On Wednesday, the Lagos State Police announced that it had arrested more suspects in connection with the murder of late Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga.
To clear doubts, the police added that the prime suspect, a 21 year old Chidinma is still in detention.
A pleasing development I must say. But then, those who have shown keen interest in this case from outset may deem police disclosure of arresting more suspects as a corroboration of known fact. This new development will not come as surprise to anyone with the presence of mind to put 2+2 together as there are palpable pointers that Chidinma could not have perpetrated the dastardly act alone, if she was actually involved in the horrific butchery.
From the preliminary reports, there was fierce struggle between the Usifo and his Killers before he was overpowered and grisly murdered.
A concise account of the incident from the family also lent credence to the widespread assertion that the media Mogul was murdered by motley crowd of daredevil brigands.
A statement released by the family earlier in the month read, “Usifo died a horrific death. He was not stabbed two or even five times. He was stabbed multiple times. His hands were bound tightly, and the marks were still all over his wrists, accompanied with evidence of torture and assault even as his corpse lay.
“No one in the entire building heard his screams because he was gagged. Let that sink in. He was bound, gagged, and tortured.
“The now-viral video of the room with the deceased lying on the floor shows a room with blood-stained walls and floor, evidence of a ferocious struggle. One person could never have carried these out.”
However, what’s been the big question is who are Chidinma’s accomplices and why is she shielding them by refusing to divulge their identity.
Recall that Chidinma confessed to killing Usifo when she was apprehended couple of days after the incident, she claimed the Usifo tried to have sexual intercourse with her, hence her resort to self defense during which she killed him. Chidinma’s account fails flat in the face of evidence obtained from the scene of the murder.
In a bizarre twist of event, Chidinma, on Monday, recanted her initial statement where of she claimed responsibility for the death of Usifo.
Ojukwu had in a video that went viral on Monday said that she was not responsible for the death of Ataga, saying that she left their apartment to get supplies and drugs to meet him already murdered.
She said she was gripped by fear and had to hurriedly leave the service apartment they were in in order not to be incriminated in the murder.
The recent revelations from Chidinma and the police have definitely changed the trajectory of the case. And there are poignant questions that must be asked here and now. Why did Chidinma confess to committing the heinous crime only to sing a different song weeks later? Is she a hapless pawn in a deadly attempt to cover up a gruesome murder of a prominent personality?
Did she reach some kind of agreement with certain individuals to incriminate herself, hence diverting public attention and scrutiny from the real killers who will in turn use their influence to get her a soft-landing and subsequent release? Did she, after it appears she has been left in the lurch and no help seem to be coming her way, decide to disclose the identities of her partners in crime?
Is it not telling that the police announced the arrest of more suspects barely two days after her she denied her involvement in Usifo death?
So many questions begging for answers.
