Tension has gripped the Oba community, located in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, following the discovery of over 30 graves and a shrine in a well-known hotel in the area.
The property, Udoka Golden Point Hotel and Suites, also known as La Cruise Hotel, was demolished on Saturday after security forces uncovered its sinister operations.
The bust was triggered by intelligence gathered through a tip-off from a whistleblower.
Authorities revealed that the hotel, which appeared to operate as a legitimate business, was found to be a front for criminal activities, including kidnapping.
The security operatives uncovered a shocking scene: over 30 partitioned graves, a shrine, and military camouflage, alongside arms and cartridges, were found on the building’s ground floor.
However, authorities have not confirmed whether any corpses were found in the graves or if any arrests were made during the operation, as they have remained tight-lipped on the details.
The Special Adviser to the state governor on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, declined to comment and referred inquiries to the governor’s Press Secretary.
A statement released via the Anambra State New Media X account described the hotel’s role in criminal activities, confirming its connection to kidnapping and other crimes.
The statement emphasized the demolition of the hotel, citing the discovery of “over 30 well-partitioned graves” and a shrine on the last floor of the building.
Christian Aburime, the Press Secretary to Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, stated that investigations were still ongoing.
He explained that the demolition was part of the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, which mandates the demolition of structures linked to criminal activity, particularly kidnapping.
Aburime also confirmed the discovery of military camouflage, arms cartridges, and other incriminating items during the raid but could not clarify whether any corpses were found or arrests made.
“The law says any structure associated with criminality must be pulled down, no matter who owns it,” he said, adding that further updates would be provided as investigations progress.
The incident has sparked mixed reactions from residents, with some expressing concerns over similar establishments operating in the area.
Others felt that a more thorough investigation should have been conducted before such drastic action was taken.
One anonymous resident, who witnessed the demolition, remarked, “This is beyond comprehension. God forbid such evil in our land!” Another resident dismissed the graves as mere partitions for fish ponds.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that they had not been briefed on the matter.
In a separate development, the Agunechemba Security Squad raided a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in a brothel in Akwu-Ukwu Oba, also within Idemili South LGA, on Saturday. Two suspected kidnappers and five prostitutes were arrested after the squad received a tip-off from local residents.
The brothel, a one-storey building, was demolished as part of the enforcement of Anambra’s Agunechemba Security Laws.
An anonymous operative involved in the operation confirmed the tip-off about suspicious activity at the brothel, where young men were frequently seen arriving late at night and leaving early in the morning.
The raid resulted in two kidnappers being apprehended, while some members of the gang remain at large, with the team vowing to track them down.
