By Abdulfatah Babatunde
… IGP thanks AGF, INTERPOL, Assures of Diligent Prosecution
Lagos, April 19, ’25 (TNZ) The Nigeria Police Force says it has successfully extradited one Benjamin Nnayereugo, (aka “Killaboi”) from Doha, Qatar to Nigeria.
TheNewsZenith reports that the Force PRO, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi announced this in a statement circulated on Saturday from Abuja.
According to Adejobi, the fugitive has been on the run for the murder of one Miss Augusta Oseodion Onuwabhagbe.
He stated that the police operatives arrested him as he was returned to the country in the early hours of today, April 19,
The arrest came through coordinated efforts of the Ministry of Justice, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Force Headquarters Abuja and the Qatari Judicial Authorities.
“The extradition followed a petition from the family of the deceased, submitted through their legal representatives dated Sept. 29, 2024.”
According to the statement, NPF assigned the matter to INTERPOL NCB Abuja for investigation.
“Investigations revealed that the suspect, Nnayereugo, murdered Miss Onuwabhagbe, a 21-year-old first-class student of Lead City University, Ibadan.
He carried out the act at his residence located at No. 24A Abiola Apooyi Street, Oral Estate, Ajah, Lagos, on July 13, 2023.
“After committing the crime, he fled Nigeria and later released an online video purporting to confess to the act, a deceptive strategy to derail investigative efforts.
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“NPF Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) declared him as wanted on Oct. 13, 2023. Thereafter, INTERPOL issued a Red Notice for his global apprehension,” TheNewsZenith quotes from the statement.
INTERPOL initially arrested Nnayereugo in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Oct. 20, 2023 under the false identity of “KANU PRINCETON SAMUEL”.
He, however, escaped from custody during a prison break on Nov. 26, 2023 in Freetown.
Further intelligence gathering revealed that the suspect continued to evade arrest, traversing multiple regions including West Africa, East-Asia and the Middle-East, under forged identities. He eventually relocating to Doha, Qatar on Jan. 24.
Operating under the alias “TOURE ABDOULAYE” with a fraudulent Guinean passport, he allegedly secured illegal employment and concealed his identity.
“Through robust international cooperation and the use of advanced biometrics, INTERPOL NCB Abuja, in collaboration with INTERPOL NCB Doha, confirmed his identity. This led to his arrest by Qatari authorities in February.”
The Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, subsequently secured the approval of the Qatari judicial authorities, resulting in his repatriation to Nigeria.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the diligence of INTERPOL NCB Abuja and extended sincere appreciation to various bodies, for their invaluable collaboration in securing the fugitive’s return.
Egbetokun further assured the general public of the NPF’s commitment to ensuring the suspect faces diligent prosecution. (TNZ)
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