The family of Usifo Ataga, the murdered Chief Executive Officer, Super TV, Usifo Ataga, has called on members of the public with useful information about his death to approach the police and share such with them.
Usifo was allegedly killed by Chidinma Ojukwu, a 21-year-old undergraduate student of the University of Lagos after they reportedly lodged in a service apartment in the Lekki area of Lagos State and the corpse of the former was discovered in the room the next day after the lady had fled.
The police thereafter went after her and tracked her down to her father’s Alagomeji, Yaba, residence.
Upon her arrest, Chidinma attributed her action to the influence of hard drugs and alcohol.
The family said in a statement by the deceased’s brother, Isi, that Chindima’s story did not add up and urged anyone with information on the incident to approach the police instead of hiding behind online posts.
Isi also urged members of the public to stop spreading false information and let the family grieve in private.
His words, “If you have any information, don’t hide behind online posts. Instead, come forward and share it with the police. Here’s what we do know. The more you add to the false information in the press and on social media, the harder it is for the police to do their work and fully solve this case. The harder it is for a grieving family to recover from the loss of their beloved son.
Similarly, the wife of the deceased, through her lawyer, has warned members of the public against making false publications on the incident or they risk lawsuits.
A statement by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olusegun Jolaawo, on behalf of the family’s solicitor, Rickey Tarfa & Co, urged the police to conduct an in-depth investigation to get to the bottom of the matter.
“Our client requests that the well-meaning public allows the family to mourn their departed son, father and husband with some privacy and decency. Our client also feels very strongly about the unbridled activities of bloggers on the social media space with respect to this incident and firmly demands that the said bloggers desist from peddling falsehood aimed at maligning the deceased, his wife and children.
“Failing, our client shall take prompt and appropriate action to seek redress for the apparent instances of libel and slander as appropriate.”
