Mike Ozekhome, counsel for the family of the late Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali, to re-investigate the circumstances surrounding Ataga’s death at a service apartment in the Lekki area of Lagos State.
Ozekhome said investigation into Ataga’s death was not professionally handled, adding that the police, without obtaining legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, arraigned the prime suspect, Chidinma Ojukwu, and other suspected accomplices, at a chief magistrate’s court, which had no jurisdiction over murder cases.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria stated that Ataga’s family alleged that one of the arraigned suspected accomplices, Babalola Disu, carried out the murder.
“The family premised its suspicion on information it had to the effect that Disu’s short rental apartment was directly opposite the apartment where Ataga was killed.
“The family narrated how the said Disu had asked that the carpenter of the Air BnB short service apartment should be called to fix his door, only for the carpenter to be told that it was actually Ataga’s door that was broken.
“The family said it also suspects the said Disu for having a hand in Ataga’s murder because of the manner in which he disappeared from the service apartment and wondered why he was charged for mere obstruction and failure to report a crime, thus being granted bail in the ridiculous sum of N1m only.
“Why did Disu obstruct police investigation and over what crime? How did he do so? What crime did Disu fail to report to the police for which he was now charged? Was it the murder case? And if so, how was he connected to it and under what circumstances did he know about it? The Ataga family needs answers,” the petition said.
Ozekhome stated that the family demanded re-investigation of the entire murder case of their breadwinner, adding that the findings should be handed over to the Lagos State DPP to formally re-arraign Chidinma and other suspected accomplices who had already been charged before the chief magistrate’s court.
“These are the persons of Babalola Disu; Ojukwu – Chidinma’s alleged father or sugar daddy; Jessica Egbochi; Abayomi Olutayo; and, Ifeoluwa Olowu; and any other person(s) whom the police investigation may still throw up as having been linked to Ataga’s cold-blooded murder,” the petition added.
