The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the extradition of Benjamin Best Nnanyereugo, also known as “Killaboi”, to face trial for the murder of 21-year-old Augusta Oseodion Onuwabhagbe.

Muyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, disclosed this in a statement through his X page on Saturday. Adejobi stated that Nnanyereugo was returned to the country in the early hours of Saturday. His extradition follows a months-long international manhunt and public demand for an extradition.

According to the police, his return was made possible through the coordinated efforts of the Federal Ministry of Justice, INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja and Qatari judicial officials.

READ ALSO: How Police Gave Up, Let Confessed Murderer KillaBoi Off the Hook

In July 2023, FIJ reported that Nnanyereugo admitted to murdering Onuwabhagbe — believed to be his romantic partner — at his residence on 24A Abiola Apooyi Street, Oral Estate, Ajah, Lagos.

Nnanyereugo fled the country shortly after the murder.

He was declared wanted by the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) on October 13, 2023.

A major breakthrough came when the victim’s brother, Hezekiah, tracked him down in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and tipped off authorities. Nnanyereugo was arrested on October 20, 2023, while using a false identity, Kanu Princeton Samuel.

However, he escaped custody during a prison break on November 26, 2023. Reports from Sierra Leone, including one from the BBC, confirmed that gunmen attacked military barracks and correctional facilities in the country, freeing 1,890 inmates and killing at least 19 people, including 13 soldiers.

Despite the gravity of the case, both the Sierra Leonean and Nigerian police were accused of dragging their feet. The murder victim’s mother told FIJ that both police forces had, at different points, ignored her pleas for updates. The Nigerian police were also accused of stalling the extradition process after the escape.

Nnanyereugo reportedly spent over $25,000 to secure a Sierra Leonean passport and falsify his identity. Following his escape, he moved between countries in West Africa, East Asia and the Middle East under forged identities.

His next major sighting came on January 24, in Doha, Qatar, where he entered the country under the alias “Toure Abdoulaye” using a fake Guinean passport. He lived discreetly, working illegally to stay under the radar.

However, intelligence efforts led INTERPOL NCB Abuja and their counterparts in Doha to confirm his identity. Qatari authorities arrested him in February.

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Justice had, as a result, filed for extradition. The request was approved by Qatari judicial authorities, leading to his successful repatriation.

READ MORE: 12 Months After ‘Beginning Extradition’, Police Play Dumb on Confessed Murderer Killaboi

“This case underscores the Nigeria Police Force’s dedication to justice and our zero-tolerance stance towards gender-based violence and transnational crimes,” Adejobi stated on Saturday.

“No matter how far a suspect runs, justice will catch up with them.”

The family of the late Onuwabhagbe, who petitioned authorities through their lawyers on September 29, has expressed hope that the legal process will finally bring them closer to justice.

Nnanyereugo is expected to be formally arraigned in court in the coming days.