Chidinma Ojukwu Claims Police Forced Her to Confess Falsely in Ataga’s Murder Case
Chidinma Ojukwu, the former 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, has claimed that police officers forced her to make a false confession regarding the murder of Super TV’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Usifo Ataga.
Testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya at the Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square on Tuesday, Chidinma said she made the statements under duress and out of fear during police interrogation.
“I couldn’t say anything different because of the fear that the Investigating Police Officer, Mr. Bamidele, and his team instilled in me,” she said.
Standing trial alongside Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, Chidinma is facing nine counts of murder, stealing, and forgery. The trio was arraigned on October 12, 2021.
Chidinma began her defence on April 17, 2025. She recounted her arrest on June 23, 2021, and described how her phone was seized by the IPO, who searched her contacts and demanded information about her laptop and alleged cannabis use.
“He questioned me about the cannabis Ataga and I allegedly smoked. When I denied having his ATM card, he accused me of withdrawing ₦5.38 million,” she narrated.
According to her, when she declined to write another statement without her lawyer present, she was slapped and pressured into cooperating.
“He eventually wrote the statement himself after I told him I wasn’t feeling fine and my hands were shaking,” she told the court.
She said Bamidele read out the allegedly fabricated statement and warned her not to deviate from it when speaking to the Commissioner of Police. She also testified that during a media briefing, she was instructed to repeat the rehearsed story while being recorded.
“They even brought a flip chart to guide my narration. We recorded multiple takes until Bamidele approved one,” she said.
Chidinma also revealed how, later that evening, a separate police team allegedly forced her to write another statement. She said a male officer smashed her head on the table when she complained of hunger and fatigue.
“I only wrote my name, address, and phone number before another officer dictated the rest of the statement, which was also false,” she said.
She insisted that none of the confessions or statements made were voluntary or true.
Justice Adesanya adjourned the case until May 7, 2025, for the continuation of trial.
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Chidinma Ojukwu Claims Police Forced Her to Confess Falsely in Ataga’s Murder Case