The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has bowed to pressure over the quit notice issued by the management of a popular hotel, Euphemie Motel, to a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit to leave premises of the facility.
The SWAT unit was also ordered to move out of Opu-Nembe in Nembe Bassambiri community. The community is in the Nembe Local Government Area of the state.
Egbetokun issued the order following the threat to sue him over the alleged unpaid debt incurred by the police SWAT team deployed to the community since August 12, 2023.
It was learnt that the debt was incurred by the SWAT unit led by one CSP Silas Adebayo for a reported sting operation in the community ahead of the last governorship election in the area.
The SWAT team had allegedly invaded the Opu Nembe community and occupied Euphemie Motel, turning it into their operational base without due permission from its owners.
The SWAT team was allegedly drafted to the area on the request of the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last election, Chief Timipre Sylva.
Inemoye Maxwell Brown Esq., counsel for the owner of Euphemie Motel, in a letter dated October 9, 2024, confirmed to journalists in Yenagoa that the police, “as a respectable and responsible establishment has gracefully implemented one the prayers contained therein within the time frame provided as the SWAT team vacated our client’s hotel on the 3rd day of October, 2024”.
Brown, however, called on Egbetokun to also see to the second prayer in the petition of his client requesting the sum of N625,000,000 only, covering the period between August 12, 2023 and September 12, 2024, be paid within six weeks upon receipt of the correspondence.
The hotel owner, had through his prayers informed Egbetokun and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission that the 50-bedroom hotel with lodging fee of N25,000 per-night and two conference rooms of N100,000 per day, was occupied by the police personnel without payment for over 13 months.
According to Brown, “our client’s business premises and the facilities are almost in complete ruin and a complete renovation is imminent”.
He said, “And it is imperative to restore their facilities with a view to return to normal business.
“We therefore call on the Police IG to use his good office to direct your men and officers, who had forcefully moved into and occupied our client’s hotel as described from 12th of August, 2023 till date and counting in Opu Nembe to immediately vacate within six weeks upon receipt of this correspondence.
“That the sum of N625,000,000 only covering the above period from 12th August, 2023 to 12th September, 2024 be paid withing six weeks upon receipt of the correspondence.”