A group, Young Nigerian Right Organisation, has alleged that a former Minister of State for Education, Mr Kenneth Gbagi, had asked employees of the Signatious Hotel in Warri, Delta State, to strip naked.
According to them, the former minister and the Chairman of the hotel allegedly ordered that four workers — three women and a man — be stripped naked.
While carrying out a protest in Asaba, the leader of the protest and Director, Young Nigerian Right Organisation, Victor Ojei, alleged that the hotel owner ordered the arrest of the workers over ₦5,000.
Their nudes were filmed, with the snapshots sent online.
Ojei and other right groups also took to the streets of Asaba to protest the dehumanisation of the hotel workers, identified as Gloria Oguzie, Victor Ephraim, Rosslyn Okiemute and Precious Achibong.
The activists, who carried placards with different inscriptions, such as “Human rights under attack in Delta State” and “We say no to bad justice in Nigeria”, called on the federal and state governments and lawyers to assist the victims to get justice.
Ojei claimed that the hotel workers were stripped naked in the presence of the police, who were called in to take them into custody.
He said, “Three females and one man were held hostage, stripped naked in the hotel room, photographed and put on video camera by the management of the hotel.
“Last week Friday, the management of the hotel stripped the ladies naked, filmed them in the presence of the police and at gunpoint. Cash was also withdrawn from the victims’ accounts through their ATM cards, before the police bundled them into a waiting van.
“The police, who should protect the citizens, connived with the hotel management and dehumanised them. Let’s assume that they stole the money; there are channels to address such matters.”
The activists condemned the act, urging the state Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa, to investigate the incident and arrest all those complicit.
However, speaking to the Director, Human Resources, Signatious Hotel, Egba Ederoghene, in a statement, said the allegations were meant to tarnish the reputation of Gbagi.
