Protest in Delta over Stripping of Hotel Workers
Activists, under the ages of Young Nigerian Rights Organization (YNRO), have condemned the alleged stripping of four hotel workers at Signatious Hotel, Effurun, Delta State, over the missing of N5,000 by the proprietor and former Minister of State for Education, Kenneth Gbagi.
The activists protested the alleged dehumanizing treatment meted out to the workers yesterday in Asaba, the state capital.
They marched on major roads with placards with various inscriptions, such as: “Human rights under attack in Delta State”; “We say no to bad justice in Nigeria”; “Federal Government, Nigerian lawyers and other well-meaning individuals should assist the victims to get justice.”
The group’s spokesman Victor Ojei alleged that the hotel proprietor allegedly ordered the arrest of his workers after stripping them naked for allegedly stealing N5,000 belonging to the hotel.
Ojei said: “We are here today (Tuesday) to protest the dehumanization of human rights of four workers of Signatious Hotel in Effurun, Warri, over missing of N5,000. We are saying no to bad justice in Nigeria.
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“Three females and one man were held hostage, stripped naked in the hotel room, photographed and put on video cameras by the management of the hotel in Delta.
“Last Friday, the management of hotel stripped the lady and the others naked, filmed them in the presence of the police at gun point.
Cash was also withdrawn from the victims’ accounts through their ATM cards before the police bundled them into a waiting van…”
Reacting to the allegation, the hotel management, in a statement by its spokesman Egba Ederoghene said: “…We wish to categorically state that at no time did Gbagi subject any staff of the Hotel to such humiliation as he is presently bereaved and occupied with preparing for the funeral of his sister who passed away recently.
“The management also wishes to use this opportunity to inform the public that the workers in the pictures are part of a malicious conspiracy by some political detractors to bring Gbagi’s character to disrepute.
This wouldn’t be the first time an attempt has been made to smear the character of our Chairman for whatever reason.”
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