A hotel owner, his wife and a security guard have been apprehended by police operative in Owheologbo, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State following the death of a client in mysterious circumstances linked to ritual killing.
Officials of Isoko North Local Government Council sealed the hotel following the suspects’ arrest.
Community sources said that the owner, his wife and a staff of the hotel have been arrested in connection with activities linked to kidnapping and rituals.
The incident was the disappearance of a lodger, Sunday Ogofotha, who came from Lagos to attend the funeral of a relative.
The police were informed and upon investigation, the police found evidence of the kidnapping and arrested the hotel owner, Joseph Oghole, the security guard and his wife.
The POS machine and other valuables of a mysteriously killed POS operator earlier were also recovered from the hotel by the Police.
Godwin Ogorugba, Council Chairman of Isoko North Local Government Area angered by the act ordered the immediate sealing of the Hotel.
Century Hotel, located in Owhelogbo community was allegedly being used as a hub for kidnapping and other criminal activities.
The victim had travelled to attend a family member’s funeral and lodged in the hotel but was allegedly killed on Friday night in his room.
According to a source, “Century home is a den of kidnappers, ritual and other criminal activities take place there. Last year, a girl, a POS operator opposite the hotel was killed in same circumstances and during the search for the man who lodged in the hotel on Friday that was killed, the POS machine and other valuables belonging to the POS girl were recovered from the hotel.
“Even the wife of the security guard in the hotel has confessed how the POS girl was killed by her husband and buried her at the back of the hotel. Century home is a butcher home where innocent people meet their untimely death.
“What surprises us was the opening at the back of the hotel with a stream and bushes all over it. Can I shock you? Do you know that the sides and front gate of the hotel are well-fenced, plastered, painted and decorated?
“But the back of the hotel where they have bush and a stream is not fenced at all and you can never notice that and that is where all the atrocities take place in the community,” she said.
Another community source narrated, “The man is from Owhelogbo community, Isoko North. He came all the way from Lagos on Friday to attend the burial of his late relative the following day which was on Saturday.
“But till on Sunday, he was not seen and relatives called his wife and luckily the man had told his wife the hotel he was lodging on arrival to the community on that very Friday.
“Based on that information, the family members moved straight to the hotel to make enquiries but they were told by the hotel management that nobody of such came to lodge in their hotel.
“After much-heated argument, the family members insisted on checking all the rooms with a bit resistance from the hotel management. As the checking was going on, they got to a particular room and the hotel owner, Chief Joseph Ovie Oghole, insisted that clients lodged in that particular room were making out so they should not be disturbed for whatever reason.
“But the family members and members of the community’s vigilante group broke the door and they saw the man on the bed already killed. He was tied with rope with so many injuries inflicted on him both his penis,” he added.
Vanguard learnt that the Council Chairman, Ogorugba with some key government officials and security personnel had visited the scene of the crime and officially sealed up the hotel following alleged kidnapping and criminal activities said to be going on in the hotel.
Ogoruba was said to have expressed his deep regret over the unfortunate event even as he emphasized the serious nature of criminal activities in the area and explained the rationale behind the recent curfew imposed in the local government for public safety.
“The police are actively investigating, and we are committed to uncovering the facts and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable. For now, I will not be able to disclose all details publicly for security reasons but be rest assured that efforts to preserve safety in Owhelogbo and the entire Isoko North Local Government remain our priority.
“This hotel should be completely sealed up and I want to warn individuals who use their structures for illegal activities, including kidnapping, that the wrath of the law shall catch up with you. Recently, I convened a meeting of hotel owners within the council and the management of this hotel failed to attend.
“During that meeting, we emphasised the need to maintain a manifest to track customer check-ins and check-outs. Moving forward, we will take decisive action against any property owners who aid criminal activities in our communities,” Ogorugba warned.
The recovered remains of Ogofotha have been deposited at an undisclosed morgue in Ozoro.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, was yet to respond to a message sent to him.
