Joyce Wigwe, sister of the late Herbert Wigwe, former Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings Plc, has spoken out about the deep betrayals and mistreatment her family has suffered in the aftermath of his passing.
Herbert Wigwe tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash on February 9, 2024, near the Nevada border in California, USA. The accident also claimed the lives of his wife, Doreen; their first son, Chizi; and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), among others.
Since his death, the Wigwe family has reportedly been embroiled in legal disputes over his estate, compounding their grief.
Speaking at a one-year memorial for her late brother, Joyce expressed her family’s devastation, saying they had been betrayed by those they once considered brothers.
“People we thought of as brothers have really let the family down,” she said. “Daddy and Mommy trusted them implicitly, but we’ve come to see that they were not what we believed them to be.”
She revealed that the emotional toll had deeply affected their parents’ health.
“Because of this, Daddy actually fell ill—we almost lost him. Mommy also broke down because of the trust they had placed in them. This has made the journey incredibly difficult and heart-wrenching for them.”
Joyce recounted an incident in their family’s village, where individuals she accused of betrayal arrived but refused to pay their respects.
“They didn’t even come to see us. Worse still, they wouldn’t let us through the gates.”
She alleged that her brother, Emeka, was physically assaulted during the encounter.
“They muzzled my brother, treated him terribly, and even threw him to the ground. The car almost ran over him three times. They tried to hit him with their car.”
According to Joyce, Emeka, out of frustration, eventually retaliated, and a photo capturing that moment was later used against him.
“When he managed to break free and defend himself, he threw a blow—and that was the moment they captured in a picture.”
She claimed that Emeka was later arrested at night, accused of fighting with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
“But nobody took pictures of when he was almost crushed by cars three times,” she added.
Joyce also criticised the heavy security presence at the memorial, questioning the motives of some attendees.
“Herbert’s daughter was accompanied by armed personnel in no less than ten cars. You begin to wonder—did they really come to pay respects, or was it something else?”
She noted that their mother, who had devoted herself to Herbert’s well-being since childhood, was particularly heartbroken.
“This was the child who had the most health problems growing up. She cared for him and devoted herself to him. And yet, this same child was the one who stood up, put them on the map, and gave them a life they could never have dreamed of.”
Joyce concluded by lamenting the absence of support from those they once considered close.
“If the friends and family we thought we had stood by us, my parents would have been comforted. But they haven’t been comforted at all.”
The post “Daddy Fell Ill, Mommy Broke Down”: Joyce Wigwe Shares Family’s Anguish Over Mistreatment Since Herbert Wigwe’s Death appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.
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