Crime
Chidinma transferred N50,000 for apartment from Ataga’s account after death – Owner
Nkechi Mogbo, the owner of the short service apartment used by the murdered Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Michael Ataga, has told the court how he rented her apartment.
A 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, Chidinma Ojukwu, was accused of killing the 50-year-old man.
Chidinma 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.
Mogbo, while testifying on Thursday, told the court that she had a self-service apartment rented out for short service accommodation.
She said, “The apartment is fully furnished with cable TV, 24-hour power services, and a well-equipped kitchen. Couples and people from out of town who come in for weddings regularly book the apartment online or through referrals from agents.”
The witness, while being led in evidence in chief by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Adeyinka Adeyemi, said, “On June 13, around 4pm, a lady called me on the telephone with a private number and requested for the apartment. The lady requested to see the apartment to ensure that the facilities were up to the standard she needed.”
The witness said after visiting the apartment, the lady, through WhatsApp message, confirmed that she would take the apartment for three days.
The witness stated that Chidinma “left the service apartment before the day she was supposed to leave.”
Mogbo added, “She mentioned that her name was Jewel and I forwarded payment details, thereafter, she sent proof of payment of N125,000, to my WhatsApp.
“The payment was made through a commercial bank account of one Mr Micheal Usifo, and my name as recipient.”
She further told the court that after two days, on June 15 around 5.30pm, Chidinma sent another message to her WhatsApp, stating that her friend would stay for two more days.
The witness added that the payment was made from Ataga’s GTB account, adding that later, when she called her security guard for another issue, the guard told her that “a body was found on the ground of the apartment.”
“I tried to reach the lady on the telephone, but she cut the call. She then sent a message to me that she was in a meeting.
“I sent a message that the payment which was made in the morning wasn’t credited to me,” the witness said.
She stated that Chidinma replied that her friend would make another payment, adding that few minutes later, she got another N50,000 from Ataga’s account.
“After a couple of hours, I sent her a message that I have received the initial payment of N50,000 and that I have given the security man the extra N50,000 for her to pick it up.
“She didn’t come; she sent a message that she would use it to pay for two more days for her friend. I reported the incident at the Maroko Police Station,” the witness said.
Mogbo then told the court that she was taken to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau in Panti, Yaba, where she spent seven days in custody to help police do a proper investigation.
She said she could not initially identify Chidinma when she was brought to the station, adding that it was with the aid of a picture she got from her phone that she was able to identify the suspect.
She also stated that her conversations with the first defendant were done through WhatsApp.
The DPP tendered the printed copy of the WhatsApp conversation as evidence.
However, the first defendant’s counsel, Mr Onwuka Egbu, objected to the admissibility of the document.
He said, “It is a public document which must be certified before it can be used as evidence.”
Justice Adesanya overruled Egbu and admitted the document as evidence.
Egbu then asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to study the documents, as well as to prepare for the cross-examination of the witness.
The judge adjourned the case till November, 15, 2021.
PUNCH.
Lawyers representing the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, have formally written to the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, requesting that an autopsy be conducted on the late Mary Habila before her remains are released for burial.
In a letter dated July 15, 2026, and acknowledged by the Ebonyi State Police Command the same day, Roy & Associates said they were acting on the instruction of the minister.
According to the petition, Mary Habila, a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, who was on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works, died on June 27, 2026, in a staff residential building located within Umahi’s residence in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The lawyers stated that the deceased did not live in the same building as the minister, explaining that the building was reserved for members of Umahi’s staff and other personnel working with him. They further noted that on the night of her death, only Habila and another female occupant, identified as a physiotherapist, were in the building.
The legal team urged the police to ensure that a comprehensive autopsy is carried out by qualified forensic pathologists to scientifically determine the actual cause and circumstances of Habila’s death. They also requested that her remains should not be released to any person, including her next of kin, until the autopsy and all relevant investigative procedures have been concluded.
According to the letter, the request is intended to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation, eliminate speculation, and ensure that the true cause of death is conclusively established before burial.
Panic erupted at the permanent site of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) after the headless body of a middle-aged man was discovered on a farmland within the university premises on Wednesday.
The discovery was reportedly made in the early hours of the day, sending shockwaves through the university community.
A 300-level student of the institution, Pius Atok, told journalists that the deceased was neither a student nor a member of staff of the university.
“The body was found this morning on a farm around the university community. From what we gathered, the victim was neither a student nor a member of staff of the university,” he said.
A senior university official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, stating that preliminary investigations showed the victim was a farmer known within the area.
“We have investigated and found the victim is neither a student nor a staff member of the university. He is known to people around the area because he usually goes there to farm. We believe he came very early this morning, as he normally does,” the official said.
The official added that the circumstances surrounding the killing remain unclear but suggested the attackers may have deliberately targeted the victim.
“What actually happened is still unclear, but from the nature of the attack, it appears those responsible came specifically to kill him and made away with his head,” the source added.
According to the official, the university’s Information Directorate is handling the matter and will issue an official statement through the institution’s communication channels.
The victim’s family has been notified, while arrangements are underway to evacuate the body. Security agencies are expected to investigate the incident.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 property linked to a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to the Federal Government.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a judgment delivered in Abuja on Wednesday, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had established the reasonable suspicion required by law to justify the forfeiture of the assets.
The judge ruled that Malami, his family members and companies linked to the properties failed to dislodge the commission’s allegation that the assets were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
Before delivering the substantive judgment, Justice Abdulmalik dismissed several applications, motions on notice and applications to show cause filed by the respondents, describing them as “wanting in merit.”
She held that the issue before the court was not the ownership of the properties but the legitimacy of the funds used to acquire them.
“The issue before the court is not who owns the property, but how legitimate are the funds used to acquire the property,” the judge said.
She added that the respondents had “not dislodged the reasonable suspicion that the property was acquired by unlawful activities.”
Relying on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, Justice Abdulmalik granted the EFCC’s application for final forfeiture.
The court, however, discharged the interim forfeiture order in respect of some of the property.
The anti-graft agency had, in January, instituted civil forfeiture proceedings seeking the permanent forfeiture of 57 properties valued at N212.8 billion, alleging that they were proceeds of unlawful activities linked to the former AGF.
Following the publication, Malami, his wife, Nana Hadiza Malami; his son, Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami; and several companies linked to the assets challenged the interim forfeiture order.
They argued that the property were lawfully acquired and contended that the EFCC failed to establish any nexus between the assets and the alleged unlawful activities.
The respondents further maintained that the commission relied on speculation rather than credible evidence and neither proved that the property were proceeds of crime nor identified any specific criminal offence from which they were allegedly derived.
After the court resumed from its annual vacation, the case was reassigned to Justice Abdulmalik for hearing and determination.
At the hearing, counsel for the EFCC argued that investigations showed the property were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities and held in the names of individuals and companies acting as fronts for Malami.
The commission also submitted that, under the law governing civil forfeiture proceedings, it only needed to establish reasonable suspicion and not prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
After the parties adopted their final written addresses in May, the court reserved judgment.
The judgment, initially fixed for July 6, was deferred twice before Justice Abdulmalik finally delivered the ruling on Wednesday.
Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Police Command disclosed that a combined team of police officers and other security agencies had been mobilised to the area immediately after receiving reports of the attack.
Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, said security operatives had already recorded a breakthrough, revealing that one of the abducted students had been rescued.
She added that efforts were being intensified to secure the release of the remaining victims and bring the perpetrators to justice.
According to the police spokesperson, the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, accompanied by the Brigade Commander and the Kogi State Security Adviser, Commodore Jerry Omodara (Rtd.), had departed for the community to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and coordinate ongoing security operations.
The Command assured residents that further details would be made public as investigations progress and more verified information becomes available.
The latest attack adds to growing concerns over the security of schools and examination centres across the country, particularly as candidates continue to sit for this year’s NECO examinations.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has foiled an alleged kidnap plot targeting prominent personalities in the state and arrested a suspected leader of a three-man fraud syndicate accused of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public in Anambra and Enugu states.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed the development in a statement, attributing the breakthrough to operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, in Oyi Local Government Area.
According to Ikenga, police operatives on the evening of July 11, 2026, foiled the suspected kidnap attempt, rescued a victim, and arrested 66-year-old Kenneth Nnaji for his alleged involvement in a criminal syndicate specialising in obtaining money under false pretences in Awka.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is allegedly a member of a three-man gang that has been defrauding unsuspecting members of the public through elaborate schemes across Anambra and Enugu states.
“The suspect, during interrogation, allegedly confessed to his involvement in the criminal enterprise and provided useful information on the group’s modus operandi,” Ikenga stated.
He explained that members of the syndicate allegedly disguise themselves in branded overalls and caps while posing as representatives of reputable companies.
According to the police, the suspects allegedly obtain goods from prospective victims under the pretext of collecting samples before directing them to another location, claiming larger quantities of the goods are available for purchase at heavily discounted prices. The victims are then allegedly defrauded through the scheme.
Ikenga said the suspect identified other members of the syndicate as Christopher (surname yet to be ascertained), Jacob Musa, and Joseph (surname yet to be ascertained), all of whom remain at large.
He added that efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and dismantle the criminal syndicate.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, urged members of the public to remain vigilant and verify the identities and credentials of individuals claiming to represent companies before engaging in any business transactions.
He also directed the investigating team to conduct a comprehensive investigation, arrest all fleeing suspects, recover the proceeds of the alleged fraud, and ensure the prosecution of all those found culpable in accordance with the law.
-
News3 days agoAlleged Certificate Forgery: Ex-Minister Uche Nnaji Pleads Not Guilty, Gets ₦20m Bail
-
Special Report2 days agoUMAHI: THE HABILA CASE -Separating Facts from Falsehood
-
Crime5 days agoAnambara Underworld: 25 Years After Onitsha was liberated from Deri Nwamama
-
Education3 days agoFG Suspends Controversial WAEC, NECO Fee Hike
-
Obituary3 days agoFamily Announces Funeral of Mrs. Anna Ugochi Nwigwe, Who Died at 78
-
News3 days agoUmahi Sues Over Alleged False Reports on Nurse’s Death, Denies Cover-Up
-
Crime4 days agoEnugu Bus Driver Wanted for Allegedly Knocking Down Police Officer, Taking Service Rifle
-
News3 days agoFormer Minister Uche Nnaji Lands In Court Over Alleged Certificate Forgery