The police have shut down a hotel in Eagle Island Estate, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following the death of a young man identified as Charles under circumstances described by his family as suspicious.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday, with the deceased’s relatives and friends rushing to the hotel after receiving news of his death.
According to the family, hotel management claimed that Charles fell from the balcony of a two-storey building at the rear of the facility. However, his relatives rejected the explanation and demanded access to the hotel’s CCTV footage to establish what happened.
Charles’ elder brother, Obomate, said the family was informed of the death around 5am.
He alleged that when they visited the scene, they found signs suggesting that a struggle or fight might have occurred. He also claimed that there were traces of blood at the location.
Obomate further said a doctor who examined Charles’ body raised concerns over injuries that appeared inconsistent with a simple fall.
According to him, the family was told that the deceased had an injury on his stomach suspected to be a deep stab wound, while there were also injuries around his neck and other parts of his body.
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“My brother cannot die like that. That’s why we want a thorough investigation to know what really happened,” he said.
Following the development, operatives of the Azikiwe Police Division reportedly intervened after receiving a distress call and shut down the hotel.
Guests and other occupants were ordered to vacate the premises temporarily, reportedly to preserve the scene and prevent possible tampering with evidence.
The deceased’s remains have since been deposited at an undisclosed mortuary by the police.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Rivers State Police Command spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing the report.
The circumstances surrounding Charles’ death remain under investigation.
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