Joyce Wigwe Accuses Associates of Betrayal After Brother’s Tragic Death
Joyce Wigwe, sister of the late Herbert Wigwe, former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, has publicly accused close associates of betraying and mistreating her family following her brother’s tragic death in a helicopter crash last year.
Speaking at a memorial event marking the one-year anniversary of the incident, Joyce detailed events that she claims have intensified her family’s grief, causing both emotional and physical distress.
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Herbert Wigwe, his wife, Doreen Chizoba Wigwe, their eldest son Chizi Wigwe, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, lost their lives on February 9, 2024, when their helicopter crashed in California near the Nevada border. All six passengers on board perished, leaving behind a legacy now overshadowed by familial and legal disputes over Herbert’s estate.
During the memorial, Joyce spoke candidly about the fallout, alleging that individuals the family once regarded as “brothers” had deeply disappointed them. “People we thought of as brothers have really let us down,” she lamented, highlighting the toll on her parents. “Daddy and Mommy trusted them implicitly, but we’ve come to realize they were not who we believed them to be. Because of this, Daddy fell ill—we nearly lost him. Mommy also broke down from the betrayal.”
Tensions reportedly escalated during a visit to the family’s village, where Joyce accused these unnamed individuals of showing blatant disrespect. “They didn’t even come to see us. Worse still, they wouldn’t let us through the gates,” she recalled. She further alleged that her brother, Emeka Wigwe, was physically assaulted during the confrontation. “They muzzled my brother, mistreated him, and threw him to the ground. The car almost ran over him three times. They tried to hit him with their car.”
"People we thought were Herbert's friends. People we thought were Herbert's brothers have really let the family down."
— (@OneJoblessBoy) February 22, 2025
– Joyce Wigwe pic.twitter.com/77ADsZEgY9
According to Joyce, Emeka managed to defend himself, throwing a punch in frustration—a moment she claims was selectively captured in photographs to depict him as the aggressor. She alleged he was later arrested at night and accused of clashing with the Department of State Services (DSS). “But nobody took pictures of when he was nearly crushed by cars three times,” she pointed out bitterly.
Adding to the family’s grievances, Joyce criticized the heavy security presence at the memorial, particularly highlighting that Herbert’s daughter, Tochi Wigwe, arrived with 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 questioned.
The emotional strain has been particularly hard on their mother, Joyce noted, recalling her unwavering dedication to Herbert, who faced significant health challenges as a child. “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 rose to prominence, putting them on the map and giving them a life they could never have dreamed of,” she said. “Had the friends and family we trusted stood by us, my parents would have found solace. But they haven’t been comforted at all.”
Since Herbert’s passing, the Wigwe family has reportedly been entangled in legal battles over his estate, further straining relationships and deepening their sorrow. Joyce’s allegations paint a picture of a family not only grappling with profound grief but also feeling betrayed by those they once held dear.
As the memorial concluded, the unresolved tensions cast a somber shadow over the event, raising questions about reconciliation and justice in the wake of one of Nigeria’s most high-profile tragedies.
