Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the murder of Super TV CEO, Michael Ataga, on Thursday narrated before a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square how she discovered Ataga’s lifeless body in a Lekki short-let apartment on June 15, 2021.
Testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya, the former 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos said she had stepped out to buy food and juice, and upon returning, knocked on the apartment door. With no response, she pushed it open to find blood on the floor and Ataga lying in a pool of blood.
“I dropped everything and rushed to him,” she said. “His eyes were half-shut and he had no pulse.”
Chidinma is standing trial for murder, conspiracy to murder, and stealing, alongside Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu. Led in evidence by her lawyer, Onwuka Egwu, she recounted her relationship with Ataga, which began in November 2020 through a mutual friend, Fiyin, who was dating Ataga’s friend, James.
Describing Ataga as kind and generous, she said he paid her tuition and supported her business, Unseal Zone International, on Murtala Mohammed Way.
She revealed that Ataga lived in Victoria Garden City, hailed from Edo State, and worked in the media industry. He had three children with his estranged wife in Abuja. On June 13, 2021, he called her while she was cooking and invited her to spend time with him ahead of his birthday celebration.
She said he planned to travel to Abuja for a family celebration but wanted to celebrate privately with her beforehand. Since his VGC home was under renovation, they opted for a short-let apartment. Although she initially couldn’t find one, he later sent her an address on 19, Adewale Street, off Ologolo Road, Lekki.
Chidinma said she arrived at the apartment around 6 p.m. and was shown the place by a short man with a Northern accent who introduced himself as Abu. After confirming the apartment’s suitability, Ataga joined her, and they went to Ango Villa to eat and pick up food, along with buying wine. They returned to the apartment, where they ate, drank, and smoked.
On June 14, Ataga asked her to help get more cannabis, known as “loud.” She contacted Quadri to deliver both loud and Rohypnol, which Ataga paid N15,000 for. He also sent her N25,000 for food.
The following day, June 15, Ataga asked her to get cocaine, but this time told her to pay as he couldn’t make a transfer. He still gave her money for food and juice.
She said she was out for a while due to delays caused by COVID restrictions. On returning to the apartment, she found him dead.
“I saw blood on the floor and pushed the door open. Michael was lying on the ground, covered in blood, his eyes half-shut. I dropped everything and rushed to him,” she said, adding that she checked for a pulse but found none.
Panicking, she wiped blood off her arm, changed into a black top over her red blouse, and packed her belongings.
“I stood there thinking of what to do but couldn’t decide. I took my blood-stained bag, some clothes, jewellery from the TV stand, and a brown envelope,” she said. She then left with the food she had bought, waited for a cab, and exited the premises while keeping her head down.
At home, she opened the brown envelope and found Ataga’s bank statements, ID cards, business cards, and another card bearing the name Mary Johnson. One of the cards appeared to be either a driver’s license or a voter’s card.
Justice Adesanya adjourned the case to April 28, 2025, for continuation of trial. Chidinma is being tried alongside Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu.
