Siblings Fight Each Other Over Family Estate In Abia

The family of an Aba-based businessman, the late Sir Theophilus Ozigbo, a native of Ndiogbuonyeoma, Arondizuogu in Ideato North Council Area of Imo State is at war over who manages his estates in Aba.

South East Voice gathered that after the businessman’s death, the family peacefully managed his estates until a few years ago when crisis erupted leading to a division among his six children. One side is led by his first son, Emmanuel Ozigbo and the daughter who is the last child of the family, Dr. Obiageri Ozigbo-Ubah leads the other camp. It was further learned that the main problem is over the sharing of a popular building at No. 178 Jubilee Road, Aba, where the first son resides with some tenants.

According to Emmanuel, on the 5th of February 2024, his siblings- Uchenna Ozigbo, Ebere Ozigbo and Dr. Obiageri Ozigbo-Ubah, allegedly engaged six armed thugs to forcefully eject him and his tenants from the building.

Emmanuel alleged that the thugs engaged by his siblings broke into his apartment and those of his tenants, damaged and removed some properties, adding that the thugs pulled down the walls of his apartment and those of his tenants.

He also alleged that the thugs later threw out his belongings and those of his tenants outside while others were removed or stolen, as he claimed the said thugs fired gunshots into the air which scared him and his tenants.

He said he reported the matter to the Ndiegoro Police Division who didn’t investigate the matter.

He said: “When the attack was reported to Ndiegoro Police Divisional Headquarters, (Cameroon Barracks), the Police tried to suppress the investigation of the matter as my sister, Obiageri is a person well-known within the station.

“The attitude of the Police authorities at Ndiegoro made me and my tenants’ lawyer write to the Divisional Police Officer of the station on the matter. The lawyer equally petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 9 Police Headquarters, Umuahia in a petition, dated the 8th February 2024.

He called for an investigation into an alleged boast of the thugs who claimed to have spoken with a top judicial officer before they proceeded with the attack.

He alleged: “The thugs who attacked my house and that of my tenants said they spoke to a high ranking judicial official before coming for the attack on the building. This should be investigated. The thugs also celebrated the success of their unlawful acts, now they have engaged the services of workmen to convert my tenants’ dwelling rooms into commercial warehouses. The Police have done nothing.”

But his sister, Dr. Obiageri Ozigbo-Uba, denied using thugs to force out his brother or his tenants. She acknowledged his brother, Emmanuel, as the first son but added that he lacks the capacity to take care of his father’s properties.

“Nobody brought thugs to force him out. The problem is that as the first son, he will always remain the first son, but he is not responsible to what he should be. If he is the first son for real, he should be the one with the papers and organising us, not the other way round. He should be himself. You can’t destroy things and say that you are the first son. It is not true that I brought thugs, I am a PhD holder,” she explained.