Seek IGP’s Intervention
Accuse Brother Of Using Police To Harass Siblings
By Ovie Okpare
Children of late Urhobo popular billionaire and industrialist, Chief Edward Akponovwe Esiso, have raised alarm that their lives are in danger over what they described as “use of policemen to persistently harassed” members of the family by the eldest son over ownership of their father’s multi-billion properties.
They, however, petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu and the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Hafiz Inuwa, over the ‘attacks and assault’, demanding an end to such ‘illegality’ and abuse of power from their operatives.
They also pleaded with the National Assembly, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and Urhobo leaders to intervene in the feud which has placed the safety of their lives and that of their family members in constant fears, intimidation and harassment by policemen working for their brother.
Speaking at a press conference in Warri, the family lawyer, Olukunle Edun Esq. accused police operatives of supervising the destruction of their properties located in Warri and Effurun area of Delta State as well as illegal arrest and detention of family members over the feud.
Edun flanked by some of the children of the deceased and shareholders at Gateway Estate Limited, owned by the late industrialist, including the eldest child, Mrs. Ofigo Emuboh, second senior son, Mr. Sunny Esiso, Dame Beauty Ogbodu, Mrs. Eunice Oddiri Esq. alleged that the arrest and destruction of the properties were at the instant of the senior son and second child of late Esiso, Yoma.
The counsel narrated that following the demise of the Urhobo leader (Esiso), the only remaining director in the company appointed some of the children who are shareholders in the company as directors in line with CAMA act.
But Yoma who is not a shareholder at Gateway Estate Limited, according to the family, allegedly forged CAC documents in an effort to change the company’s documents as well as to make himself as the Chief Executive Officer of the company.
A move they said had already been quashed by court.
They accused Yoma of using agents of government especially the IGP monitoring unit to harass, intimidate and assault directors of the company and occupants of the estates after the court barred him from interfering with the running of the company.
Edun stated that the destruction of properties belonging to Gateway Estate Limited, under the supervision of armed policemen, was “in flagrant disobedience of subsisting judgements of the Federal High court against the IGP and officers under his Command”.
He said that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja in two different lawsuits, to wit: Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1442/2019: Chief Mrs. Iketiti Esiso & 10 others V. Inspector General of Police & 5 Others and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/842/2014: Chief Yoma Esiso & 5 Others V. Corporate Affairs Commission & 5 others declared the above persons and one other, as the lawfully appointed directors of the estate company.
“Restrained Chief Yoma Esiso, the Inspector General of Police including officers under his Command and others from having anything whatsoever to do with the properties of Gateway Estate Limited, with huge damages awarded against them that remains unpaid.
“In spite of the subsisting Judgments of the Federal High Court, Policemen under the command of the Inspector General of Police and the Delta State Police Command continue to invade the properties afore-mentioned and harass our clients and their tenants on the properties.
“Recently vehicles conveying more than 30 armed Policemen unlawfully entered some of the properties where acts of destructions, intimidation and thuggery were committed by Chief Yoma Esiso and his cohorts with the active presence and encouragement of these heavily armed Policemen.
“These recent acts of impunity by the Police are presently being challenged in court. Chief Yoma Esiso is neither a shareholder nor a director of Gateway Estate Limited and at no time was any property of Gateway Estate Limited transferred to him or any business contraption created/operated by him.
“Therefore, members of the public are hereby advised not to transact any business with him or his agent or any person purporting to act under his instruction in relation to the properties of Gateway Estate Limited, as such transactions are illegal and will not be binding on Gateway Estate Limited or any of its directors”, Edun stated.
However, the eldest child, Mrs Emuoboh nee Esiso, narrated to journalists how she was illegality arrested and locked up by police operatives from the Ugborikoko Police Station before being transferred to Maitama, Abuja, without no reason.
Mrs Emuoboh, who is in her 70s and walks with the aid of clutches, condemned the action of the police, calling on the Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and the National Assembly to intervene in the maltreated of her siblings by policemen acting on the order of his younger brother, Yoma.
She recounted that she spent a total of eight days in police cell for reasons yet to be made known to her in November.
Similarly, another child of the late Esiso and a retired director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Eunice Oddiri, alleged that she and her siblings are living in fears over the ownership tussle, stressing that attempt by Yoma Esiso to force himself even when he is not a shareholder into the company would be resisted through lawful means.
She added that the directors of the company only recently discovered that Chief Yoma, alongside his cohorts, had gone with fraudulent documents to the Corporate Affairs Commission to “implant himself as chairman of the directors” of the company.
On his part, Sunny Esiso, also a director in the company, stated that the elder brother is on ‘vendetta mission’ to destroy the legacies and properties of the industrialist whom allegedly disowned him long before his death.
Some of the properties are office buildings, an industrial estate and yard, bungalows with service quarters, hotel, night club, a jetty and other undeveloped property spread across the country.
Meanwhile, contacted on the allegations, Chief Yoma, claimed the matter is already in court, saying it will be sub judice for him to comment on the issue.
According to him, “I was advised by my counsel that since this matter is sub judice, it is contemptuous of court to make comments other than the following; we trust in the judiciary system of this country. We are certain that at the end of the day, justice will be done.
“Save for that, there are two issues I should point out; we are the court appointed administrators of the estate of our late father, myself and my late sister.
“Furthermore, we are directors of the family company, Gateway Estate Limited. A position that the parties who gave you an interview are contesting in a Federal High Court, Abuja.”
Yoma Esiso you are a bastard, a ritualist. Its God that will punish you for all your evil. You wil call for death. It wil not answer you. You will die a slow and painful death.