A yet-to-be-identified hotel staff member has disappeared after assaulting a female human rights lawyer, Toyin Taiwo-Ojo, during the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference held at Hillside Gardens, Victoria Island, Lagos, between August 23 and August 30.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident happened during an argument between Taiwo-Ojo’s colleague, Vivian Uwakhonye, and the hotel attendants, who threw Uwakhonye’s belongings out of her room despite her having a reservation.

The worker, believed to be a 71-year-old retired army general, was said to have made derogatory remarks about Taiwo-Ojo before physically assaulting her.

Taiwo-Ojo, the chairperson of her branch’s planning committee for the conference, said she made reservations for her members who would be staying for a few days in Lagos.

She said, “The reservations were supposed to start on Sunday but one of the rooms reserved was not available. So, they said the reservation for that room would start on Monday.

“I wanted to tell Uwakhonye who owned that reservation that she could stay in my room until Monday when her room becomes available, but she had already gotten to the hotel on Sunday. When she could not access her reserved room, the attendants told her that there was a vacant room, and she paid for it hoping that she would sleep there till Monday when her reserved room would be free.

“When we were going for the conference on Monday, Uwakhonye requested the key to her reserved room and the receptionist said there were some complications and promised to sort it before we returned.

“By the time we came back, we discovered that they had entered the room she paid for and threw out her things.”

This turned into an argument between the lawyers and the hotel attendants during which the retired general reportedly came to the scene and slapped Taiwo-Ojo.

Narrating her experience to Sunday PUNCH, Uwakhonye “They refused to give me the keys to my reserved room and said the person who was there had extended their stay.

“When I asked for the room I paid for the previous night, they also said it had been occupied too. When I asked for my luggage, the receptionist said they removed it and dropped it on the balcony. She said they didn’t need my consent to throw my things out.”

Uwakhonye said the manager, supervisor, and attendant did not deny removing her luggage from her room at the police station, and added that everything in her bags was scattered.

It was also gathered the hotel management had refused to provide his contact details for tracing.

The manager of the hotel who identified himself as Afeez confirmed that Taiwo-Ojo was assaulted but denied that the suspect was a staff of the hotel, stating that “He (the man) is a walk-in customer who just comes in to drink and leaves.”

Afeez also refused to give further details on the matter and noted that the incident involving Uwakhonye’s bags being thrown out and money stolen had been resolved.

“Everything is just complicated. Let me be sincere with you. But we have sorted it out. I can guarantee you that,” he added.

NBA, police differ

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a text message, told our correspondent that Uwakhonye had withdrawn the complaint.

However, Uwakhonye denied the claim, adding that the case was still pending.

Speaking to our correspondent, the chairperson of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ota branch, which Taiwo-Ojo belongs to, Ajose Kelubia, said the incident was disheartening and showed the level of gender-based violence in the country.

Kelubia said the police were yet to arrest the suspect since Monday, adding that the hotel management has also refused to provide his contact details.

PUNCH