Uche Ibeto calls out Abuja lawyer of ‘fraud, lies, media blackmail’

Nigerian entertainer Uche Ibeto, popularly known as the Jigida Queen, has called out Abuja-based lawyer Victor Giwa, urging him to “face his trial in court” rather than seek public sympathy through what she described as “media blackmail.”

Her reaction followed a viral video in which Giwa alleged persecution by the FCT Judiciary and the Nigeria Police Force. Ibeto dismissed the claims, accusing him of using “cheap propaganda” to deflect attention from the criminal charges he is currently facing.

Ibeto said she has been following the ongoing prosecutions in the FCT, where Giwa and his associate, Cecil Ezem Osakwe, are standing trial for alleged forgery, unlawful eviction, impersonation, and malicious damage in a case involving Asabe Waziri. She praised the progress made so far and expressed solidarity with Waziri.

“I salute the courage of Asabe Waziri for standing up to bullies,” Ibeto said. “I understand your pains because I went through the same ordeal in their hands. I stand firmly with you.”

She also commended the Inspector General of Police and the AIG Legal for their work, urging them to give equal attention to petitions she submitted in August.

Ibeto revisited her long-standing dispute over her late mother’s one-storey building at 36 Ibezim Obiajulu Street, Surulere. She explained that her mother, Esther Ibeto, died intestate in 2013, and although letters of administration were issued to two of her elder sisters, they covered only movable property—not the house. She insisted she lived in the building for decades and still has the original title documents.

According to her, she was unaware of any sale or litigation until a judgment was handed down on July 10, 2025, in favour of buyer Cecil Ezem Osakwe. She alleged the ruling was “fraudulently obtained” through forged documents, impersonation, improper service, and questionable court filings, noting that neither she nor any tenant was joined as a party.

Ibeto recalled that on August 15 she was forcibly evicted at dawn by policemen, thugs, and court sheriffs who claimed they were enforcing the judgment. She accused Giwa of leading the operation and said she was harassed and thrown out in her nightwear. She alleged that belongings worth over ₦500 million were stolen or destroyed, and that construction work began immediately after.

She added that one of her sisters denied ever participating in any sale or litigation during the eviction.

Ibeto further outlined several reasons she believes the judgment was improper, including undated sale agreements, alleged preparation of court filings by the same legal team for both parties, improper service on one of the defendants, and a land registry search that linked the suit documents to a different property in Alimosho.

She also alleged that her petition to the Zone 2 Police Command stalled due to interference by a senior officer linked to one of the defendants. According to her, this emboldened those behind the eviction and led to repeated illegal break-ins despite police warnings.

Ibeto appealed to the Lagos State Government, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General of the Federation, the National Assembly, and the Nigerian Bar Association to ensure her petitions and the ongoing prosecutions are not obstructed.

“Victor Giwa should face his trial in a court of law, not in the media. He is not above the law,” she said, urging the public not to be deceived by what she termed his “campaign of calumny.”

She added that justice must prevail for her and others facing similar ordeals. Ibeto revealed she has been “perching from place to place” since the eviction, and that her health has deteriorated. “At my age, I need to return to my home and resume my life,” she said, thanking her fans, the police, and the media for their support.

The family dispute has continued to generate public attention. Ibeto previously accused her elder sister, Laura Okoh, of conspiring with a judicial officer to forcibly remove her from the home she shared with their mother for over 50 years. The family denied the allegations.

Earlier reports also revealed that Ibeto, through her lawyer, Onwubualili Sylvester, petitioned the Lagos Chief Judge and the AIG Zone 2, insisting that the judgment transferring the property to Osakwe was obtained through forgery and false depositions.