Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the high-profile murder case of Super TV CEO Michael Usifo Ataga, on Thursday told a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square how she found him dead inside a short-let apartment in Lekki on June 15, 2021.
Testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya, the 23-year-old former 300-level Mass Communication student at the University of Lagos said she returned from buying food and juice to a locked apartment.
After knocking several times and receiving no response, she said she pushed the door open, only to be met with a pool of blood and Ataga’s lifeless body.
“I dropped everything and rushed to him. His eyes were half-open, and he had no pulse,” she recounted tearfully.
Led in evidence by her lawyer, Mr. Onwuka Egwu, Chidinma described her relationship with Ataga, which began in November 2020 through a mutual friend, Fiyin, who was dating one of Ataga’s friends.
She said Ataga was kind and supportive, helping pay her school fees and investing in her cosmetics business.
According to Chidinma, Ataga had three children with his estranged wife, who lived in Abuja. He had informed her of his upcoming birthday and invited her to spend time with him before he was to travel for a family gathering.
Due to ongoing renovations at his residence in Victoria Garden City, he suggested staying in a hotel or short-let apartment.
Chidinma said she found and booked one at 19 Adewale Street, off Ologolo Road, Lekki, which Ataga approved.
They checked into the apartment on June 13, had dinner at Ango Villa restaurant, bought wine, and returned to drink and smoke together.
On June 14, Ataga allegedly asked her to help procure “loud” (cannabis) and rohypnol, for which he sent her ₦15,000 and later ₦25,000 for food. She said COVID restrictions delayed her errands for about two hours.
By the next day, June 15, Ataga again requested more cannabis but couldn’t transfer funds, so she claimed he asked her to pay. He gave her additional money for food and juice.
Chidinma said a mix-up with the okro soup order caused further delays. When she finally returned, she discovered the door locked, and after pushing it open, saw blood on the floor and Ataga lying motionless.
“I checked his pulse — there was none. I panicked,” she said.
According to her testimony, she cleaned herself up, changed her clothes, and packed her belongings, including a brown envelope that contained Ataga’s bank statements, ID cards, and documents belonging to one Mary Johnson. She also took some jewelry before leaving in a cab.
Chidinma’s account contradicts earlier statements presented by the police, including a reported confession which she has since disavowed, claiming it was signed under duress.
The court adjourned the case until April 28, 2025, for continuation of trial.
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