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Ataga’s Family Hires Ozekhome to Defend Interest in Seeking Justice in Son’s Murder

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The family of Late Mr Michael Usifo Ataga who was brutally murdered on the 15th of June, 2021, somewhere in Lekki, Lagos, has briefed fiery Constitutional Lawyer and renowned Human Rights Activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to protect and defend the interests of the Ataga family and his teeming friends, admirers, kinsmen, and business associates, to ensure that justice is duly served in the matter, and that justice is not only done, but manifestly seen by the public to have been done.

The Ataga family, in its instruction letter to Chief Ozekhome, decried the low level of professionalism exhibited so far by the Police in bringing to book and prosecuting professionally, the perpetrators of this heinous crime that led to Ataga’s unprovoked and cold blooded murder. Only few days ago, the family of late Ataga had accused the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, of being complicit in an alleged attempt to protect the killers of Ataga. The family said that they were shocked that the prosecution of the 21-year old prime suspect in Ataga’s murder, one *Chidinma* *Ojukwu* of the Mass Communicarion Department, University of Lagos, was arraigned at a Chief Magistrate Court, Yaba, without even being informed about the arraignment coming up.

The family had also revealed that one Babalola Disu, who was arraigned for allegedly preventing the Police from performing their duties and failing to report a crime to the Police, is “highly suspected to have carried out the murder”. The family premised its suspicion on information they received to the effect that Disu’s short rental apartment was directly opposite the apartment where Ataga was killed. The family narrated how the said Disu had asked that the carpenter of Air BnB should be called upon to fix his door, only for the carpenter to be told later that it was actually Usifo’s door that was broken.

The family had also accused the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr Odumosu, of being complicit in bungling the case of Ataga’s murder through his lack of depth, thoroughness, and professionalism in his investigation of Ataga’s brutal murder.

It will be recalled that Chidinma Okukwu, a 21-year old Mass Communications student of the University of Lagos, was arrested by the Police on June 23, 2021, for the alleged murder of Super TV owner, 50-year old Usifo, with whom she had a romantic relationship.

Usifo had been found dead on June 15, 2021, with ghastly, multiple stab wounds all over his body, at the said short rental apartment on Adebowale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, which Chidinma had personallly booked. The ghastly wounds showed evidence of sustained torture. Chidinma had voluntarily confessed in her first public outing to stabbing Usifo severally with a knife under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and withdrawing the sum of N380,000 from the victim’s account with his ATM card. She was later to backtrack on this confession in a carefully arranged televised interview, where she claimed she had allegedly acted in self-defence. Usifo was later buried on July 30, 2021, at a solemn low-key ceremony at the Ebony Vaults, Ikoyi, Lagos, after a funeral service at the Lady Perpetua Help Catholic church in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Usifo family had also decried the alleged comfortable movement to prison from court and from court back to the prison, of Chidinma in an Uber ride.The family queried why this was done without even handcuffs and without being informed of the intending arraignment.

The family also alleged that the man who had claimed to be Chidinma’s father and who was also charged to the Magistrate’s court for obstructing Police investigation, was actually not Chidinma’s biological father after all, but her “sugar daddy”. The family postulated that this means that the Police had deliberately lied to it.

The family made it clear it suspects the said Disu for having a hand in Ataga’s murder and wondered why he was charged for mere obstruction of Police investigation and failure to report a crime, thus being granted bail in the ridiculous term of 1 million naira only and 2 sureties in like sum. To all other suspects involved in this dastardly act ( except Chidinma who was ordered remanded ) , bail was granted by Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo, in the funny conditions of 1 million naira each with two sureties in like sum. They family said it could understand these over liberal bail terms in such a heinous crime of hideous and horrific murder.

The family views these acts by the Police as a slap on their face, the face of justice and a deliberate cover-up by the Police.

The family has therefore briefed Ozekhome and his Chambers, to take up this case with all relevant authorities, to ensure that justice is manifestly done to the memory of late Usifo through a very professional prosecution of all those involved in this heinous crime, no matter how highly placed they may be.

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Boko Haram Among Terror Groups Funded by USAID, Says US Congressman, Perry

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US Congressman, Scott Perry, has said that US aid agency, United States Agency for International Development, funded terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram.

Perry, a Republican representing Pennsylvania, made the claim during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency on Thursday.

The session, titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” focused on alleged misappropriations of taxpayer funds.

“Who gets some of that money? Does that name ring a bell to anybody in the room? Because your money, your money, $697 million annually, plus the shipments of cash funds in Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, terrorist training camps. That’s what it’s funding,” Perry said.

According to the subcommittee’s website, it will “actively work with President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency to root out waste, shore up vulnerable payment systems, and fully investigate schemes to defraud taxpayers.”

Perry further cited USAID’s reported funding of $136 million for building 120 schools in Pakistan, alleging that there was “zero evidence” of the schools’ construction.

Perry added, ” If you think that the programme under Operation Enduring Sentinel entitled Women’s Scholarship Endowment, which receives $60 million annually, or the Young Women Lead, which gets about $5 million annually, is going to women who, by the way, if you read the Inspector General’s report, is telling you that the Taliban does not
allow women to speak in public, yet somehow you’re believing, and American people are supposed to believe, that this money is going for the betterment of the women in Afghanistan. It is not.

“You are funding terrorism, and it’s coming through USAID. And it’s not just Afghanistan, because Pakistan’s right next door.

“USAID spent $840 million in the last year, the last 20 years, on Pakistan’s education-related programme. It includes $136 million to build 120 schools, of which there is zero evidence that any of them were built. Why would there be any evidence? The Inspector General can’t get in to see them.

“But you know what? We doubled down and spent $20 million from USAID to create educational television programs for children unable to attend the physical school. Yeah, they can’t attend it, because it doesn’t exist. You paid for it.

“Somebody else got the money. You are paying for terrorism. This has got to end.”

US President Donald Trump has previously called for the closure of USAID, accusing the agency of corruption in a post on his Truth Social platform.

The move is part of Trump’s–and his billionaire ally Elon Musk’s–drive to shrink the US government.

Musk, whom Trump appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, has also criticised USAID, alleging that it engages in rogue operations.

Musk has called USAID “a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America” and has vowed to shut it down.

Among other criticisms, which Musk has claimed that USAID does “rogue CIA work” and even “funded bioweapon research, including COVID-19, that killed millions of people.”

Trump said DOGE would “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excessive regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies — essential to the ‘Save America’ movement. This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people!”

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CDS Visa Denial: No Comments, Canadian Embassy Declares

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The Canadian High Commission in Nigeria has refused to make further comments on circumstances surrounding the denial of visas to some senior Nigerian military officials, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, citing privacy policies.

The Authorities however, acknowledged social media reports of the situation.

Musa and some military officials were denied visas to attend an event in Canada honouring war veterans, a situation the CDS revealed during an event in Abuja on Thursday.

Responding on Friday, via its social media handle, the Canadian High Commission stated, “The High Commission of Canada in Nigeria is aware of media reports related to planned travel by senior officials. However, for privacy reasons, we are unable to comment on the status of visa applications of specific individuals.”

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Afenifere Leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo Dies at 96

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Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the Afenifere leader, is dead.

He died on Friday morning at his Lekki residence in Lagos, according to a family statement. He was aged 96.

It reads: “With a heart full of gratitude for a selfless life spent in the service of God, the nation and humanity, we announce the passing on of our beloved patriarch, Chief Samuel Ayodele Adebanjo.

“He died peacefully this morning, Friday, February 14, 2025 at his Lekki, Lagos Nigeria home at the age of 96.

“The foremost nationalist, elder statesman, distinguished lawyer, very distinct politician, apostle of true federalism, former organising secretary of Action Group and the national leader of Afenifere is survived by his 94 year-old wife, Chief Christy Ayo-Adebanjo, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“We will forever cherish his commitment to fighting for truth, equity and justice. His belief and struggle for a truly independent and progressive Nigeria was total and this he fought for until he breathed his last breath.

“The family is consulting with Papa’s friends, associates, numerous interest groups across the length and breadth of Nigeria and beyond, to fine tune plans for a befitting funeral details which will be communicated in due course.

“A condolence register is open at his residence in Lagos (8, Ayo Adebanjo Close, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos) and  his country home in Isanya Ogbo, near Ijebu Ode Ogun State.”

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