Loan Deal Turns Deadly: John Aligbe Ereme’s house set ablaze over failed drug smuggling agreement in Benin City
A financial dispute between Mr. John Aligbe Ereme and Mr. Jack Ikenna in Benin City have escalated into a shocking case of arson and alleged drug trafficking, as John Aligbe Ereme’s home was set ablaze over a failed smuggling deal.
According to the statement by the victim, John Aligbe Ereme, the crisis began in February 2021 when he secured an interest-free loan from Jack Ikenna, a resident of Ohovbe Road, Benin City.
The agreement was meant to last until February 2022, but due to economic hardship, Ereme failed to repay the debt.
In a desperate bid to settle the loan, both parties allegedly agreed to an alternative repayment plan, a drug trafficking operation. Mr. John Aligbe Ereme claimed that his family, in collaboration with Jack Ikenna, chose his son, Wilson Onuwabhagbe Aligbe, to transport a briefcase containing illicit drugs to Dublin, Ireland.
However, unknown to his father, Wilson allegedly traveled to Dublin without the contraband, effectively breaching the agreement. This betrayal reportedly enraged Jack Ikenna, who, on February 20, 2024, stormed Ereme’s residence at 238, Benin/Agbor Road, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, alongside suspected cultists.
The attackers allegedly set the house ablaze while the family was inside, forcing them to flee for their lives. While most family members escaped unharmed, one of Ereme’s children, Michael Ebeagbor, sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
