Going by public opinion, the future of the alleged murderer of Super TV CEO, Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu, seems decided
By Akinwale Kasali
To residents of No. 57 Akinwunmi Street, Alagomeji, Yaba, and its environs, who had come across Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu, she is a gentle, friendly, jovial, inquisitive, and outspoken young lady.
Some described her as a Promising Mass Communication Undergraduate of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, who was versatile, urbane and was helpful to her Mother in the shop, where she sold alcoholic beverages and runs a beer parlour.
She is said to be confident and easily relate with people no matter their class or personality. She possesses an innocent look that could melt the heart of the toughest man in the world.
Due to her eloquence self-esteem and good voice, many tipped her to be a broadcaster.
However, the dreams are out of her reach following the alleged murder she committed. She allegedly killed her lover, Michael Usifo Ataga, the high-flying CEO of Super TV.
The reporter visited the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos to get reactions over the murder of Ataga by one of its student in the department. Her colleagues and lecturers refused to comment on the issue.
However, a lecturer in the department, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “I know her (Chidinma). Beautiful young lady. She always stayed on her own, and looks quiet. I am shocked at this incident.”
Confirming the position of the lecturer, one of the students who is in the same department and level with Chidinma said that, “Yes, Chidinma in in my class, she is even in our group chats”
The young undergraduate confirmed that she is a 300-level part-time student of Mass Communication, UNILAG.
One of the classmates, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “Yes, she (Chidinma) is a 300-level part-time student of Mass Communication.
She is a very easy going person who never talked much or mingled with people in her class. So, this is surprising.”
In a chat with Nonye Oguama, the spokesperson for UNILAG, on phone, imploring to get the reaction of the institution on the development, she did not confirm to this news medium whether Chidinma was truly a student of the institution or not.
Sadly, there is deceit, greed, lack of contentment and killer instinct behind that innocent look.
These were confirmed on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, when a team of Policemen stormed the residence of her Parents where she also lived, to enforce her arrest for the murder of Ataga.
Her father went blank, with the mother dumbfounded. He defended his daughter, claiming that his daughter couldn’t do such, thus shielding and obstructing the Police from effecting her arrest, forcing the Police to arrest Chidinma along with her father.
The father claimed that she had told him and the mother that she was going for an Ushering job overnight on the fateful day she Murdered Ataga.
The naivety of her father came to play following her revelation at the Lagos State Police Command, where she confessed to the crime.
Chidinma narrated how she murdered Ataga in cold blood, stabbing him multiple times, leading to his death.
Speaking to newsmen having been paraded at the Lagos State Police Command after her arrest at her Alagomeji, Yaba residence where she stays with her parents, she said she met the late Ataga about five months ago.
“On a Sunday, June 13, he asked that I get a place where we can stay. I checked online and sent to him, he asked me to go check it out which I did and paid.
“On Monday, June 14, we were together drinking, smoking and I also went to get food.
“On Tuesday, June 15, he was making advances at me and I resisted, so he became violent and later had his way. In the afternoon he ordered for smoke, ate and we became high because I also smoked with him even though I was still angry for the first one he did.
“So, I was on my own, watching a movie on the couch. He came at me again and I said no because I wasn’t happy with him.
“I told him that he doesn’t help me but only plays me around, he kept trying to make advances and I was resisting so I had to defend myself.
“At some point, he hit my head on the wall and was choking me. I tried escaping but the door was locked so he pulled me back.
“I grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed him twice in the neck and threw the knife on the bed. He then tried reaching for the knife so I picked it again and stabbed him the third time.” she said.
After killings Ataga, it was gathered that she took his Automated Teller Machine, ATM, Card and made withdrawal of some substantial amount.
But Ojukwu said she only withdrew N380,000 from Ataga’s account after she had escaped and not N5 million as gathered from information of close associates of the deceased.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, while addressing newsmen at the state Command, Ikeja, said the Ojukwu hurriedly changed her clothes and left the appartment.
Odumosu said that Ataga’s body was discovered in a pool of blood when it was time to clean the apartment on Wednesday, June 16, when the door had to be broken into
Odumosu said the suspect escaped with the victim’s Automated Teller Machine(ATM) card which was used in withdrawing some money from his account.
Odumosu added that he deemed it necessary to brief members of the public the update on the investigation as there had been fake reports in circulation as regards the incident.
Odumosu further urged members of the public to utilise the social media positively and not for fake report which damages the image of the country.
It would be recalled that this news medium had reported that families and close associates and concerned friends first reported that he was missing, after several efforts to reach him proved abortive, until his lifeless body was found in the pool of his own blood.
