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A group of heavily armed men, some dressed as officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and others posing as police officers, stormed a hotel on Ago Palace Way, Lagos, unleashing terror on guests and staff.
According to the Vanguard, the attackers subjected those present to hours of brutality before making away with valuables and a massive power generator.
The assailants, estimated to be around 30 in number, arrived at Seafortunes Hotels Limited around 4 a.m. last weekend, firing gunshots indiscriminately before breaking into guest rooms.
They demanded to see the hotel owner while ransacking the premises. Eventually, they used a heavy-duty crane to remove the hotel’s generator and transport it to an undisclosed location.
Narrating the ordeal, the hotel’s Chief Executive Officer, Nwukwa Fortune, revealed that he received a distress call from a guest about the attack.
According to him, the masked intruders overpowered security personnel and staff before proceeding to dismantle the generator.
A neighbor who had parked his vehicle near the generator house was also assaulted after attempting to intervene.
Fortune later reviewed CCTV footage, which captured the attackers in NSCDC uniforms, confirming their identities.
Investigations led to the arrest of one of the suspects, identified as Nicholas, who allegedly had unresolved financial dealings with the hotel’s former manager.
The incident is believed to be linked to a dispute over a diesel supply debt involving the previous hotel operator, Mr. Ogbonna, who had defaulted on a ₦3 million payment to Nicholas.
Following the previous legal dispute, Ogbonna had been arrested and charged in court.
However, Nicholas reportedly refused to participate in the proceedings and later orchestrated the violent invasion of the hotel.
During the robbery, the attackers wielded sophisticated firearms, including AK-47 rifles, and left some guests injured.
Many lodgers fled without settling their bills, while others lost personal belongings in the chaos.
By the time officers from Ago Palace Police Station arrived, the attackers had already escaped. Fortunately, CCTV footage helped in identifying some of the perpetrators, leading to Nicholas’ arrest.
He later disclosed the generator’s location and provided information about his accomplices.
When contacted, the Lagos State NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Seun Abolurin, claimed that there was no official report of the incident at their headquarters, suggesting that the attackers might have been impersonators.
He advised the hotel management to formally report the case for proper investigation.
Similarly, Lagos State Police spokesperson David Hundeyin stated that he would follow up on the matter with the local station.
Meanwhile, an unnamed officer at Ago Palace Police Station confirmed that the incident had been reported, but authorities were still verifying whether the attackers were genuine NSCDC officers.
Investigations are ongoing as security agencies work to unravel the full details behind the shocking attack.