…calls on governor Otti to intervene
…warns prospective land buyers to be mindful of pending litigation
The management of Abia Hotels Ltd has raised an alarm over the alleged illegal sale of personal assets belonging to Investment Guarantee Ltd, the company that built and managed the hotel worth ₦600 million.
As gathered, the management of the hotel instituted legal proceedings against the Abia State Government over what it described as the illegal sealing and the demolition of the hotel, a property it said was duly and legally contracted to Investment Guarantee Ltd under a 25-year lease agreement backed by a legally binding contract executed in 2013 to build and manage and protected by a 99-year Certificate of Occupancy.
They lamented that despite the matter being pending before a competent court, the Alex Otti administration, in November 2025, allegedly proceeded with the sealing and the demolition of the hotel without regard to a subsisting court process where both parties have duly joined issues and without any valid or legal agreement with the management.
According to the management, the government also restricted them access to the premises, thereby preventing them from removing their movable assets valued at over ₦600 million, which is currently in danger of absolute loot.
In an SOS letter sent to newsmen, the management of the hotel raised fresh concerns over the alleged looting and sale of their personal belongings and operational assets, including generators, television sets, air conditioners, refrigerators, water heaters, fans, cookers, water production machines, ice cream machines, industrial baking machines, certificates, and other valuable items.
The Chief Executive Officer of Investment Guarantee Ltd, Hon. Randie Ukawoko, who is currently in the United States on health grounds, “The Abia State Government sealed our hotel in Umuahia and partly destroyed the property. We responded by instituting legal proceedings, and the matter remains pending before a competent court, and both parties have been in constant attendance.
“Notably, this latest escalation is particularly troubling because it comes shortly after the government made what now appears to have been a pretentious move toward an out-of-court settlement through some of its officials.”
Ukawoko further stated, “We were never allowed to remove our valuables and operational equipment, including three heavy-duty generators and other personal property, from the premises.”
It was gathered that this is happening at the time, the chairman and CEO were away in the United States on health grounds, leaving behind critical personal and family documents, including degree certificates, awards, law books, and other irreplaceable records.
According to him, “It is truly astonishing and deeply disappointing that while we exercised restraint and pursued a peaceful resolution, a crowd invaded the hotel last week in the full presence of police officers and men of the Abia State Vigilante security force and was seen looting and stealing our properties. Now, the state has gone even further by embarking on the sale of our assets.
“These actions are excessive and carried out in clear bad faith. They demonstrate a regrettable disregard for the authority of the court and the fundamental principles of fairness and due process. No responsible government should treat a legitimate business or any citizen in this manner, especially after initiating discussions toward an amicable settlement.”
According to him, the management decided to speak out because “silence would only embolden further injustice”.
According to him, “This is not merely about our hotel; it is about whether private property rights, court processes, and good-faith negotiations still mean anything in Abia State.
“To members of the public, eyewitnesses, and all people of conscience: if you witnessed the sealing of the hotel, the partial demolition, last week’s looting and theft, or any attempts to dispose of our properties, or if you possess videos, photographs, or any other evidence, please preserve and share them. The truth is most powerful when it is documented.
“Just recently, July 6, 2026, the government advertised the sale of the premises to the public for the development of a housing estate, inviting interested persons to purchase.
“We consider it necessary to notify the general public that this property remains the subject of pending litigation, so prospective buyers are fully aware of the legal implications.”
Ukawoko maintained that the management remains fully committed to the legal process and the rule of law, expressing confidence that justice, though delayed, will ultimately prevail.
He called on the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, and the relevant authorities to intervene immediately, halt the alleged sale of the assets, and allow due process to take its full course.
According to him, the people of Abia deserve a government that respects the rule of law rather than one that appears to bend it to its will.
He also urged members of the public to resist the temptation of purchasing properties that are the subject of ongoing litigation, warning of the legal consequences that may arise.
Some observers are of the opinion that the Abia Hotel saga is now more political than economic and tourism, stressing that this latest action runs counter to the governor’s public statement at the flag-off of the construction of the Radisson Blue Hotel Aba that he was replicating the same hotel on the Abia Hotel Umuahia premises this year.
“I recall that the government moved to seal and demolish the hotel following the hosting of an APC rally for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the hotel premises by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu,” an observer alleged.
Meanwhile, most Abians are questioning the alllged plot by the state government to sale off the premises to the public for the development of a housing estate, stressing that it was not what they were initially told.
