PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – The outgoing Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, ordered the police to seal off a hotel and a bar in the Elekahia area of Port Harcourt in the early hours of Monday, May 29, 2023.
The establishments in question — CSKR Hotels and Priscy’s Bar — belong to Hon. Jones Ogbonda, a former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly and a supporter of Atiku Abubarkar.
In a brief message, the former state legislator confirmed the sealing of his properties around 2:55 am by the C4i State Police Unit. The law enforcement officers reportedly manhandled both staff and lodgers at both sealed premises, forcibly ejecting them from the buildings.
“Nysom Wike just sent C4i police unit to seal my hotel, CSKR hotels, and Priscy’s bar both at Elekahia. The police manhandled both lodgers and staff and forcefully drove out everyone in the premises,” a part of Ogbonda’s message reads.
The state government and police provided no reasons for this latest order to seal the hotel and bar.
This incident recalls a similar event from last year, August 19, 2022, when Wike ordered the sealing of Priscy’s bar. Staff and customers were arrested and detained by men of the Tactical Team of Nigeria Police Force, C4i.
The bar was sealed off for 11 days before the then-governor directed it to be unsealed.
