The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has given the order for the withdrawal of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team that used Euphemie Motel as their base during a peacekeeping mission in Nembe Bassambiri, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Tribune Online learnt that the order from the IGP was issued after the attempted drag of the Nigerian Police Force to court over alleged unpaid lodging bills incurred by the SWAT team deployed to Nembe Bassambiri for peacekeeping from the 12th of August, 2023, till date.
The lodging bills, according to reports, were incurred by the Police Special Squad identified as SWAT led by one CSP, Silas Adebayo, for a reported sting operation in the Opu Nembe community ahead of the last governorship elections in the area.
The SWAT team had allegedly invaded the Opu Nembe community and occupied the Euphemie Motel, turning it into their operational base without due permission from its owners.
The SWAT team was allegedly draughted to the area at the request of the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the governorship flag bearer of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the last election, Chief Timipre Sylva.
The counsel to the owner of the Euphemie Motel, Inemoye Maxwell Brown Esq., in a letter dated 9th of October, 2024, confirmed to the Tribune Online in Yenagoa that the Nigerian Police, “as a responsible establishment, has gracefully implemented prayer one contained therein within the time frame provided as the SWAT team vacated our client’s hotel on the 3rd day of October, 2024.
Inemoye Esq., however, called on the IGP and Chairman, Police Service Commission formation, to attend to the second prayer in the petition of his client, demanding N625,000,000 covering the lodging bills from 12th August, 2023, to 12th September 2024, and be paid within six weeks upon receipt of his request.
Recall that the popular hotel owner, Euphemie Motel, had, through his lawyer, informed the IGP and Chairman, Police Service Commission, that the 50-room hotel with a lodging fee of N25,000 per night and two conference rooms of N100,000 per day was forcefully occupied by the team without payment for over 13 months.
According to Inemoye, Esq., “Our client’s business premises and the facilities are almost in complete ruin, and a complete renovation is imminent. And it is imperative to restore their facilities with a view to returning to normal business.
“We, therefore, call on the Police IG to use his good office to direct your men and officers, who had forcefully moved into and occupied our client’s hotel as described from 12th of August, 2023, till date and counting in Opu Nembe, to immediately vacate within six weeks upon receipt of this correspondence.
“That the sum of N625,000,000 only covering the above period from 12th August 2023 to 12th September 2024 be paid within six weeks upon receipt of the correspondence.”
When contacted, Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, ASP Musa Mohammed, said that he could not comment because the case is beyond the jurisdiction of the state command.
He said, “It is the PRO of the headquarters that can comment on the issue because the Opu-Nembe operation of the SWAT falls out of our jurisdiction.”
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