Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Revelations have continued to emerge about the stay of the Vice Chairman of Dubai Estate, Mr. Benjamin Ezenma, at the Maxbe Continental Hotels Limited before his kidnap, last year.
It would be recalled that Ezenma, popularly known as Big Ben, was kidnapped on November 12, 2024, in Awka by yet to be identified kidnappers.
Sources in the social media reported that Mr. Benjamin Ezenma was kidnapped in front of Maxbe hotel where he lodged before the incident.
The Manager of the hotel, in reaction, denied the allegation that Big Ben was kidnapped in front or near the hotel premises.
The Manager who refused to disclose his name for security reasons, after profiling the newsmen that visited the hotel said that Mr. Ezenma may have been waylaid by his abductors and taken away as he drove out of the hotel premises.
He said that Mr. Ezenma operated from the hotel for three weeks before he was kidnapped on that fateful day.
He stated that from the Close Circuit Television camera (CCTV) footage of the hotel, it was discovered that Mr. Ezenma was waylaid and kidnapped after he had left the hotel premises.
He further stated that he (hotel manager) was invited for questioning by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) after the State Director of DSS and his men had stormed the complex for discreet investigations.
Also, he said that the girlfriend of the abducted victim whose name was not mentioned was later invited by the DSS for interrogation and may have stayed in the facility of the security agents for a few days before she was released.
“Actually I know the man in person, he was here for over three weeks. He operated from here (the hotel). Going by the CCTV footage of the cameras, it was discovered that his abductors waylaid him after he left the hotel premises.
“We have encountered a lot of people who have come for enquiries. The DSS, his friends and associates were here. His brother even came to enquire from us about his whereabouts.
“The DSS came and later invited me to their office for further questioning; his girlfriend was also invited by the DSS and we are aware that the girlfriend spent more time with him during his three weeks stay with us here.
“The day the incident took place, we were not informed about his movement that fateful evening. We thought that he went out to pick something across the road,” the Manager noted.
