A chilling family feud in Edo State has taken a dangerous twist, as Mr. Ilueminosen Theophilus .O., a businessman from Irhrih Community, Upper Airport Road, Benin City, has gone into hiding after alleging that his younger brother, a politician and businessman, Mr. Ilueminosen Okpea Tony, is after his life.
In a petition filed with the police on September 27, 2024, Theophilus accused his brother Tony, a prominent member of the Action People’s Congress (APC) in the South-South region, of repeatedly assaulting him and orchestrating violent attacks to eliminate him. He claims his only “crime” was insisting on his rightful place as the first son in matters concerning their father’s properties, properties their father is still alive to oversee.
The dispute reportedly escalated in January 2024, when Tony brought bulldozers onto one of the family’s properties without approval. When Theophilus confronted him, thugs allegedly loyal to his younger brother beat him into unconsciousness, landing him in hospital.
A family meeting convened to resolve the conflict ended with Tony allegedly declaring, “As long as I am alive, he is a big threat to my inheritance, an obstacle that needs to be cut off.”
Matters worsened on June 3, 2024, when Theophilus was attacked on his farm by armed thugs who beat him, destroyed his property, and carted away with his farmed fish. Despite reporting to the police, no concrete action was taken, a development he attributes to his brother’s political influence and wealth.
The most terrifying incident, according to the petition, occurred on September 14, 2024, when gunmen intercepted Theophilus on his way to the farm. He lost consciousness and later woke up in the bush, tied, blindfolded, and tortured. He said he overheard the kidnappers discussing instructions allegedly from his brother, who they claimed would decide his fate in person.
“I begged for death because the pain and torture were unbearable,” Theophilus recounted. He was eventually rescued after gunshots from approaching security operatives forced his captors to flee.
Now, he says, his life is in grave danger. “The police cannot protect me. My brother is untouchable because of his political and business connections. I live in hiding with my family, waiting for when they will strike again,” he wrote in the petition.
Ilueminosen Theophilus in his curiosity question why someone allegedly connected to repeated violent attacks continues to walk free.
