- Crack Detectives Comb Hotel For Incriminating Facts…
- Gbagi Denies allegations, Says It’s Political Plots Against His Ambition
By Gbenga Abulude (Politics & General Desk)
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Adamu has allegedly ordered a full scale investigations into allegations of dehumanization of four Signatious Hotel workers levelled against a former Minister of Education (State), Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi.
The New Diplomat learnt that a team of crack detectives has been deployed to investigate the allegations as well as carry out a reconnoitering operations on the hotel, Signatious Hotel, owned by Olorogun Gbagi who served as Minister of State for education during the administration of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
The IGP’s directive to a team of detectives to probe the case followed public outcry and condemnation over viral pictures and visuals of four employees of Signatious Hotel that were stripped naked and disgraced for an offence allegedly committed while on duty.
According to a source, the action of the former minister who is eyeing the seat of Delta State Governor, made many indigenes of the state furious and this accordingly attrcated the attention of the Police hierarchy in Abuja.
Signatious Hotel is located in Warri in Delta State. It was gathered that the incident allegedly happened last Friday and the former minister reportedly ordered the affected employees: three women and a man with the names Gloria Oguzie, Victor Ephraim, Rosslyn Okiemute and Precious Achibong to be punished.
Some accounts allege the affected workers were accordingly stripped naked to their underwears, recorded and the clips sent online. It was gathered that one of the victims is a married woman.
But in his own response, Gbagi who has been a recurring contestant for the position of governorship of Delta State for more a decade, denied any involvement in the scandalous incident. According to him, as a former chairman of Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, he is well versed in ethical matters such that he fully understands that such act is not only unethical but also impossible for him to undertake. He insist that it is the handiwork of politicians to discredit him ahead of the governorship primary in Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).
The former Minister of State for education said he has scheduled a press briefing where he would explain the details of what transpired insisting the affected persons are not staff of his hotel but persons allegedly involved in illegal and inappropriate acts within and around the hotel premises.
Gbagi is a chieftain of the PDP. He hails from Delta Central Senatorial zone of Delta state. He has been likened to a recurring name in the governorship race since 2007. Within the PDP in Delta Central, some of his rivals who have reportedly signaled their desire to contest the 2023 PDP gubernatorial primary with Gbagi include Olorogun David Edevwie, Governor Okowa’s Chief of Staff, Chief James Augoye, Governor Okowa’s Commissioner for Works, Mr Peter Mrakpor, Governor Okowa’s Commissioner for Justice and Attorney -General, and ace Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sherrif Oborevwori who is in his second term.
Not-withstanding his denials, the affected staff are already pressing charges against Gbagi. Consequently, the maltreated workers on Wednesday through their lawyers sued Gbagi and his management, demanding for N1bn compensation and public apology from the former minister, among others in a letter sent to the former minister and the hotel management.
Earlier, Police team from the Delta State Command, Friday, reportedly stormed the hotel, combed it and arrested some persons. It is not however clear what the true identities of those reportedly arrested are.
The alleged dehumanized staff continue to insist that they didn’t act illegally as being alleged, stressing that the sum in question was a tip given by a customer who appreciated their services.
Recall that the IGP, Adamu as a result of the alleged inhuman treatment, dispatched a team of detectives from Force Headquarters in Abuja to Delta State for the immediate investigation of the allegations and effect necessary arrest.
Following the reported warrant of arrest, it was gathered that a team of policemen including detectives were detailed to comb the hotel in search of evidence and facts to determine the culpability of Gbagi and others allegedly mentioned in connection with the trending narrative on various digital platforms.
However, Gbagi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and a governorship aspirant for the Delta State governorship election in 2023, has since denied any wrongdoing. Sources said the ex-Minister is currently in his community, Oginibo in Delta State participating in a function, and has scheduled a press briefing for today to state his own side of the unfolding scandal and barbaric act.
