Inside the Lekki Apartment: Chidinma Ojukwu Gives Emotional Testimony in Super TV CEO's M#rder Trial

 

Chidinma Ojukwu Offers Emotional Testimony, Details Her Version of Events Leading to Usifo Ataga's Death

In a riveting courtroom session on April 17, Chidinma Ojukwu—the prime suspect in the high-profile m#rder case of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Michael Usifo Ataga—took the witness stand to narrate, in vivid detail, the moments leading up to and following her discovery of Ataga’s lifeless body inside a Lekki short-let apartment.

Appearing before Justice Yetunde Adesanya at the Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, the former University of Lagos Mass Communication undergraduate offered a dramatic and tearful recollection of events that transpired on June 15, 2021.

Ojukwu, who was led in evidence by her legal counsel, Mr. Onwuka Egwu, told the court she had briefly stepped out to buy food and juice for the pair, only to return to a ghastly scene that changed the course of her life.

“I knocked several times and got no response,” she said. “When I pushed the door open, I was met with blood on the floor. I dropped everything I was holding and rushed to him. His eyes were half-open, and he had no pulse.”

According to Chidinma, her relationship with Ataga began in November 2020 after being introduced through a mutual friend named Fiyin, who was romantically involved with Ataga’s friend, James. She described Ataga as a supportive figure who paid her tuition and helped finance her cosmetics business. The relationship, she said, had grown close over time, although she acknowledged that Ataga had a family of his own — a wife and three children residing in Abuja — and was undergoing a separation.

She explained that Ataga, who hailed from Edo State and lived in Victoria Garden City, had invited her to spend time with him in mid-June ahead of his birthday and a planned family visit to Abuja. With his VGC home undergoing renovations, Ataga reportedly suggested staying in a hotel or short-let apartment nearby. Chidinma said she located a suitable apartment at 19 Adewale Street, off Ologolo Road in Lekki, which Ataga approved.

Their stay, according to her, began on June 13 with dinner at Ango Villa restaurant, after which they returned to the apartment to relax, smoke, and drink wine. The following day, she testified that Ataga asked her to contact a supplier for cannabis—commonly known as “loud”—and the drug rohypnol. He transferred N15,000 for the purchase and later sent another N25,000 for food.

Chidinma said delays in sourcing food due to pandemic-related restrictions meant she was out for nearly two hours. On June 15, Ataga allegedly requested more cannabis but asked her to cover the cost as he couldn’t complete a bank transfer. She claimed he gave her money for more food and juice before she left once again.

Upon returning, what she saw stunned her. “There were blood stains. When I pushed the door open, I saw Michael lying on the floor in a pool of blood.”

She admitted to panicking and cleaning blood from her skin before changing clothes. In her confusion, she said she gathered her belongings and left the scene. Among the items she took was a brown envelope containing Ataga’s bank statements, ID cards, and documents reportedly linked to one Mary Johnson, as well as some jewelry. She then exited the apartment and took a cab.

Chidinma’s testimony marks a significant chapter in a trial that has gripped public attention since 2021. The prosecution has alleged that she was responsible for Ataga’s death, but her latest statement introduces a different narrative.

The court adjourned proceedings until April 28, 2025, when the trial will continue.

As the nation watches, the coming sessions are expected to further unravel the complex circumstances surrounding the tragic death of the Super TV CEO.