No Safe Haven’: Nigeria Extradites Fugitive to UK to Face Trial for 2018 Murder of Joshua Boadu.

Nigeria has extradited 25-year-old Matthew Adebiyi to the United Kingdom to face trial for the 2018 stabbing murder of trainee engineer Joshua Boadu in London, authorities confirmed Saturday.

Adebiyi was flown from Lagos and handed over to the Metropolitan Police at Heathrow Airport on Friday, May 30, 2026, ending a six-year international manhunt. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday morning and was remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at the Old Bailey next month.

Joshua Boadu, 18, was a trainee civil engineer and former college football captain. On October 29, 2018, he was stabbed in the chest during a confrontation on a residential street in Walthamstow, East London. He died at the scene despite efforts by paramedics.

The Met Police said Boadu was not the intended target. He was walking home when violence erupted between two groups. Detectives believe Adebiyi fled the UK within days of the killing, first to France and later to Nigeria, using false documents.

A post-mortem gave the cause of death as a single stab wound to the heart. Boadu had been due to start a university placement with Transport for London the following week. His death sparked renewed calls to end knife crime across the capital.

Adebiyi was first named as a suspect in December 2018. An arrest warrant was issued, and Interpol published a Red Notice in 2019. British authorities traced him to Lagos in late 2024 after he was arrested by Nigerian police for an unrelated fraud offense.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Coleman of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “This extradition sends a clear message. We will not stop pursuing those we believe are responsible for murder, no matter how long it takes or where they go.”

The extradition was carried out under the 1931 Extradition Treaty between the UK and Nigeria. Nigeria’s Attorney General’s office confirmed it approved the request after Adebiyi exhausted his appeals at the Federal High Court in Abuja in April 2026.

“International cooperation is critical in tackling violent crime,” said Dr. Musa Ibrahim, spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice. “Nigeria will not be a safe haven for fugitives. We are committed to working with our partners to ensure justice is served.”

Joshua’s mother, Patricia Boadu, spoke outside court Saturday. “We’ve waited six years for this day. Every day without Joshua has been pain. We thank the police in both countries. Now we want justice in court.”

She described her son as “a gentle giant with big dreams.” He had been accepted into a degree apprenticeship program and hoped to design bridges. “He wasn’t in a gang. He wasn’t in trouble. He was just coming home,” she said.

The family has campaigned against knife crime since his death, working with schools across East London. They plan to attend every hearing.

Adebiyi is charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon. He did not enter a plea at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. The case was sent to the Central Criminal Court, where he will appear on July 2, 2026.

If convicted of murder in the UK, he faces a mandatory life sentence with a minimum term set by the judge. Prosecutors are expected to argue that Adebiyi was part of a group that chased Boadu before the fatal stabbing.

The Crown Prosecution Service said it had been “working closely with Nigerian authorities for over a year” to secure the extradition. Legal experts note that Nigeria has extradited 11 suspects to the UK since 2020, but cases involving murder remain rare and complex.

The case highlights the cross-border nature of violent crime. The UK has seen renewed pressure to tackle knife offenses, with 261 fatal stabbings recorded in England and Wales in 2025. The Home Office says extradition agreements are a key tool when suspects flee abroad.

Adebiyi’s lawyer indicated he would contest the charges, claiming mistaken identity. The Met said it has “extensive CCTV, phone, and forensic evidence” linking him to the scene.

Justice Delayed, Not Denied

For the Boadu family, Adebiyi’s return marks the start of the trial process, not the end. “We know the court case will be hard,” Patricia said. “But at least now it can begin. For six years we had no answers. Today, we have hope.”

The Met Police renewed appeals for anyone with information on other outstanding suspects in the case to come forward. No other arrests have been made, but the investigation remains open.

As Adebiyi was led from the dock Saturday, Boadu family members held framed photos of Joshua. On one, a handwritten note read: “Gone, but not forgotten. Justice for Josh.