Family threatens to sue bloggers ‘peddling falsehoods’ on Usifo Ataga’s murder

The family of late Usifo Ataga, the Super TV CEO stabbed to death, has threatened to sue bloggers whom they allege are “peddling falsehoods” about his murder case.

Last Tuesday, Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-level mass communication student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), with whom Ataga lodged in the hotel where he died, was arrested for inflicting the wounds that claimed his life.

However, the 21-year-old, who was paraded at the Lagos state police command, had later alleged that the media businessman forcefully had sex with her, prior to a second attempt that resulted in a violent confrontation.

Amid multiple reports on it, the development spurred a flurry of reactions and conspiracy theories on social media.

Rickey Tarfa & Co, solicitor to the family, has charged those behind what it termed “malicious publications” to refrain from “falsehoods” that infringed on the integrity of the deceased, his wife, and children or face a lawsuit.

They alleged that some of such claims have been planted by culpable parties as “a smokescreen to cover their tracks.”

In a statement signed by Olusegun Jolaawo (SAN) on behalf of the law firm and seen by TheCable, the family further urged the general public to allow the police conduct their investigations without any distraction or interference.

Ataga’s family demanded that “false publications and the several ordinarily unrelated stories and pictures” of the deceased and his wife Brenda be pulled down or an action to seek redress in court for libel and slander may follow.

“We know Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu has been arrested. Yes, 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,” the statement reads.

“It has become apparent even to the most undiscerning reader that, from the variety and inherent malice in most of the said publications that they are planted to embarrass and malign Usifo Ataga, Brenda Ataga, and the family.”

They called for an in-depth investigation of the murder, urging the police to go beyond just arresting the suspect.