a premonition that all was not well”.

The witness went on to narrate how the family visited the Ajah home of Augusta’s boyfriend where they eventually discovered her lifeless body.

He said, “My sister said her daughter had a roommate, in Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyindamola who was quite close to Augusta. After establishing contact with Oyindamola, the two agreed that Augusta’s circle is very small and they needed to check her at her boyfriend, Benjamin’s place.

“Oyindamola confirmed that she knew the address and also said the place was in a gated estate and except someone from the house calls, Augusta’s mom would not be allowed access.

“The mom then discussed with a friend to get a security personnel to accompany her so she could gain access. I drove to Ikeja Cantonment to pick the military man and another woman, Mrs Bankole who is a family friend. We then went to pick Oyindamola in Yaba cos she knows Benjamin’s house before the 5 of us proceeded to Oral Estate, Ajah.

“As expected, we were not allowed access and after the military man persuaded them, they agreed but asked one of their security guards at the gate to go with us. We were able to locate the place, 24a, Abiola Akpoyin Street, Oral Estate, Ikota, Ajah, Lagos.

“The gate was slightly open so the security man and the military men proceeded to enter. We sighted Augusta’s car outside the house. The key to the car was placed on top of the bonnet. My sister and the 2 other ladies were screaming Augusta’s name to see if she would come out but she didn’t.

“The building is a semi-attached duplex and the window to one of the rooms upstairs was open but no one answered. The estate security advised that we go to Ajah police station to make a statement so they could come with us to search the house as we couldn’t enter the house without a warrant.

“So I drove to Ajah police station and after explaining, they released 2 police officers, one inspector Odun a female and another male who was armed to go with us.

“The officers tried to open the door but it was locked. They then advised we get a ladder so we could access the building through the open window. Luckily there were some young men outside the area who helped us rent a ladder. It was about 8pm and it was getting late.

“The police man advised I climbed first so he could position himself incase anyone attacked. I did and he followed after. Using the torch on my phone, I peeped into the room and saw the corpse, lying in a thick pool of blood. I then signalled the policeman from Ajah to come up. He got up and I showed him the body.

“Even though the body was a bit bloated, I recognized her. I made a decision not to scream so as not to agitate my sister and when I came down, I tried to distract her to leave the area. I subsequently told Inspector Odun what we found. This was around 9pm.

“She told me we had to evacuate the body, deposit it in the morgue and I asked for the amount and paid. How they subsequently broke the door open and concluded the process, I don’t know”.

“I told my sister it was late and we need to go back home so we could continue the search the next day. I was just trying to manage her. I then drove my sister, Oyindamola and Mrs Bankole back. My sister stays alone in Maryland because her children are all in school so I took her back to my house which is around Egbeda.

“About 2am, the police in Ajah confirmed to me that the body had been evacuated and deposited in the morgue.

“On July 16th, the next day being Sunday, i called 2 of her friends, Mrs Bankole and one other person and asked them to come to my house. After they came, I disclosed the news to her.

“On Monday, we went back to Ajah and I was asked to write a statement and then told the case would be transferred to Panti. My sister is quite active on social media so she showed me that she was engaging with Oyindamola who told her that she follows Benjamin who was online confessing (on Instagram or so) that he killed his girlfriend after they had a quarrel. The police copied the posts and within a short time too, the posts went very viral.

“At Panti, they took statements from my sister and I and gave us another IPO and eventually I led the police from Panti back to the house, he concluded.

After this testimony, the DPP then moved to tender in evidence a picture of the body and another picture of the house in Ajah.

The Defence counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Marcel Oru, elected to reserve all objections at this stage of the trial.

With no objections from the Defence Counsel, the court admitted the pictures in evidence as exhibits before adjourning proceedings.

Outside the court room, correctional officers from the Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre aided the defendant to evade the watchful cameras of journalists ensuring that they could not capture his visuals when he departed the courtroom.

Justice Harrison has adjourned till tomorrow, Thursday March 5th for continuation of trial. The late Augusta’s mother is expected to take the witness stand to testify.

Background

Nnayereugo aka Killaboi, is accused of killing his 21-year-old girlfriend, Augusta Onuwabhagbe.

According to the police, Nnayereugo murdered the victim at his residence at No. 24A Abiola Apooyan Street, Oral Estate, Ikota, Ajah, Lagos, on July 13, 2023, before fleeing the country.

He later posted an online video purportedly confessing to the crime, a move authorities say was a deceptive tactic aimed at derailing the investigation.

He was subsequently declared wanted by the NPF Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) on 13th October 2023, while an INTERPOL Red Notice was issued for his global apprehension.

He was initially arrested in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on 20th October 2023 under the false identity “KANU PRINCETON SAMUEL,” but escaped custody during a prison break on 26th November 2023 in Feeetown.

He reportedly continued to evade law enforcement, traversing multiple regions including West Africa, East Asia and the Middle East, under forged identities before eventually relocating to Doha, Qatar on 24th January, 2025. Operating under the alias “TOURE ABDOULAYE” with a fraudulent Guinean passport.

The police further said that through robust international cooperation and the use of advanced biometrics, INTERPOL NCB Abuja, in collaboration with INTERPOL NCB Doha, confirmed his identity, leading to his arrest by Qatari authorities in February 2025. An official extradition request, processed via the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, was subsequently approved by the Qatari judicial authorities, resulting in his repatriation to Nigeria in April 2025.

In June 2025, the Lagos State Government proffered a 2 count charge against him before the Lagos High Court, Igbosere.

In count one, the defendant is charged with Indecent interference with the corpse of Augusta Onuwabhagbe by cutting her stomach open and removing her body parts, a crime contrary to Section 165 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2015.

In count two, the defendant is charged with murder of his girlfriend, Augusta Onuwabhagbe by stabbing her with a knife, an offence contrary to Section 222 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2015

‘There Will Be No Sacred Cows,’ IGP Disu Tells Police Officers

The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has said that the Nigeria Police under his leadership will not condone any conduct that undermines respect for human rights, weakens public confidence in the agency, and erodes institutional legitimacy.

READ ALSO: IGP Disu Inaugurates Committee On State Police, Task Members On Professionalism

Disu, who stated this during his inaugural Conference with Senior Police Officers at the Peacekeeping Conference Centre, Force Headquarters, Abuja, said there would be “no sacred cows”.

He explained that respect for human rights is not optional but fundamental to professional policing and central to sustaining public trust.

“By upholding this standard, we reinforce the rule of law and strengthen the moral authority upon which effective policing is built.

“To restore and sustain public confidence, our internal accountability mechanisms will be strengthened, revitalized, and isolated from undue influences. The Force Provost, the Complaint Response Unit, and the X-Squad will be empowered to operate decisively, independently, and without fear or favour in the investigations of misconduct, abuse of authority, corruption, or unprofessional conduct,” Disu said.

“The message must be clear: no officer is above the law. Citizens must feel safe and encouraged to report wrongdoings. Officers must understand that loyalty to the force does not extend to shielding misconduct or tolerating indiscipline.

“Under this leadership, there will be no sacred cows. Ranks, seniority, or position will offer no protection. Officers found culpable will face swift and appropriate disciplinary actions, including dismissal and prosecution where applicable,” he added.

Police officers at the Conference with Senior Police Officers at the Peacekeeping Conference Centre, Force Headquarters, Abuja

Public Trust

The IGP further stated that police derive their authority not merely from statutes, but from public trust, adding that once that trust is weakened, the agency’s effectiveness is diminished.

“Leadership, it has been said, is not about the position one occupies, but the responsibility one accepts. Today, I stand before you fully conscious of the weight of this responsibility and the high expectation of our officers, our nation, and the Nigerian people.

“The Nigerian Police Force exists to serve the people, protect the nation, and uphold the rule of law. These are not abstract ideas; they are daily obligations,” he told the officers.

“Under my leadership, professionalism, accountability, and transparency shall not be a slogan. It shall be the standard.”

State policing has been on the frontburner in Nigeria in recent years.
Photo: X@PoliceNG

Authority With Restraint 

Disu reminded the officers that in an era of heightened public scrutiny and instant communication, “every action of the police reflects instantly on the entire police force”.

“As leaders, we must continually remind ourselves of an enduring truth: Authority is strongest when it is exercised with restraint, fairness, and sound judgment.

Iraqi women’s rights activist Yanar Mohammed killing spurs call for justice

The killing of prominent Iraqi women’s rights activist Yanar Mohammed has fuelled an outpouring of grief and calls for justice, with advocates from around the world remembering Mohammed as a “courageous” voice.

Mohammed, 66, was killed earlier this week after unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire outside her home in the north of Iraq’s capital, Baghdad.

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“Despite being rushed to the hospital and attempts to save her life, she succumbed to her wounds,” the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq, a group that Mohammed co-founded, said in a statement shared on social media.

“We at the Organisation for Women’s Freedom in Iraq condemn in the strongest terms this cowardly terrorist crime, which we consider a direct attack on the feminist struggle and the values of freedom and equality.”

Several international rights groups also condemned Mohammed’s killing, with Amnesty International on Wednesday decrying the deadly attack as “brutal” and “a calculated assault to stifle human rights defenders, especially those defending women’s rights”.

The organisation, which said Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al‑Sudani ordered an investigation into the killing, also called on the Iraqi authorities to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

BAGHDAD, IRAQ - MARCH 8 : Iraqi activist Yanar Mohammed, head of the Women's Freedom in Iraq Organization, speaks on March 8, 2006 during a celebration for the Women's day in Baghdad, Iraq. Yanar Mohammed said that occupation forces, Islamic laws and barbaric traditions govern the Iraqi society. (Photo by Akram Saleh /Getty Images).
Yanar Mohammed speaks during a Women’s Day event in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2006 [Akram Saleh/Getty]

“Yanar Mohammed … dedicated her life to defending women’s rights,” Amnesty’s Iraq researcher, Razaw Salihy, said in a statement. “The Iraqi authorities must stop this pattern of targeted attacks in their tracks, and take seriously the sustained smear campaigns designed to discredit and endanger activists.”

Mohammed was one of Iraq’s most prominent women’s rights activists, working since the early 2000s “to protect women facing gender-based violence, including domestic abuse, trafficking, and so-called ‘honour killings’”, Front Line Defenders said.

Her work included the establishment of safe houses, which sheltered hundreds of women experiencing exploitation and abuse.

In a 2022 interview with Al Jazeera, Mohammed described her organisation’s efforts to support Iraqi women who survived violence at the hands of ISIS (ISIL), which had seized control of large swathes of the country.

“Muslim-Arab women who were enslaved by ISIL and have not found a place to go back to, they are still living in the shadows of the society,” she said at the time.

“Not less than 10,000 women were the victims of ISIL attack[s], and this femicide is not really acknowledged by the international community or dealt with in a way that keeps the dignity or the respect [of], or compensates, those who were the victims.”

[embedded content]

Years of threats

Mohammed had been the target of death threats for decades, “aimed at dissuading her from defending women’s rights”, Front Line Defenders said. “Yet she remained defiant in the face of threats from ISIS and other armed groups.”

In 2016, she was awarded the Rafto Prize “for her tireless work for women’s rights in Iraq under extremely challenging conditions”.

The Rafto Foundation, the Norway-based nonprofit group that administers the award, said it was “deeply shaken” by her killing. “We are deeply shocked by this brutal attack on one of the most courageous human rights defenders of our time,” the foundation said in a statement.

“The assassination represents not only an attack on Yanar Mohammed as a person, but also on the fundamental values she dedicated her life to defending: women’s freedom, democracy, and universal human rights.”

Other activists and human rights groups also paid tribute to Mohammed this week, with Human Rights Watch describing her as “one of Iraq’s most courageous advocates for women’s rights” for more than two decades.

“Yanar was a dear colleague and friend to so many of us in the women’s rights and feminist community, one of our icons. She spent her life standing up for women’s rights in the most dangerous environment,” said Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International.

“She faced constant threats, but she never stopped. And today we cry and mourn her energy, her commitment, her profound humanity, her amazing courage.”

BAGHDAD, IRAQ - JULY 28: Yanar Mohammed, head of Women's Freedom in Iraq movement, speaks to reporters on July 28, 2005 in Baghdad, Iraq. Mrs. Mohammed opposes the idea of regarding Islam as the major source for law in Iraq's new constitution and expressed her concerns about Iraq turning into another Afghanistan under a Taliban style rule. (Photo by Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images)
Mohammed speaks to reporters in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2005 [File: Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty]

IGP Disu Inaugurates Committee On State Police, Task Members On Professionalism

Nigeria’s police authorities are taking a new step towards strengthening the country’s security architecture as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, on Wednesday inaugurated a committee on state police.

During his inaugural Conference with Senior Police Officers at the Peacekeeping Conference Centre, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Disu charged the seven-member committee to be professional, emphaising on the importance of state police to the security of the country.

The IGP told the committee that the task before them is “both significant and timely,” and one that will shape the “framework through which state policing may operate in Nigeria.”

“In carrying out this assignment, your deliberations must be guided by professionalism, objectivity, and a clear appreciation of the unique complexities of policing a diverse nation such as our own,” the Lagos-born IGP said.

The committee is expected to, among other functions, review existing policing models within and outside Nigeria; assess community security needs and emerging risks across the country; propose an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of State Police structures; and address issues relating to recruitment, training, standards, and resource allocation.

It will also develop robust accountability and oversight mechanisms to ensure professionalism and public trust.

“If thoughtfully designed and effectively implemented, State Policing holds significant potential benefits for our country,” Disu, a former commander of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS), said at the event.

“By bringing law enforcement closer to communities, state police institutions can deepen local knowledge of security dynamics and enable quicker and more targeted responses to emerging threats.”

The committee is headed by Olu Ogunsakin (chairman), while Bode Ojajuni is the secretary.

Others are Emmanuel Ojukwu, Okebechi Agora, Suleyman Gulma, Ikechukwu Okafor, and Tolulope Ipinmisho.

The inauguration of the committee is one of the first assignments of the new IGP, who was appointed and confirmed as Nigeria’s police chief a few days ago.

Wednesday’s ceremony comes amid heightened security challenges across the country, with stakeholders suggesting state policing as one of the ways to address the issue.

President Bola Tinubu has already tasked the National Assembly to begin moves to amend Nigeria’s laws for the creation of state police.

See the full list of members of the committee on state police below:

NameRole / Designation
Olu OgunsakinChairman
Bode OjajuniSecretary
Emmanuel OjukwuMember
Okebechi AgoraMember
Suleyman GulmaMember
Ikechukwu OkaforMember
Tolulope IpinmishoMember

Iran’s place in World Cup 2026 in doubt amid conflict, Trump’s dismissal

Among the wide-ranging ramifications of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Iran’s participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026 has become a key talking point, with the tournament less than 100 days away.

The global sporting event will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States from June 11 to July 19, with Iran among the 48 nations expected to travel to North America at least a week prior to the opening game.

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US President Donald Trump says he doesn’t care if Iran participates in the World Cup or not.

“I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes,” Trump told the American news site Politico on Tuesday.

The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Saturday that have killed at least 1,045 people, including its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and sparked a regional conflict that has spread to 12 countries.

Tehran responded by launching waves of missiles and drones at Israel and towards several military bases in the Middle East where US forces operate.

Following the escalations, Iran’s spot at the World Cup has come under question, and officials from the Iranian football federation and FIFA have been noncommittal on the world’s 20th-ranked football nation’s participation.

“After this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), told local sports portal Varzesh3 on Sunday.

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Semi Final - Iran v Qatar - Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, Qatar - February 7, 2024 Iran players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
Iran were the first team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026, but their position in the tournament has been thrown into question amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East [File: Rula Rouhana/Reuters]

Uncharted territory

A leading expert on sports and geopolitics believes that Iran’s participation in the tournament is in serious doubt amid an armed conflict between one of the host nations and a participant.

“Ultimately, the diplomatic solution [will be] that Iran itself just steps aside and withdraws from the tournament,” Simon Chadwick, a professor of Afro-Eurasian sport at the Emlyon Business School in Shanghai, told Al Jazeera.

Chadwick said it’s “very difficult” to see the US allowing players, backroom staff and officials to enter the country.

“The US will not be keen to admit [Iranian] players, officials or medics – who normally travel alongside teams to tournaments.

“Given that they [Iran] are going to have to play their games in the US, I find it unlikely that they will be there.”

Despite the logistical quagmire and its unlikely resolution in a timely manner, Chadwick said withdrawal will not be an easy option for Iran, who will think “very long and hard before walking away”.

The last time a team pulled out of a FIFA World Cup due to political reasons was in 1950, when Argentina withdrew, citing disagreements with the Brazilian Football Confederation.

“We are in uncharted territory here,” Chadwick explained.

“We tend to associate boycotts and countries not participating in sport mega-events with the Olympic Games, where mass boycotts were seen in 1980 and 1984 during the Cold War.

“Typically, that doesn’t tend to happen in World Cups.”

Chadwick, who has written several books on the economy and politics of sport, believes the impact of withdrawal will not just be political, but also financial.

“On the one hand, we are living in very complex and sensitive times, and arguably there are reasons for a country either to withdraw or be banned,” he said.

“But we’re [also] living in highly commercial times, and the financial consequences of unilaterally walking away from what is arguably the world’s biggest sport mega event is an act of self-harm. We also don’t know how FIFA might react if a nation were to unilaterally walk away from its qualifying spot.”

Can sport diplomacy save the World Cup?

Despite the tournament being spread across three host nations, all of Iran’s matches are allocated to venues on the US West Coast.

This could largely be due to the presence of a sizeable Iranian community, especially in Los Angeles, where Team Melli will play two of their three Group G games.

According to Chadwick, had Iran been playing games in Canada or Mexico, the team could have swayed their decision to participate. But the organisers are unlikely to move the games out of the US now.

“It would be extremely unusual to take games to another country to accommodate one particular country, particularly when the president of FIFA and the president of the US seem to be very close,” he said, adding, “the relationship between the US and Canada, and the US and Mexico is somewhat complicated, too.”

While FIFA hasn’t made a clear statement on the issue, its Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom has said the world football governing body is monitoring the conflict and the situation emerging from it.

“We had a meeting today, and it is premature to comment in detail, but we will monitor developments around all issues around the world,” he said last week.

With the tournament a little more than three months away, FIFA said it will “continue to communicate with the host governments”.

Chadwick believes that FIFA will try to avoid an outcome where Iran is excluded, as it would cause a logistical headache and set the wrong precedent.

“What we’re more likely to see is sport diplomacy really kicking in,” he predicted.

“The last thing that FIFA will want is for a country to be excluded or simply not turn up because that does set precedent and puts pressure on FIFA.”

‘Sport’s cold war’

With the conflict raging on for the fifth day and spreading further across the Middle East, it is unclear when the Iranian football officials will take a call on sending their team to the US.

However, if Iran does opt to withdraw from the World Cup, it could lead to a sporting crisis.

Chadwick thinks the consequences could be wide-ranging and long-term.

“Politically, it would perhaps take us towards a new sports cold war, and what I find very interesting is that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia have been toying with the idea of creating a sports world championship called the Peace Games, that looks like the Olympic Games and sounds like the Olympic Games but it’s not the Olympic Games.

“And Russia managed to recruit over 70 countries to participate in that sports event.”

Such an event could find support from Iran, should it be left with no choice but to withdraw from the World Cup. It may even lead to the creation of a tournament similar to it, according to Chadwick.

“It’s not inconceivable that at some stage in the future, countries could create their own equivalent of a football World Cup, especially with FIFA being an organisation established by Europeans, having its headquarters in Europe, and its presidents typically being European.”

“Some countries may take this as an opportunity to think about alternative ways of staging global football competitions – almost like a football cold war.”

Despite the current scenario and the conflict’s expansion in the past few days, Chadwick believes organisers and leaders could still find a way to include Iran in the World Cup.