Bizarre Crowning of Murder Suspect by Kirikiri Prison

                                        Notes for File

Nigerians recently witnessed a bizarre development when the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Kirikiri, unveiled a murder suspect and 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Miss Chidinma Ojukwu, as the winner of its beauty pageant.

Ojukwu is standing trial at the Lagos High Court, for the alleged murder on June 21, 2021 of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Mr. Usifo Ataga.

There was outrage on social media when pictures of the pageant flooded the internet.

The beauty pageant was held within the Kirikiri prison on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 where Ojukwu was said to have been crowned Miss Cell 2022.

Though she is presumed innocent until convicted by a court of law, never in the history of the Nigeria Prisons was a murder suspect treated with so much love and affection by the prison authorities as in her case.

The Kirikiri Prison authorities ignored the psychological trauma being suffered by Ataga’s friends and family members and organised such image-laundering event for a suspect who should focus all her energy on how to prove her innocence of such heinous crime.

What gave Chidinma the peace of mind to prepare for such competition if her fate is actually uncertain? Tongues are already wagging that those behind the killing may have been responsible for the love and affection she is receiving so that she won’t spill the beans.  Is there something the prison authorities know, which Nigerians do not know about her case? Why did the prison organise the beauty pageant and allow such awaiting trial inmate to participate?

In its shameful defence of this ignoble act, the prisons’ Lagos State Command said the pageant was only one of several other activities organised to mark International Women’s Day (IWD).

Kirikiri Prison’s action was a disgrace to women because IWD is celebrated annually on March 8, to commemorate the social, political and economic achievements of women. The question is: What are the social, political and economic achievements of Chidinma that she should deserve such honour?