Brenda Ataga, the wife of the late Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga who was allegedly murdered by Chidinma Ojukwu is demanding the sum of N1billion as compensation from a news outlet over libellous reports stating she had a hand in the death of her husband.
In a letter directed to the management of Naijaloaded, and dated June 28, Brenda asked the online outlet to pull down the report from its website and retract the damaging report.
Recall that her husband, Usifo Ataga was found dead at an apartment at Lekki Phase 1, Lagos state shortly after his family declared him missing.
Subsequently, the Lagos State Police Command arrested a 21-year-old Chidinma Ojukwu, an undergraduate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), for allegedly killing the CEO.
However, in its report published on June 26, Naijaloaded had fingered Brenda in the murder of her husband, citing her relationship with the suspect through Brenda’s boyfriend.
Reacting to this, Brenda stated that the report was a callous, malicious and a mindless attack on her personality.
She then demanded N1bn in damages, in the letter which was addressed to the Managing Director of the online medium, Mr. Makinde Azeez through her counsel, Chief Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan (SAN).
The letter read in part:
”A properly worded unreserved apology for the libel published in your news blog, two national television stations including Channels Television Network and three National newspapers including The Punch newspaper.
“That you pay the sum of N1, 000, 000, 000 (One Billion Naira) through our office to our client as pecuniary compensation for your reckless and mindless injury to her vide the published defamatory materials aforesaid.
“If at the end of 14 days from the date of this letter, any of the listed demands still stands unfulfilled, we would proceed on our full instructions to initiate steps to bring the full consequences of your recklessness in the aforementioned publications to you.
“In that case, all costs, fees and charges necessary for our client to redeem her image and recover her damaged character and credit would be on your account.”