Usifo Ataga: More facts have emerged on the true identity of the 300 level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, Chidinma Ojukwu, who was arrested last week Wednesday over the murder of Chief Executive Officer, Super TV, Usifo Ataga, in a Service apartment in Lekki area of Lagos State.

 

This followed startling revelations by family sources that the 21-year-old prime suspect in the murder saga disowned her family due to some misunderstanding she had with her widowed mother.

 

Her first step as gathered was to change her original name: Chidinma Blessing Echefu, to Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu.

 

Information at Vanguard’s disposal revealed that her earlier assertion that the change in her lifestyle was as a result of a broken home could not be true after all.

 

 

Rather, one of her siblings, identified simply as Chioma, told detectives that they lost their father when Chidinma was barely two years old. Her mother was said to have remarried but that her children were still with her.

 

Along the line, Chidinma’s lifestyle reportedly changed negatively, with her mother always scolding her. She was also alleged to have been discovered to be smoking when she was barely 11 years , an action that provoked her mother to chastise her.

 

Moved to uncle’s place

The misunderstanding between mother and child started at this point. In a move to bring her to order, Chidinma was taken to her uncle’s place in the Mushin area, where she was reportedly thrown out again because of her smoking attitude.

 

She reportedly became rebellious and stayed away from her family. It was at this point that she met Ojukwu, who took her into his Yaba abode, from where she was picked last week Wednesday.

 

Her mother who presently resides in Mowe area of Ogun State, was heard telling some of her relatives that she has not set her eyes on Chidinma for 10 years.

 

Childinma’s sister, Chioma, corroborated this claim when she visited the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, Yaba.

 

 

She stated categorically that Ojukwu was not related to her family, disclosing that they were from Imo State and not Abia State as earlier disclosed by Chidinma.

 

Autopsy report

Meanwhile Usifo Ataga’s corpse has been moved from where it was to the Ikeja morgue.

 

This was to enable the pathologist carry out the last stage of screening known as Toxicology test- a toxicology screening is a test that determines the approximate amount and type of legal or illegal drugs taken

 

The test also evaluates drug intoxication or overdose.

 

Vanguard reliably gathered that samples are expected to be taken abroad, since the test would be conducted on the dead, where it would be screened and the result sent to Nigeria. This test is said to be the cause of the delay of the autopsy report.

 

Meantime, the bereaved family has frowned at some statements credited to it in the media. As of Tuesday, members of Ataga’s family declined comments on the ongoing investigation of their son.

 

While expressing his displeasure , Dr Isi Ataga, said, “The statements attributed to me in those reports are clearly incorrect. I never said such things. I was not quoted accurately based on the statement we issued to the media. They should allow us to mourn our brother in peace and stop the slander”.

 

Also faulting the reports, a source from the family who pleaded anonymity, clarified that, “The statement on ‘Who Will Speak For Ataga?’ was issued by Fresh, one of Usifo’s friends and not his brother, Isi.

 

 

“Also, no autopsy has not been conducted, but some reports concluded that the autopsy had been conducted. This is wrong”, the source said.

 

UNILAG breaks silence

The Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, UNILAG, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has finally spoken on the controversy surrounding student, Miss Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu, who allegedly killed Usifo Ataga, Chief Executive Officer of SuperTV.

 

Ogundipe, addressing the press on Wednesday, said the university is following due process on the alleged murder case but will not deny their student no matter the travails.

 

He disclosed that the university is handling the administrative aspect of the issue since the case has become a national matter.

 

“From the records available to us, Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu, is a student of the University of Lagos who was born on December 12, 1999 from Abia State.

 

“From our records, her next of kin is Mr Onoh Ojukwu. She is a student of this great university(UNILAG) whether she is a part-time or full-time student. Her matriculation number is 170912015.

 

“We cannot deny the fact that she is a student of the university,” he said.

 

 

On measures taken by the management of the university in handling her case, Ogundipe answered that due process was being followed.

 

“Since the case has become a national matter that is being handled by the police, the university is handling the administrative aspect of the issue, ” UNILAG VC said.