By Uche Amunike
The late CEO of SUPER TV, Michael Usifo Ataga, who was murdered in cold blood in a short-let apartment, which he rented to spend time with his lover, Chidinma Ojukwu, on 15 June 2021, at No 19 Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, will be buried at the Ebonyi Vaults, Ikoyi, Lagos.
This was made known in a programme released by his family
According to the programme, a service of songs will be held for him on Thursday July 29 2021 at The Incubator, Victoria Island, Lagos.
A day after that Friday, interment will take place after his funeral service at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The prime suspect of his gory murder, Chidimma Ojukwu, as at the time of filing this report is still being detained in police custody, having been arrested shortly after she was traced to her family house where she took flight after allegedly murdering him.
There have been suspicions that she did not carry out the horrific act alone which she confirmed when she asserted recently that she had nothing to do with his murder. This recent denial by the 300 level student of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, contradicted her early confession to the murder of the late Usifo Ataga.
In the latest interview that was conducted after she was paraded before newsmen, Chidinma stated that she had gone to get food and some drugs on the fateful day and was surprised to meet the deceased lying in the pool of his own blood already dead.
This completely contradicted her earlier confession when she was paraded at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja by the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu where she stated in clear terms that she committed the crime under the influence of Rophynol, which bears the street name, Roofies.
She admitted then, that the late Usifo Ataga took three wraps of Rophynol, while she took only one. She also did admit that she was forced to stab him after they got into a scuffle because she refused to have more sex with him.
The Police Commissioner CP Odumosu disclosed that they had their suspicions about a possibility of other parties being involved in the murder of the young father of two. This has led to further arrests of other suspects recently. However, their identities are yet to be made public.
A member of the Ataga’s family has also revealed that telephone calls of threats to life has been received from strange persons over the murder of the young CEO.
As of the time of filing this report, the autopsy carried out on the deceased was yet to be released as pathologists are still waiting for the test results, as samples were taken abroad for analysis.
All efforts to get the Lagos State Police Command to comment on the ongoing investigation into the murder of Ataga have not been successful as concerned police officers refused to make comment on the investigation, stating that the commissioner of police will address pressman at the appropriate time.
