Lagos State Police Command has paraded a 300 level student of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu, 21, for the alleged murder of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Super TV, Usifo Ataga in Lekki area of thee State.

At a news briefing in Ikeja, Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu said the briefing was to unveil the achievement of the police on the arrest of the prime suspect involved in the gruesome murder of Michael Usifo Ataga, which occurred on 15th June, 2021 at an apartment in Lekki Area of Lagos State.

He said the Command, due to its unrelenting and professional commitment in unraveling the incident, swung into action, deployed its human and material resources to apprehend the prime suspect on Wednesday 23rd June, 2021 at about 9pm at her Yaba residence.

Odumosu said the command would definitely intensify efforts in carrying out thorough investigation into the
matter, apprehend and cause other culprits involved in the heinous crime to face the full weight of the law and justice done in the matter.

He said the suspect, Ojukwu was arrested with one drivers license, Complimentary cards, Access Bank
Statement Account, one Nigeria International Passport with No.B50010434, one fake drivers license bearing Mary Johnson with the suspect’s photograph, one National Identification Card bearing the suspect’s name, one UBA ATM debit card bearing the suspect’s name and one University of Lagos ID card bearing the suspect’s name.

“A case of murder was transferred from Maroko Division of the Command to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti Yaba, for discreet investigation.

The fact of the case is that, on 15/06/21 at about 1700hrs, one Chidimma Adaora Ojukwu, a 300 level, undergraduate of the University of Lagos, conspired with others, now at Large, and allegedly murdered one Michael Usifo Ataga, 50, by stabbing him severally with a sharp object at a Short Service Apartment, situated at No 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki, phase 1, Lagos.

“The prime suspect, Chidinma, who had earlier booked for the apartment on 13/6/21 secretly, left the apartment after the deed had been done on 15/6/21 at about 1730hrs. The suspect was tracked and arrested in her resident at No. 57, Akinwunmi Street, Alagomeji, Yaba-Lagos.

“During search, the prime suspect and Mass Communication Student of the University of Lagos, was caught with a blood-soaked cloth, ostensibly worn on the day of the incident. The suspect confessed to have stabbed the deceased with a kitchen knife after a struggle,” Odumosu said.

The commissioner added that Ojukwu further confessed to have taken the knife away while leaving the scene and disposed same in a dust bin at her residence.

“It has also been revealed that the suspect equally stole the deceased iPhone. Investigation is ongoing to arrest other accomplices. However, the case will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded,” Odumosu said.

Ataga was said to have been found in a pool of his blood with multiple wounds on his body after the media mogul was stabbed to death at a hotel where he reportedly lodges in the Lekki area of Lagos.

During a session with reporters, 21-year-old Chidinma gave an account of what transpired between her and the late businessman whom she accused of raping her.

She claimed that Ataga made a first attempt which was successful, noting that the unfortunate incident took place after she resisted a second attempt.

“We were in the lodge smoking. He was trying to make advances on me. I was tired and he became violent on it. I let him have his way.

“Towards afternoon, he ordered roofies. We took it together and ate food. He became high. I was still not happy with the first one (sex) that we had, so, I was staying on my own, smoking and drinking. He, too, was on his own. He came to me, and I told him I wasn’t happy with what he did,” the suspect recounted.

She added, “He was like, ‘Take my ATM and withdraw what you want’. He later became violent trying to get to me and I was resisting and defending myself. At some point, he hit my head on the wall and I also retaliated.”

According to Chidinma, Ataga began to chase her at some point in the kitchen where she took a knife and stabbed him in the neck.

She explained that the media mogul followed her as she approached the door before she stabbed him twice on the neck side again.

“I threw the knife to the bed, and he was going for it, but I also went for it. He dragged the knife with me and it broke, and he fell on the floor,” she narrated.