Usifo Ataga and Chidinma Ojukwu
By Our Reporter
Majority of people have expressed doubts over how much was withdrawn by 21 years old Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos from the account of the late chief executive officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga.
While Chidinma was paraded by the police at the state command Ikeja, Lagos, she confessed withdrawing N380,000 from Mr Ataga’s account with his ATM card after allegedly stabbing him to death.
Contrary to Chibinma’s revelation, officials of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) said a sum of five million naira was withdrawn.
This development has raised a lot of concern, doubts and uncertainty as Nigerians via their social media handles are wondering how Chidinma withdrew the huge sum with the ATM card,
‘Did she do a transfer or used a token to withdraw the money’? That was the question asked by a concerned Nigerian who simply gave his name as Yubie via WhatsApp.
Ken Ogbechie wrote on his Facebook page, GTBank must come clean on the Ataga saga. How much was withdrawn: 380k? N5m? Again, the dots just won’t connect..
Steve Nwosu another Facebook user wrote; Once there’s a bank robbery, the bankers add a few more zeros to the stone and blame it on the robbers. They end up making more money from the robbery than did the actual robbers. But, what do I know!…
Lanre Alabi gave a contrary opinion, he wrote; It is not fair to bring the name of GTBank into the mix. None of the actors consulted the bank before their criminal acts. It is not possible for a bank to falsify such figure. Transactions go through platforms not controlled by GTBank. Security agents can easily verify
Micheal Umezuagha wrote GTB Said 5m,suspect say 380k,what happened to 4.620,if u can find this money, u can now know the motive, accomplice and other intricase involved. KEN PLEASE Let me ask for deep investigative journalism in this case
.Christopher Oji replied Igwe Hosea Chibueze My brother, it depends on the transfer limit or instruction given to the bank. I interviewed that girl, she is down and out. She knows she is heading to the prison. She said she had the intention of withdrawing more,but the bank stopped the withdrawal. Let me tell you, don’t trust the system, people are working there ,if more money was collected, the police will soon unravel the mystery. Don’t trust accounting officers too, they steal a lot in this kind of situation . I know what I am saying. Investigation is on going
Ken Ogbechie replied Sanya Ademiluyi I speak from experience…We have had experience with the same GTBank…they stalled to provide information on withdrawals from my wife’s account.
Micheal Umezugha wrote again GTB Said 5m,suspect say 380k,what happen to 4.620,if u can find this money, u can now know the motive,accomplice and other intricase involved.KEN PLEASE Let me ask for deep investigative journalism in this case
Izuchukwu Nkwazema wrote This is just crazy You cleared it. They can’t deny it. Some bakers want their banks robbed. Or accounts tampered. They log in figures and work out the rest. Don’t mind them
The management of GTB is expected to unravel the mystery behind the withdrawal.
It would be recalled that Chidinma according to a statement by the police allegedly murdered the 50 years old, Super TV boss on June 15 at about 5 p.m., by stabbing him several times with a sharp object.
According to the police, the suspect had booked the apartment two days earlier and left the scene of the alleged murder at about 5.30 p.m.
The police said the suspect was arrested on Wednesday night at her home in Alagomeji, Yaba.
“During search, the prime suspect was caught with a blood-soaked cloth, ostensibly worn on the day of the incident,” the police statement read.
“The suspect confessed to have stabbed the deceased with a kitchen knife after a struggle. She further confessed to have taken the knife away while leaving the scene and disposed same in a dust bin at her residence.
“It has also been revealed that the suspect equally stole the deceased iPhone.”
Ms Ojukwu narrated to journalists the events that led to the alleged murder.
“We were in the lodge smoking. He was trying to make advances on me. I was tired and he became violent on it. I let him have his way,” said Ms Ojukwu, according to Punch newspaper.
“Towards afternoon, he ordered roofies. We took it together and ate food. He became high. I was still not happy with the first one (sex) that we had, so, I was staying on my own, smoking and drinking. He, too, was on his own.
“He came to me and I was like I am not happy with what he did. I was like, ‘You don’t help me, you don’t assist me with anything, you are just playing with me around’. He was like, ‘Take my ATM and withdraw what you want’.”
The suspect said Mr Ataga then became violent towards her and she kept fighting back.
“At some point, he hit my head on the wall and I also retaliated,” she said.
“At some point, he was chasing me around the kitchen cabinet. I took a knife and stabbed his neck. I approached the door and he followed me. I stabbed him twice on the neck side. I threw the knife to the bed and he was going for it but I also went for it. He dragged the knife with me and it broke and he fell on the floor.”
The suspect said she used Mr Ataga’s ATM card to withdraw N380,000 from his account after the incident.
The police said the matter would be charged to court at the end of their investigation.
The police also said the deceased’s bank account has been blocked to stop further withdrawals and that the owner of the lodge where the incident took place is in custody.
