Police Close Hotel After Young Man's Death in Rivers

It was a chaotic scene on Thursday morning after a young man named Charles died under unclear circumstances at a hotel in Eagle Island Estate, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Family and friends of the deceased rushed to the hotel after hearing the news. They demanded answers from the hotel management.

The uproar interrupted business at the hotel. The family was unhappy with the explanation they received, which stated that Charles fell from a balcony. They insisted on seeing the hotel's CCTV footage.

As the situation escalated, operatives from the Azikiwe Police Division in Port Harcourt responded to a distress call. They arrived to calm the crowd and restore order.

The deceased's elder brother, Obomate, told reporters that the family learned about Charles' death around 5 am on Thursday.

Obomate said that despite police intervention, the family remains adamant about viewing the CCTV footage to find out what led to his brother's death. He said, "I was at home around 5 am when they called me. My younger sister said someone had taken pictures and sent them to her, informing her that my younger brother had died."

He added, "We were told that he fell from the balcony of a two-storey building at the back of the hotel. We visited the hotel, but we did not see any trace indicating that he fell from the balcony."

Obomate continued, "What we saw were signs suggesting that someone had struggled or possibly engaged in a fight. The area was scattered, and we also saw traces of blood. When we got to the hospital, the doctor told us that it was not a mere fall. He said the wound he observed on my brother’s stomach appeared to be a stab wound that had penetrated deeply."

He also mentioned, "He (the doctor) also said he suspects that something had been used to hit him on the neck. It appeared that he had been severely beaten, as he also had injuries on his body."

He called for justice and a thorough investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, police operatives closed down the hotel and ordered everyone, including guests, to leave for now.

A source familiar with the incident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the police action aimed to secure the scene. They want to prevent any tampering or destruction of evidence and avoid any attacks on the hotel.

"As we speak, the hotel has been closed by the police. They asked everybody to vacate the premises. But the family is still there, asking to see the CCTV," the source said.

When contacted, Blessing Agabe, spokesperson of the State Police Command, said the deceased was taken to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead. She said, "His family and friends then took his remains to the hotel to seek explanation."

Agabe added, "As the situation became tense, our men arrived there. About five persons, including some who were with the deceased the night before and some hotel staff, were also present. We (the police) also sealed the hotel as part of our investigation. As I speak with you, the investigation is ongoing to find out the causes of the incident."

The police have since removed the corpse and taken it to an undisclosed mortuary.