Special Force of the Assistant Inspector-General in Cross River State who allegedly arrested some hotel guests after planting some items believed to be “exhibits” to implicate them.
A citizen journalist with the ChroniclesReporters Newspaper, Paul Ben Manasseh has narrated his near-death experience in the hands of a team of policemen attached to the
Special Force of the Assistant Inspector-General in Cross River State who allegedly arrested some hotel guests after planting some items believed to be “exhibits” to implicate them.
SaharaReporters was told that the incident occurred at the CornerStone Bush Bar Hotel by Calabar Ikon highway in the Biase Local Government of the State on January 15, 2024.
The journalist noted that he had gone for a business trip and an investigative research on gold mining and other mineral resources in the area.
SaharaReporters gathered that the journalist lodged at the hotel but was arrested alongside some guests as well as the hotel owner, Mr. Sunday Bassey by the armed policemen called AIG Squad who stormed the hotel with a view to extorting money from them.
It was gathered that the hotel management got information that the AIG Squad was not happy and comfortable with them owing to the fact that the hotel had been favouring and extending “goodwill” only to the Anti-Cultist Squad.
In an attempt to force the hotel to reach out to them, the AIG Squad was said to have staged an operation and stormed the hotel, forcing all the occupants out and rounding them up.
They were whisked to the Ikon Zone 6 police station.
Manasseh said one of the officers upon their arrival dipped his hand in his pocket and suddenly removed “weed” just as he accused him of being in possession of “weed.”
According to him, “On 15th January I arrived in Biase for a business trip and investigative research on gold mining and other mineral resources and to also learn fintech to upgrade my web design skills. I was initially staying at Kpo Abasi guest house, I had to change my lodging to the hotel due to poor network connectivity.
“Later that afternoon, while discussing with Prince Jacob outside the hotel, someone just held my hand and dipped his hands into my pocket and removed weed and immediately slapped me and falsely accused me of possessing weed.
“I was subjected to physical assault, and several others. They went into the hotel rooms and arrested some sex workers and the hotel owner was also arrested. The incident seemed orchestrated to teach the hotel owner a lesson for favouring the anti-cult police group.
“We were taken to Ikon Zone 6 police station, a 30-40 minutes' drive from Orida Junction in Biase. At the station, we were coerced into admitting guilt for the weed they claimed to have found. They confiscated our phone, i request to call my lawyer and i was slapped and prevented me from contacting my lawyer. The hotel owner and others were pressured into giving interviews under duress. And the police told them all they would say, threatening them that if they want to be free they should do as told.”
The police were said to have demanded for the sum of N500,000 from the hotel owner to facilitate the release of those arrested during the operation.
Meanwhile, the detention warrant was said to have been signed by one officer Edom, and was issued by the OC in charge of the AIG squad, Calabar.
The hotel owner said he was forced to pay the whooping sum of N310,000 before they were all granted bail.
He said none of the officers was ready to give out his account details when he demanded it to enable him make the payment via transfer rather he was asked to send the money through a POS operator.
The owner of the hotel, Bassey who spoke to SaharaReporters on the unfortunate incident said the entire scenario was like a case of “kidnap” by the police authorities who broke into the premises of the hotel and abducted all his guests using brute force. He said the guests were all handcuffed and subjected to all forms of degrading treatment like common criminals.
He said “The policemen came to raid my hotel on that day without no reason. I told them that this young man is a guest but they did not listen. They slapped him, pushed him inside the vehicle and handcuffed him. They also arrested everybody in the hotel. When I came out to plead with them that the young man was a guest in the hotel and they should release him, they pushed me inside the vehicle and handcuffed me. They also collected my phone.
“They took us to Ikon police station and started demanding money from us . They asked us to pay N500,000 or we would sleep in the cell. I managed to raise N310,000 before they released us that night.”
When SaharaReporters reached out to one leader of the AIG Squad, Dennis Ibeh for reaction over the incident and allegations he declined comment on the matter just as he referred our correspondent to get what transpired.
“We can't explain anything to you as an individual because I don't know who I am talking to. Go to the hotel manager and find out,” Ibeh said.
While reacting to the incident the Cross River State Police Spokesperson, Irene Ugbo said she was not aware of the incident and neither the police nor the victims reported the matter to her.
Ugbo said “I am not aware of such a matter you have just talked about, neither the police related the matter to me nor the victims involved. Normally when a matter happens they will send a signal to me so that I will be aware of the case in case journalists call me so that I will have something to say.”
Meanwhile efforts to get the Police Spokesperson for AIG Zone 6 for reaction were not successful as repeated calls to his mobile phone were not answered.