The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), has said that Chidinma Ojukwu participation at the NCos Beauty Pageant was to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Recall that the 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, Chidinma Ojukwu, was is in the custody of the NCoS over her involvement in the murder of Usifo Ataga, Chief Executive Officer of Super TV.

Ojukwu is alleged to have conspired and murdered Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him several times with a knife on the neck and chest.

The alleged murder took place at No. 19, Adewale Oshin St., Lekki Phase 1, Lago

Ojukwu is facing eight counts charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.

Speaking on the Beauty Pageant the Lagos Command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rotimi Oladokun noted that the pageant and all the other events were open to all female inmates whether convicted or awaiting trial.

Oladookun, said: “I haven’t seen the pictures you are talking about. But in line with International Women’s Day, the female custodial facilities commemorated International Women’s Day with inmates, various inmates without distinction or discrimination against anybody – an inmate is an inmate.

“All the inmates in different cell blocks presented various programmes. Some did theatre presentations, others drama, some poetry, some beauty pageant, some drawings, paintings, comedy. So, various blocks won. It was just like an inter-cell block event.

“There were lots of presentations. It was not an individual thing. It was just the facility’s way of trying to reform the inmates, those still in custody.

“So, that’s why they commemorated International Women’s Day, that’s why it was done in the female facility, not the male’s.”

“The particular inmate, I don’t know her name. There were various winners.

“The costumes were made by the inmates in the facility and some of the winners got sponsorship to pay for their UME forms, NECO, WASSCE and higher education.

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“Some donated libraries to us, apart from some other stationery, and welfare resources. It was not an individual event, so the prizes were collective.”

“There were representatives for each block, so maybe the inmate you are referring to was one of such representatives, but it was not an individual event, it was a collective one commemorating International Women’s Day,” Oladokun added.