US-based investor petitions IGP over alleged threat to burn multi-million farm in Abia

A US-based Nigerian investor, Mrs Onyinye Urum Ukaegbu Ibe, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over an alleged threat by locals in Abiriba ancient kingdom of Abia State, to burn down her multi-million piggery and cassava farm in the community.

The investor, who hails from the area but is married to Imo State, in the petition by her lawyer, Obasi Awa, said the threat to destroy her farm followed the death of a worker on the farm and an unfounded rumour that his fellow workers murdered him.

Dismissing the rumor as an untenable fabrication by enemies of progress in search of excuses to destroy her investment, the investor sought a thorough investigation into the matter to unravel the actual cause of the death of the deceased.

She also pleaded for police reinforcement around the community to prevent arsonists from burning down her farm.

The petition read in part: “We have been consulted, and our services retained by DO GOOD PIGGERY FARMS, ABIRIBA. It is our instruction that on 24” February 2025, one Joseph Urum, an employee of

Our client developed sickness while at work, and his co-workers took him to a hospital where he was operated on, for which he did not survive.

“Following the demise of Joseph, his relations complained to the Police at Abiriba Division where they alleged that Joseph was murdered by his fellow workers for which some persons, namely Oko Ukaegbu, Pastor Ejemole Ukaegbu, Maduka, Bassey, etc., were arrested and are under investigation.

“This petition purports to seek the protection of lives and properties on our client’s farm. There are threats from the Abiriba community towards destroying lives and properties on our client’s farm.

“The Police at Abiriba cannot stand the surge of mobs from the Abiriba community, hence the need for this appeal for re-enforcement of security within our client’s premises.”

Speaking with Vanguard from her US base via phone, the petitioner said she established the farm to assist her people, who depend on her for survival, and to empower members of the community to earn a better living.

According to her, the deceased, who was recruited in January 2025, was also a close family member but had issues with the farm manager, also a close relative.

She said that when she was informed that the deceased was hospitalized in Umuahia following a stomach ache, she made spirited efforts to ensure he received adequate medical care but regretted he did not make it.

The woman expressed shock that she later read in their community platform allegations that she had attempted to harvest the deceased kidney for her son in Umuahia.

She wondered how her son and herself, both residents in the US, had attempted to harvest the kidney of the deceased, who died of suspected complications from an ulcer.

Distancing herself from the death of the deceased, she called for an autopsy to ascertain the actual cause of the death.

When contacted, the paramount traditional ruler of Abiriba’s ancient kingdom, HRM Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu (Enachoken Abiriba), confirmed the incident but said the police were investigating the matter.

The monarch told Vanguard that the palace had also taken measures to safeguard the farm from mob attack.

He said that after listening to both sides, the kingdom decided to involve the police due to the seriousness of the allegations.

“ I learned about this on the Abiriba Community platform, and I had to invite both parties to the palace. We sat down with all the traditional rulers, and both parties presented their positions.

In the end, there were too many inconsistencies in the stories that were being told. The allegations are heavy. So, the best option is to allow the police to conduct an investigation into the matter.

“Since somebody has died, it’s no longer within us; it’s now a matter of the police. The police are handling it. I learned that the matter had been sent to the State Criminal Investigation Department for proper investigation.

“ On our own as a community, we ensured that the place was protected because some people were angry due to how the story was presented to them, and they were threatening to burn down the place.

“ But we said no; you can’t destroy something based on allegation. Allow the police to do their job. So, what we did was to use palm fronds in line with our tradition to tie the place to allow minimal jobs on the farm while waiting for the police to do their investigation. We did it because we were aware that livestock was on the farm. If we lock it up, they may die, and we won’t like someone’s business to be destroyed because of the allegation.”

Meanwhile, efforts to elicit a response from the police were unsuccessful as the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Abia State, Moureen Chilaka, did not pick up calls put across to her.

She also had not responded to the text message sent to her when this report was filed.