Benjamin Nnayerugo, popularly known as Killaboi, yesterday told a Lagos State High Court sitting at the J.I.C. Taylor Courthouse, Igbosere, that he accidentally stabbed his girlfriend, Augusta Onuwaghagbe, while struggling to take a steak knife from her during an altercation at his residence.

Nnayerugo, who continued his testimony before Justice Ibironke Harrison, said the deceased had threatened to stab him after he insulted her mother, adding that she had already stabbed him twice on both hands during the struggle.The defendant is standing trial over the death of Onuwaghagbe, a 21-year-old undergraduate of Lead City University, Oyo State, and online influencer, who was found dead in his apartment at Oral Estate, Ajah, Lagos, on July 15, 2023.

Led in evidence by his counsel, Marcel Oru (SAN), Nnayerugo recounted that he and Augusta had a lengthy telephone conversation on the night of July 11, during which she told him she was no longer interested in their relationship.

He said he interpreted her decision as evidence that she had been taking advantage of him throughout their six-year relationship, listing several expenses he had incurred on her behalf.
According to him, he funded their trip to Seychelles in 2022 and paid her school fees in January 2023. He also claimed that in February 2023, he spent about N20m on diamonds, the latest iPhone available at the time, AirPods and the rental of an entire lounge for her birthday celebration.

“I started listing out all I had done for her since she said she had since checked out from the relationship. Then, she started denying and trying to clarify, she said we should see and talk,” he told the court.

He said he initially refused to meet her in person, insisting that they should continue their conversation over the phone, but she maintained that they needed to speak face to face.
Nnayerugo said he ended the call feeling used and believing that Augusta’s mother was involved in the situation. He added that he decided to recover the items he had bought for Augusta after their trip to Seychelles because, according to him, she no longer wanted to continue the relationship.

He told the court that he later agreed to meet Augusta at his residence on July 12. While waiting for her, he received a text message from her mother, who reportedly said Augusta had known the man she was allegedly negotiating a sexual encounter with before she began dating Nnayerugo.

The defendant said he was surprised by the message and felt Augusta’s mother was encouraging her, particularly because of the gifts and financial support he claimed to have provided and the fact that her mother was a pastor.

He said that when Augusta arrived at his residence and joined him in his bedroom, they smoked marijuana together. He later brought steak meat, a fork and a steak knife into the room to eat, while Augusta also collected food and cutlery from the kitchen.

According to him, after eating, he became sleepy and lay down on one bed in the room, while Augusta later joined him on the bed. He said he moved to another bed to avoid cuddling with her and eventually fell asleep.

Nnayerugo said he later woke up, took Augusta’s phone into the bathroom and attempted to read her WhatsApp messages with her mother, but discovered that she had changed her password. He returned the phone and later went downstairs to play his PlayStation 5 before going back to sleep.

He told the court that the following morning, he remained determined to access her phone. He said he pretended to cough and asked her to get him water from the fridge in the bedroom, then snatched the phone as she turned away.

According to the defendant, Augusta rushed towards him, demanding that he return the phone. He said he checked the messages with his right hand while using his left hand to keep her away.
He claimed that the messages revealed that Augusta’s mother had advised her on what to tell him during their earlier conversations about the alleged infidelity. He also said he saw a message in which her mother allegedly advised her to leave him because he could not tolerate her.

Nnayerugo said he became angry and called Augusta’s mother a “fake pastor”, while also insulting her. He said Augusta realised he was reading their private conversations and became furious.
He told the court that Augusta then went to the table, picked up the steak knife and threatened to stab him if he did not return her phone. He alleged that she stabbed him twice on both hands but he continued holding on to the phone, insisting that he had bought it for her and wanted her to return it along with the other gifts.

The defendant said Augusta subsequently threatened to stab him in the chest and kill him for insulting her mother, prompting him to attempt to take the knife from her.

“We dragged the knife for about 10mins, she was holding on to the handle while I held the tip. I managed to move to hold the handle of the knife on top of her hand,” he said.
He added that he asked her to release the knife, but she refused and continued threatening him.

“I told her to free the knife, but she said she would kill me because I insulted her mom, then I used all my strength to snatch the knife, at that point she was hit and fell down,” he told the court.

Nnayerugo said that was wen it dawned on him and he realised Augusta had been stabbed in the stomach when she fell, adding that blood was coming from her stomach and mouth.He said he attempted to save her by removing the knife from her stomach and using a towel to cover the wound in an effort to stop the bleeding.

“I thought of helping her, but there was no way to stop the blood so I took out the knife and I used a towel to stop the blood. I told her not to die and that I won’t break up with her again,” he said. Justice Harrison adjourned the case to December 7 and 8, 2026 for further hearing.