Man dies in Delta hotel

Elo Edremoda, Warri

A man identified simply as Mr. Tony is confirmed to have died at one Eliko Hotel, along Refinery Road, Uvwie council area of Delta State.

The incident, it was gathered happened on Saturday, September 5, in one of the guests’ room.

Circumstances surrounding the death were still sketchy as of the time of filing this report, but findings revealed he was a guest at the hotel.

Sources said the deceased had lodged in with a female guest.

Efforts to speak with the management of the hotel, days after the incident were frustrated by the management which it was observed tried to hide the incident.

When The Nation visited the premises, a supervisor (name withheld), at the hotel refused to confirm that such had happened over the weekend.

Surprised and visibly taken aback by the fact that the report was in the public domain, he asked “how did you know, who told you? This whole story, I have not verified the authenticity of this thing. I don’t really know but I will get more information about what you guys are saying”.

He, alongside a receptionist, said only the manager of the hotel could answer to this reporter’s interrogations and he (the manager) was not on a seat at the time.

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They, however, refused to make the phone number of the manager available and when asked to call him, they claimed his number was switched off.

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The supervisor later promised to convey a message to the manager and report the hotel’s position to our correspondent.

When called last Tuesday, the supervisor said “nothing of such happened. That was why I was asking where you people got the information. I was wondering where you people got that information from. Nothing happened. Nobody died here.”

Asked if that was the position of the hotel’s authority, he said “yes. Nobody died”.

When this reporter was finally able to reach the hotel manager on the phone, Sunday, he said “I will get back to you.”

After several hours, no response was gotten from him and calls to his phone line rang out.

Meanwhile, the Delta State Police Command confirmed the incident via a phone conversation with The Nation.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya said “yes, the incident at Eliko Hotel is true. They said they saw a lifeless body. The manager saw his lifeless body in a room. I think he was a guest.”