By Cletus Ukpong, Premium Times
The man whose hotel in Cross River State was demolished by the State Government has denied the allegation that the hotel was used as kidnappers’ hideout.
The Cross River State security outfit called Operation Akpakwu, Friday, demolished the Save Side Hotel located at 8 Miles, Calabar, following the arrest of a man they accused of being a kidnapper inside the hotel.
The Government did not provide evidence to back up its claim against the hotel, but said, “The Police have done their investigation, (and) all legal procedures were taken before this building was demolished”.
“It’s a lie. You know the Government needs to cook their story the way they want it,” Saviour Omin, the owner of the Save Side Hotel, told Premium Times, Saturday.
Mr. Omin said he is a Youth Leader in the community where the hotel is. He said the community would not have elected him a Youth Leader if he were not of good character.
Besides, Mr. Omin said, a hotel is a public place where the owner does not have the ability to know or control who comes in.
He said apart from the Government pulling down his hotel, he was detained for five days at the Police headquarters and was regularly beaten up.
“I don’t know what is really happening, I was thinking it was a joke until I went and saw that my hotel had been demolished.
“I don’t know what I have done against the Cross River State Government, I am an indigene of this place and a citizen (of Nigeria),” he said.