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Usifo Ataga: I was forced to sign prepared police statement, says Chidinma

Published

1 year ago

November 18, 2022

Chidinma Ojukwu

Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged killer of the Chief Executive Officer, Super TV, Usifo Ataga, on Thursday, told a Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, that she was slapped and forced to sign statements written by policemen in the state.

Chidinma, who testified in her trial-within-trial as defence witness one, told Justice Yetunde Adesanya that policemen including Assistant Superintendent of Police, Olusegun Bamidele, and Olufunke Madeyinlo, told her to sign statements against her will.

She said Bamidele told her to narrate the statement he wrote to the state Commissioner of Police after tearing the statement she wrote.

Chidinma is standing trial over the alleged murder of Ataga. She is also charged with stealing and forgery alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri.

Addressing the court on Thursday, Chidinma, while being led in evidence in the trial-within-trial by her counsel, Onwunka Egwu, told the court that on June 23, 2021, she was in her room at home when her 10-year-old sister informed her that some men were asking after her.

The witness said, “Immediately, my sister called my Dad (her foster father, Onoh Ojukwu), who came out and asked who the men were? They said they were policemen from (SCID), Panti, and that they came to arrest me and to search the house or that I should go in and bring the (Ataga’s) phone.

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“I said I don’t know where the phone and car is and one of the policemen slapped me. My dad said you cannot slap my daughter in my house and the policemen tried to enter the room from the passage.”

Chidnma said when the policemen were taking her away, she told her foster dad to call the family lawyer, Egwu, adding that when they got to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, she was taken to the office of a policeman, Razak Oseni, who, alongside other policemen, questioned her.

She said, “We went back to my house and then returned to the DCP’s office and he started questioning me. I told him I don’t know anything about the death of Mr Ataga, and that was when they made the video that was played in court.Chidinma

“The DCP said I should make my statement then the IPO, Bamidele, took me to the interrogating room with Mr Chris, and gave me a blank statement form and asked me to write what happened.

“I started writing, then he (Bamidele) took my left hand and handcuffed it to the chair. I wrote what I said at the DCP’s office. While writing the statement, Bamidele read through it and said it was not what happened.”

Chidinma said she told Bamidele that she was writing what happened, adding that before she started writing the statement, she informed him to help her confirm if her foster father had called the family lawyer.

She said, “He (Bamidele) said my (foster) dad cannot make a call as he was in custody. That was when I started writing the statement. When he said the statement I wrote was not what happened, and I told him it was what happened, I received two slaps from Mr Jemiyo.

“Jemiyo and Chris sat at the back and Bamidele was facing me. He said you are going to write the truth, tore the statement I wrote, and presented another blank statement form. I told him I was writing the truth and you tore it.

“He said if I did not comply, my family, my dad, 10-year-old sister and relative will be charged in the murder case. He (Bamidele) brought out his phone, played the video obtained from the scene of the apartment and showed me pictures of Mr Ataga’s body.

“He said now you are going to write and then I started writing. He said why I am slow and I received another slap on my back. I told him that I was not feeling well and needed to rest. He (Bamidele) said there was no time, he then collected the statement form from me and he started writing. Chris then handcuffed my hands to the chair.”

Chidinma said Bamidele initially asked her questions but later stopped, adding that after he was done writing, he read the statement to her and she said what he wrote was not what happened.

She said, “He said this is what you are going to say or else my family will be charged. He read the statement to me again and told me that I should rehearse it. He said that is what I should tell the CP.

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“Bamidele and Chris returned in the morning and said I should sign the statement but as I was reluctant in signing it, Chris said I should because nobody is coming for me and that they will provide me with a good government lawyer.

“After signing the statement, I was brought out of the interrogation room, given water to wash my face, and then we entered a vehicle and drove to Ikeja. When we arrived at Bamidele took me to the CP and I said what Bamidele wrote.”

She said after her interrogation at the CP’s office, she was taken down stairs where she saw a lot of people (journalists) with cameras, adding that she was not feeling well as at then.

Chidinma said, “After I was taken to the press, then we drove back to Panti where Bamidele said we are going to do a video recording, and he said I should say everything he had written in the statement and they recorded the video which was played here in court.

“I was returned to the cell; in the evening on the same June 24, Oseni brought me out of the cell, took me to an office, where Madeyinlo and another female officer Bola were. When Oseni left, I was given a blank statement form and I was told to write another statement.

“Jemiyo also walked in and I said I had already written a statement. I said I am tired and have not eaten. I was just sitting when Jemiyo came beside me and hit my head on a wooden table. This was when officer Bola had left.

“Madeyinlo said I should start writing. I picked the pen, wrote the date, my name, then she (Madeyinlo) started dictating to me and said that I should write what she said. I started writing and at the end of writing the statement, she asked me to sign.”

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Bandits kill nine civilian JTF members, kidnap three in Sokoto

Published

14 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Trends Admin

Bandits kill nine civilian JTF members, kidnap three in Sokoto

At least nine Civilian Joint Task Force members fighting bandits in Sokoto State have been reportedly killed in an ambush, while an unspecified number sustained varying degrees of injury.

It was gathered that three CJTF members were also taken away by the bandits.

A source told our correspondent that the incident occurred last Sunday in Isa Local Government Area of the state.

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IPOB declares sit-at-home May 30 to honour Biafra heroes

The CJTF source added that Isa LGA is a stronghold of bandits and very dangerous for security operatives.

“We lost nine members in an ambush in Isa LGA, many others were wounded and three others were abducted in the attack after our members received a distress call to support security operatives.

“We received the sad news two days ago. Since the beginning of this year, when we were asked by the state government to deploy our members to support the troops in the fight against banditry in the North-West.”

Recall that this was the second time bandits would ambush CJTF men in Sokoto State in two months.

Bandits kill nine civilian JTF members, kidnap three in Sokoto

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IPOB declares sit-at-home May 30 to honour Biafra heroes

Published

14 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Trends Admin

Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB

IPOB declares sit-at-home May 30 to honour Biafra heroes

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared Thursday May 30 as sit-at-home day in South East to honour those who fought in the civil war.

In a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, said: “The sit-at-home is an annual event held on May 30th to remember the men and women who died during the Nigerian civil war between 1967 and 1970.

“IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi OkwuChukwu Kanu, urged all Biafrans, friends of Biafra, and residents in Biafra Land to observe the sit-at-home and reflect on the sacrifices made by the fallen heroes.

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“All schools, government offices, private offices, banks, transport unions, market unions, and private individuals are expected to shut down operations on May 30th, except for medical personnel and emergency workers.”

IPOB also called on Christians and traditional worshipers to use the day to pray for the fallen heroes and for Biafra’s independence from Nigeria.

The group warned residents to avoid loitering and stay indoors from 6 am to 6 pm to avoid any confrontation with security forces.

“IPOB members in diaspora are encouraged to organize peaceful rallies and seminars to raise awareness about the Biafran struggle and the ongoing genocide against the Biafran people.

By honoring the heroes and heroines of the Biafran struggle, IPOB hopes to keep their memory alive and continue the fight for Biafra’s freedom and independence, ” the statement added.

IPOB declares sit-at-home May 30 to honour Biafra heroes

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Court sends tenant to prison for setting landlord’s house on fire

Published

15 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Trends Admin

Court sends tenant to prison for setting landlord’s house on fire

One Dickson Peter has been remanded in a correctional facility for allegedly setting his landlord’s house on fire.

An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, ordered the remand of the accused on Thursday.

According to NAN, the police charged 35-year-old peter with two counts of felony and arson.

The Magistrate, Mr M. Mudashiru, who did not take the defendant’s plea due to want in jurisdiction, ordered that he should be remanded in Abolongo Correctional facility, Oyo Town.

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Mudashiru said the remand is pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP.

He adjourned the matter until July 23, for mention.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Femi Oluwadare informed the court that Peter on April 18, at about 12:30a.m, was alleged to have unlawfully set fire to the House of his Landlord, Cepas Okeme and destroyed properties worth N6.5 million.

Oluwadare said after he set the building on fire, it also spread to the next property belonging to Bose Ali ‘ F’ and also destroyed property worth N3.5 million.

He said the offence contravened the provisions of section 443 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000