THE family of the Chief Executive Officer, Super TV, Usifo Ataga, who was allegedly murdered by a 21-year-old undergraduate of the University of Lagos, Chidinma Ojukwu, has urged anyone with useful information about his death to approach the police and share such with them.
Brenda Ataga, the wife of the deceased, through her lawyer, urged members of the public making false publications on the incident to desist or face lawsuits.
A statement by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olusegun Jolaawo, on behalf of the family’s solicitor, Rickey Tarfa & Co, urged the police to conduct an in-depth investigation to get to the bottom of the matter.
The statement read in part, “We know that a suspect has been arrested and we know that investigation is continuing. Our client is, however, convinced that there is much more to this than is already apparent from the police investigation.
“It has become apparent that from the variety and inherent malice in most of the media publications, they are planted to embarrass and malign Usifo Ataga, Brenda Ataga and the family. The publications serve as a smokescreen to enable the perpetrators of this heinous crime to cover their tracks.
“Our client appreciates the efforts of the law enforcement agencies in their investigations thus far and will not descend into particulars with respect to any of the said false narratives so as not to inadvertently aid the perpetrators of the murder in covering their tracks.
“Our client requests that the well-meaning public allows the family to mourn their departed son, father and husband with some privacy and decency. Our client also feels very strongly about the unbridled activities of bloggers on the social media space with respect to this incident and firmly demands that the said bloggers desist from peddling falsehood aimed at maligning the deceased, his wife and children.
“The family will not be intimidated by these bloggers’ activities and insist that the police be allowed to do their work. Our client hereby demands that the false publications and the several ordinarily unrelated stories and pictures of the late Usifo and Brenda Ataga be pulled down with immediate effect.
“Failing, our client shall take prompt and appropriate action to seek redress for the apparent instances of libel and slander as appropriate.”
