There has been growing public outrage as Chidinma, the self-confessed killer of Michael Usifo Ataga, Super TV CEO, has been singing a new song.
Chidinma Ojukwu had come out to deny her previous statements in an interview with Dr Aisha Tosan Agberebi as anchor, for the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) sponsored program Crime Fighters: Case File.
A rather indifferent-looking Chidinma explained that she had gone out to buy food for her lover, only to return to meet his remains. While responding to the question of the weight of her account balance, she let out a shy smile, suggesting that the interview atmosphere is far from being tensed. In her oral testament, she said:
“He woke up before me but, I was still feeling sleepy because of smoke, drink and drugs. So, he asked what and what we need. So, I was like, we need to buy food and drugs…. He sent the money to the account while the other one, he gave me the card. I didn’t have access to the card but, I know the pin code. Before I was leaving, he stood up to lock the door by, when I got in I was knocking. As there was no answer, I opened the door. It wasn’t locked. I saw him on the floor. I didn’t know what to do. I took my things and left.”.
She claimed to have returned to an upturned room with the deceased dripping in blood. Chidinma insisted that she had only given the previous statement under pressure and that her new position is the true account.
The public would have none of this new spin.
“Chidinma killed a man, strangulating him, and stabbing him many times till he died in a horrific brutal violent manner. Today she claims he never loved his wife anyway. Now imagine a man kill a woman and say “she was cheating on her husband though”. Nigeria normalises madness.” says Dr. Harvey Olufunmilayo, an online Twitter doctor.
Another tweeter, Danny Walter, said, “How is Chidinma, the murderer, doing media rounds and granting interviews like Kim Kardashian?”
Yet another tweeter, Dr. Dipo Awojide, observes, “Someone is paying for murder suspect, Chidinma Ojukwu’s PR and image laundering. I hope Usifo Ataga’s family will get justice in the end.”
“Suspected killer turned celebrity (Chidinma Ojukwu) granted another interview with background music where she said that she didn’t kill SuperTv CEO (Ataga Usifo). Like this now, na for her to enter Big brother Naija remain.” complains Alhaji Beardless Smallie.
Reacting to the suspect’s recent claims, the Lagos State Compissioner of Police, CP Hakeem O. Odumosu has said that “that is the case of an avid criminal. We are not leaving any stone unturned. We are not leaving any lead unfollowed”.
The CP further stated that whatever uproar Chidinma’s new confession may spark up is only a distraction as it appears there has been a backlash from individuals who think that the police may be giving her a chance for an afterthought.
When asked why she went ahead to withdraw some money from the Late Ataga’s account, she claimed that he had promised to give her the sum of two hundred thousand naira which she had requested earlier. Without minding the tragic fate which befell her lover, she had gone ahead to withdraw the sum after successfully fleeing the crime scene.
As investigations continue, friends and family members of the late Usifo have come out to give insight on his personality.
The deceased’s best friend, Okoedo Adomi, who said he last spoke with the late Usifo at about 9pm on Monday, 14th June, explained that he had called him severally by Tuesday afternoon without any response or call back.
In an interview with Crime Fighters, he said he had sensed something was wrong when he read a particular message that was sent from Mr Ataga’s phone to his business partner, Raman. According to him, Usifo is not a message person and that the use of grammar in the message is alien to Usifo’s style.
In a recent development, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, announced that more suspects had been arrested in connection with the killing of Usifo Ataga, the chief executive officer of Super TV.
Odumosu was speaking during a parade of suspects at the police command in Ikeja, saying the police had established a case of conspiracy and murder and more suspects had been arrested.
But he did not disclose who the suspects are or how many of them have been arrested. He said investigation is ongoing in the matter.
Weighing in on the Chidinma case,Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, urged the Nigeria Police to stop the alleged media trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, prime suspect in the murder of Usifo Ataga, Super TV Chief Executive Officer.
Akande-Sadipe had expressed concern over the parade and media trial of the suspect by the Nigeria Police in a motion of urgent public importance on Tuesday during the plenary.
“This motion is not about Chidinma, her ethnicity, gender or her background; it is about doing things right and following due process of the law.”
