Police shut facility after man dies in Rivers hotel

It was a chaotic scene on Thursday morning after a young man simply identified as Charles died under questionable circumstances at a hotel in Eagle Island Estate, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

It was gathered that when family members and friends of the deceased got wind of the incident, they stormed the hotel and demanded an explanation from the management.

The pandemonium disrupted business activities at the hotel as the family expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation they got that the deceased fell from a height of a balcony, insisting on seeing the CCTV footage from the hotel.

As the situation degenerated, it took the intervention of operatives from the Azikiwe Police Division in Port Harcourt, who raced to the facility following a distress call to calm frayed nerves and restore calm.

The deceased’s elder brother, identified as Obomate, told newsmen that the family was informed about Charles’ death around 5 am on Thursday.

Obomate said despite the police’s intervention, the family still insists on the CCTV footage from the hotel to ascertain what led to his brother’s death.

He stated, “I was at home around 5 am when they called me. My younger sister said someone had taken pictures and sent them to her, informing her that my younger brother had died.

“We were told that he fell from the balcony of a two-storey building at the back of the hotel. We visited the hotel, but we did not see any trace indicating that he fell from the balcony.

“What we saw were signs suggesting that someone had struggled or possibly engaged in a fight. The area was scattered, and we also saw traces of blood. When we got to the hospital, the doctor told us that it was not a mere fall. He said the wound he observed on my brother’s stomach appeared to be a stab wound that had penetrated deeply.

“He (the doctor) also said he suspects that something had been used to hit him on the neck. It appeared that he had been severely beaten, as he also had injuries on his body.”

He called for justice and a thorough investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, the police operatives have shut down the hotel and ordered everyone, including guests, to leave the premises for the time being.

A source familiar with the incident, who pleaded anonymity, said the police action was likely aimed at securing the scene and preventing the possible tampering or destruction of evidence, as well as averting any attack on the hotel.

“As we speak, the hotel has been closed by the police. They asked everybody to vacate the premises. But the family are still there, asking to see the CCTV.”

When contacted by our correspondent, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Blessing Agabe, said the deceased was initially taken to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead, saying, “His family and friends then took his remains to the hotel to seek explanation.

“As the situation became tense, our men arrived there. About five persons, including some persons who were with the deceased the night before and some staff of the hotel.

“We (the police) also sealed the hotel as part of our investigation. As I speak with you, the investigation is ongoing to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the incident.”

Meanwhile, the corpse has been removed and deposited at an undisclosed mortuary by the police.