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Midnight Raid by Policemen Led by DPO on Abuja Hotel: Staff and Guests Arrested, N500,000 Bail Demanded
In a shocking midnight raid on Hotel VIMA located in the 1st Avenue area of Gwarinpa, Abuja, Nigerian policemen, led by the Divisional Police Officer of Gwarinpa, Babale Hamza Galadima, stormed the premises, arrested all occupants, and caused significant property damage. This incident, which occurred around 11:30 PM on Sunday night, has sparked widespread outrage and allegations of misconduct.
Videos obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday showed extensive damage, including broken doors and destroyed furniture. CCTV footage further revealed scenes of chaos, with staff and guests, including a family with small children, being marched outside and forced to sit on the floor. One officer was seen carrying a stick, allegedly used to beat the hotel guests.
Hotel manager Wayne described the scene, stating, “At about 11:30 PM on the 14th of July, some men of the Nigerian police stormed our hotel in a manner that resembled a robbery. All customers and visible staff were harassed, beaten, and dehumanized. Property was destroyed, and everyone present was arrested and taken to the station.”
According to the victims, those taken to the Gwarinpa Police Division have been asked to pay N500,000 each as bail. Wayne confirmed that as of 5:45 PM on Monday, all hotel staff were still detained.
“The operation lasted about an hour, with only the receptionist and gateman left behind. Laptops were seized, money from the front desk was taken, and some guests’ money was also stolen,” Wayne recounted.
The manager’s footage showed the aftermath of the invasion, with broken doors, damaged chairs, and abandoned meals. A voice in one of the videos criticized the police’s actions, noting that there had been no prior investigation or warning to the hotel management.
“The Nigerian Police Gwarinpa Division, personally led by the DPO, arrived around midnight and harassed all guests and staff. They claimed the hotel was harboring criminals, but no internal investigation was conducted, and no prior notice was given,” the narrator said. “They arrested everyone, including a man with his wife and child, without any justification.”
A source told SaharaReporters that the DPO’s actions were part of a strategy to raise money to meet financial targets set by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ben Igweh. The source alleged that the DPO had a history of raiding joints and hotels to extort money.
“The DPO, Hamza Galadima, has been conducting similar operations to gather funds for kickbacks to the FCT Commissioner. Innocent customers are being asked to pay N500,000 each for bail,” the source claimed.
An eyewitness recounted a recent incident where the DPO arrested him during a peaceful gathering and demanded bail money. Many victims of Mr. Galadima’s alleged unprofessional conduct are reportedly willing to testify before the Inspector General of Police.
The FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, was unavailable for comments at the time of reporting.
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