Society Assistant Editor
Ninolowo Gbamboye
Envy Turned Deadly: How a Young Graduate Was Betrayed and Murdered by His Friends Just Weeks After NYSC
A Future Filled with Promise
At just 26, Agbakoba Tony had his whole life ahead of him. He had recently completed the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program — a rite of passage for Nigerian graduates — and was preparing to begin a career in banking. For his family in Onitsha, Anambra State, his achievement was a source of joy and pride. He was the first in his family to secure a white-collar job straight out of service, something many of his peers still struggled to achieve.
Tony was known as hardworking, cheerful, and optimistic. Friends recalled how he often said he wanted to “make it big” and support his parents. He had barely hung up his khaki uniform when an offer letter from a reputable commercial bank came his way. For him, it was the beginning of a dream. For some of his peers, however, it was the seed of jealousy.
While Tony celebrated his breakthrough, some friends — older graduates who had been unemployed for years — began to see his rising prospects as a painful reminder of their own stagnation. Instead of celebrating his success, envy consumed them. Unknown to Tony, the very people he called “brothers” were plotting to take away the life he had just begun to build.
The Fatal Invitation
On the morning of the incident, Tony was at home doing laundry. His family members say he looked happy, even humming to himself as he prepared his clothes for the new chapter of his life. Then, his phone rang. It was one of his friends, urging him to come out and meet them.
Trusting and unsuspecting, Tony left his chores and stepped out, assuring his mother that he would be back shortly. He never returned.
According to reports, the group of friends lured him to an isolated area under the pretense of hanging out. But instead of camaraderie, Tony was met with hostility. Their jealousy had festered to the point where they could no longer bear his success.
One of them allegedly taunted him about “forming big man” after landing a job, while others mocked him for being “lucky” rather than hardworking. What began as harsh words quickly escalated into violence. They beat him, overpowered him, and then, in the most brutal fashion, strangled him to death.
Witnesses later revealed chilling details: Tony’s tongue protruded from his mouth — a classic sign of strangulation — and his neck bore marks of force. His so-called friends had murdered him with their bare hands, cutting short his dreams in a fit of envy and rage.
The Cover-Up and Arrest
After realizing what they had done, the killers panicked. To cover their tracks, they carried Tony’s lifeless body to a nearby hospital, pretending he had been involved in an accident. They claimed they had rescued him and were rushing to save his life.
But their lies began to unravel almost immediately. The attending doctor, suspicious of their story, examined Tony’s body and noticed inconsistencies. There were no cuts, bruises, or signs of an accident. Instead, the doctor observed telltale marks of strangulation. Tony’s tongue was sticking out, and his eyes showed signs of suffocation, not trauma from a crash.
Sensing foul play, the doctor discreetly alerted the police. When officers arrived, they detained one of the suspects at the hospital, while the other two fled. The arrested suspect later confessed, admitting that envy drove them to commit the heinous act.
Back at Tony’s home, grief erupted. His mother collapsed upon hearing the news, wailing uncontrollably. Neighbors gathered, struggling to believe that the young man who had only just celebrated his NYSC passing-out parade was now gone forever.
A Life Stolen, A Lesson Unfolding
Tony’s tragic death quickly went viral on TikTok and other social media platforms. Friends and acquaintances flooded timelines with tributes, sharing videos of his NYSC days, his laughter, and his aspirations. Many mourners lamented how envy, disguised as friendship, could destroy such a promising life.
His story has since sparked a broader conversation about the dangers of toxic friendships and jealousy among young people. In a society where jobs are scarce and opportunities few, envy often festers in silence until it explodes in tragic consequences.
For Tony’s family, the pain is indescribable. His father described him as “the hope of the family,” while his siblings still struggle to accept the cruel reality. His mother’s cries — “They killed my son because he succeeded!” — continue to echo in the hearts of all who hear them.
As investigations continue and police pursue the fleeing suspects, Tony’s story remains a heartbreaking warning: that not all friends are truly friends, and sometimes the most dangerous enemies wear the face of brotherhood.
What should have been the beginning of a new life instead became the abrupt end of one — a life stolen by envy, betrayal, and violence.
