A hotel owner in Bayelsa has threatened legal action against Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun over an unpaid debt allegedly incurred by a SWAT team deployed for a sting operation in Opu-Nembe in August 2023.
The hotelier claims that the SWAT team occupied his 50-room Euphemie Motel without permission or payment for over 13 months.
The SWAT team, led by CSP Silas Adebayo, reportedly used the motel as their operational base during preparations for the state’s governorship elections. The unpaid lodging fees are said to total N625 million, including conference room rentals.
In a letter dated September 23, 2024, the hotelier’s lawyer, Inemoye Brown of R.M Whyte & Co, demanded that the police vacate the premises and settle the debt within six weeks. The lawyer warned that failure to comply would result in a court case for damages.
The SWAT team was reportedly deployed to Opu-Nembe at the request of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and APC governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.
The petition also highlighted the damage to the hotel, which is now in need of extensive renovation due to its prolonged use by the police. The business has reportedly been left in financial distress.
The police have yet to comment on the hotelier’s claims or the demands made in the petition.
