Metro News

Day after Ataga’s remains were found, Chidinma called to ask about the Range Rover, guard tells court

Published

2 years ago

November 17, 2021

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The murder trial of the Chidinma Ojukwu, the principal suspect in the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, continued on Tuesday, with the security guard at the apartment narrating how he found Ataga’s remains.

Recall that Chidinma, a 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, was accused of killing Ataga.

The undergraduate and two others, Adedapo Quadri and Chioma Egbuchu, are undergoing trial before Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos State.

The security guard, Abubakar Mohammed, who works at the security post of 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, where Ataga was murdered, is the second prosecution witness.

In his testimony on Tuesday, Mohammed said he received a call from his boss, Nkechi Mogbo, around 5.30pm on June 13 that a lady was coming to check the apartment.

According to him, a lady later arrived at the property and he showed her the studio apartment for short-let.

“Around 10.30pm, one man came in a black Range Rover Jeep. My neighbour was hosting a party, so I thought the man came for the party.

“I asked him to park well, then the lady opened the gate and said’ stop, he is my person, just open the gate,’” he said.

The security man said Ataga and Chidinma stayed in the apartment from June 13 to 15 but on Monday, a dispatch rider came to deliver a package to Chidinma.

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“On Monday, around 12.30pm, Ms Ojukwu went out and bought some things like food. Between 2.30pm and 3pm, I was at the front of my gate, a dispatch rider came and asked me, is this number 19?

“He said ‘there is somebody calling me with private number but there is no way I can call back because I can’t see the number.’ I told the man there is a customer in my house that uses a private number to call me. I told the dispatch man ‘if it is here, you can wait, the person will come,’” Mohammed explained.

He told the court that Chidinma came to the gate minutes later to meet the dispatch rider and she collected the package.

“After she left, I asked him what he brought for her, and he said he didn’t know what was inside,” he added.

The security man said on June 15, at about 8pm, Chidinma went out of the compound, carrying a small bag, and never returned.

Mohammed said the next day, waste collectors came to the street, and he called the cleaner, Confidence, to collect waste from all the apartments.

He continued, “She came back with few empty bottles and told me that the door to the studio apartment was open. I knocked several times without any response.

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“Peeping through the door, I saw that the position of the chair in the room had changed, and it looked like it was used to block the door. I then peeped over the chair and saw a man lying on the floor, lifeless.

“I went out and called Confidence, then I showed her the body. I was trying to call my madam, but her call came in that someone’s money was due and he should leave the house by 12.30pm. I told her there was a problem and there was a body in the studio room.”

He said following Mogbo’s report to the police, Ataga’s body was evacuated from the room and they were all called in for interrogation by the police, adding that Ataga’s family came to the apartment the day after the body was found, but he refused them access, saying they had to call his ‘madam’ first.

“On Thursday, at 6pm, Ms Ojukwu called me with a private number, and my mind told me to record the conversation.

“I said, ‘why are you calling me with a private number?’, she said sorry. She said ‘that jeep, is it around?’ I asked her which jeep? She said black Range Rover.

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“I asked her why she left on Tuesday night and never came back, she said she went for a meeting. I asked her what about the man, she said the man is fine.

“I asked what time she was coming back, but she said she was coming. I then asked her to use her phone number to call me and she said okay,” he said.

He told the court he had gone to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for interrogation over the matter and was held for a day.

After his release, he said he searched his phone to look for the phone number that called him around 2pm.

“I put the number on my WhatsApp and changed my profile picture to President Buhari. I wrote a message on the WhatsApp number. I saw the picture and I screenshot it,” he added.

Mohammed stated that he sent the phone number and picture to the apartment owner, which was then forwarded to the police.

He said a week after the incident, he was called to go to SCID, Panti, that the suspect had been arrested and they needed him to identify her.

Onwka Egwu, the first defendant’s counsel, cross-examined Mohammed following his testimony.

After the cross-examination, the judge adjourned the matter till November 17, for continuation of trial.

Metro News

14-year-old Nigerian, Daniel Anjorin killed in London sword attack

Published

15 hours ago

May 1, 2024

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The teenage boy killed in the Hainault sword attack in north-east London has been identified as 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin.

Police said Anjorin died from stab wounds shortly after being taken to hospital on Tuesday.

He was the only casualty in the attack that left four other people, including two police officers, injured.

The suspect, 36, was cornered and overpowered with a Taser by officers in Thurlow Gardens.

Police were called to reports of a car crashing into a house and people being stabbed in Hainault, north-east London.

James Fernando, a witness, told the BBC that he saw the suspect asked one of his neighbours to take his phone and “tell whoever was on the phone his location”.

Fernando said the neighbour soon noticed the sword and started running.

“As she fled, the woman shouted to another neighbour, a boy on his way to school, who was then struck by the attacker as he turned around,” he said.

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Anjorin attended Bancroft’s, the same school where Grace O’Malley-Kumar, a stabbing victim in Nottingham, was also a student.

Holy Family Catholic School where the boy’s mother works, issued a statement naming her Mrs Anjorin and called for prayers for the family.Police said the suspect is in hospital being treated for injuries sustained when the vehicle he was in crashed into the house.The police said the suspect would be taken in for questioning immediately after he has some respite, adding that Anjorin’s family are being supported by specially trained staff.

Metro News

Gas explosion rocks Lagos community

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2024

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One yet-to-be-identified pregnant woman and eight others have sustained varying degrees of injuries following a gas explosion that occurred at Alaba Lane, Alayabiagba Community, in the Ajegunle-Apapa area of Lagos State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 12:39 p.m.

Confirming the incident, the Head, Public Education, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Amodu Shakiru, stated that preliminary inquiry revealed that a number of different gas cylinders that were traded in the area had one that was set off by a possible leak that broke a high-tension cable and started a fire.

He added that the fire destroyed four commercial tricycles, six lock-up stores, and a portion of a bungalow building.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that a number of various gas cylinders traded within the neighborhood have one triggered by a suspectable leakage leading to the snapping of a high-tension cable and resultant fire.

“Four commercial tricycles, six lock-up shops, and a bungalow part of the properties were razed down while salvaging adjoining structures, including a major fuel service station.

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He stated that the Federal Fire Service, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the fire stations in Ajegunle and Sari-Iganmu quickly contained the incident.

Shakiru noted that the pregnant woman and the other victims are currently receiving treatment at the Gbagada Burn & Trauma Center and Ajeromi General Hospital following initial care provided by the Lagos State Ambulance Service.

“However, nine people reportedly suffered different degrees of burn injury, including a pregnant woman, children, and adults, male and female, who are recuperating at the Ajeromi General Hospital and Gbagada Burnt & Trauma Centre after some first aid by the Lagos State Ambulance Service.

“The incident was curtailed in record time through the combined efforts of the Ajegunle and Sari-Iganmu Fire Stations of the LSFRS with the compliment of the Federal Fire Service.”

Emefiele collected $600k kickback in cash from contractors, former CBN director tells court

Published

3 days ago

April 29, 2024

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John Ikechukwu Ayoh, a former director at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has testified against Godwin Emefiele, ex-governor of the apex bank, in the ongoing case of abuse of office at the Lagos high court.

Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are currently facing trial on a 26-count charge.

The former CBN governor and Omoile pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

At the court proceedings on Monday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented Ayoh as the second witness in the case against Emefiele.

Ayoh told the court that he worked at the apex bank from June 2014 to April 2019 noting that he did not work directly under Emefiele.

Ayoh added that he used to report to Adebayo Adelabu, a former deputy governor of CBN, who is now the minister of power.

The witness said he was the head of procurement and support services (PSS) of the apex bank, which was vested with powers to receive bids and select successful bidders.

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The former CBN director said he collected money from contractors as gratification of awarding contracts to them based on the instruction from Emefiele.

The witness said Emefiele usually sends his personal assistant (PA) — John Adetona — to collect the contractors’ kickback from him.

Ayoh said he collected $400,000 and $200,000 in cash from contractors on two different occasions and handed them over to Emefiele’s PA.

“The first transaction was $400,000 and the second one was $200,000 in cash. I was in my house when the first envelope was brought to me. His assistant was asked to collect the money,” he told the court.

“One of the vendors had a contract with CBN which involved the implementation of data storage and infrastructure.

“The first package was collected in my residence at Lekki phase one, while the second package was collected at the head office in Lagos.”

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During cross-examination by Olalekan Ojo, counsel to Emefiele, Ayoh said he was under duress from the former CBN to accept gratifications on his behalf.

“No, I was under duress from my boss (referring to Emefiele). We were faced with tremendous pressure to bend the rule,” the witness said when asked about aiding the commission of a crime by collecting the money.

Asked if he indicated in his statement with the EFCC that the money was meant to influence the award of contracts, the witness said some parts of his statement implied that.

“Who told you that it (the money) is for gratification,” Emefiele’s counsel asked.

“The cash is for gratification to the governor for awarding the contracts. He (Emefiele) asked for it. He won’t approve the contract without gratification,” the witness said.

On whether he was arrested by the EFCC, the witness said the anti-graft agency invited him and was granted bail afterwards.

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Emefiele’s counsel told the court that the witness must have traded being charged by the EFCC to become a witness against the former CBN boss.

INTERIM BAIL

After the cross-examination of the witness, Emefiele’s counsel sought a fresh interim bail for the former CBN governor, pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions earlier stipulated by the court.

Ojo told the court that the initial interim bail granted to Emefiele ended today (Monday), adding that the defence team has not been able to meet the bail conditions.

He urged the court to grant Emefiele another interim bail that would end on May 17.

Rahman Oshodi, the presiding judge, granted the request and ordered that Ojo swear to an affidavit to provide Emefiele in the next adjourned date.

Oshodi adjourned to May 3, 9, and 17 for the continuation of the trial.