A hotel staff member has reportedly disappeared after assaulting a female human rights lawyer, Toyin Taiwo-Ojo, during the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference held at Hillside Gardens, Victoria Island, Lagos, from August 23 to August 30.
The incident occurred during an argument between Taiwo-Ojo’s colleague, Vivian Uwakhonye, and hotel staff, who threw Uwakhonye’s belongings out of her room despite her having a reservation.
The staff member, alleged to be a 71-year-old retired army general, verbally abused Taiwo-Ojo before physically assaulting her.
Taiwo-Ojo, the chairperson of her branch’s planning committee for the conference, had made hotel reservations for her colleagues.
However, due to a mix-up, one of the reserved rooms was unavailable on the first night. Uwakhonye, who had arrived earlier, was advised by the hotel staff to pay for another room for one night until her reserved room became available.
On Monday, when Uwakhonye requested the key to her reserved room, the hotel claimed there were complications and promised to resolve them before her return. Upon returning, Uwakhonye discovered that her belongings had been removed from the room she paid for and dumped outside.
This sparked an argument between the lawyers and the hotel staff, during which the retired general allegedly slapped Taiwo-Ojo.
Uwakhonye recounted that the hotel management did not deny removing her belongings and leaving them in disarray.
The hotel manager, Afeez, confirmed the assault but denied that the assailant was a staff member, describing him as a walk-in customer.
Afeez refused to provide further details, stating that the issue had been “sorted out.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that Uwakhonye had withdrawn her complaint.
However, Uwakhonye denied this, saying the case was still pending.
The chairperson of the NBA’s Ota branch, Ajose Kelubia, expressed dismay over the incident, citing it as an example of the pervasive gender-based violence in the country.
