The Delta State Police Command has arrested the manager of Century Home Hotel in Owheologbo, Isoko North Local Government Area, alongside three others, following the mysterious death of a lodger, Mr. Sunday Ogofotha.
Authorities have sealed off the hotel after preliminary investigations linked it to criminal activities, including kidnapping and ritual killings.
However, the hotel owner and his wife, who were initially invited for questioning, have been cleared of any wrongdoing and released.
Mr. Ogofotha, who had traveled from Lagos for a relative’s burial, was last seen on Friday after checking into the hotel.
When his family could not reach him by Sunday, they traced his whereabouts to the hotel based on information he had shared with his wife.
Upon arriving at the hotel, family members and community vigilantes demanded access to all rooms.
Despite resistance from the hotel management, they forcefully entered one of the rooms, where they discovered Mr. Ogofotha’s lifeless body. He was reportedly bound with ropes, bearing multiple injuries, including mutilation of his genitals.
Further searches within the hotel reportedly led to the recovery of a PoS machine and other belongings of a PoS operator who had been murdered in a similar fashion last year.
A suspect’s wife has allegedly confessed that her husband was involved in the killing and burial of the PoS operator behind the hotel.
Reacting to the gruesome discovery, the Chairman of Isoko North LGA, Godwin Ogorugba, ordered the immediate closure of the hotel. He condemned the incident and reiterated his administration’s commitment to combating crime.
“This hotel should be completely shut down. We will not tolerate businesses that serve as safe havens for criminals. Hotel owners must maintain proper records of lodgers. Those who fail to comply will face the full force of the law,” Ogorugba warned.
Confirming the incident, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, stated that four suspects, including the hotel manager, were in custody. However, he clarified that the hotel owner and his wife were not involved in the crime.
“The hotel owner and his wife were only invited for questioning and have been released. The primary suspects in our custody are those who had knowledge of the crime,” Edafe said.
Meanwhile, the remains of Mr. Ogofotha have been deposited at an undisclosed morgue in Ozoro as investigations continue.
