By Jude Atupulazi
As the whereabouts of kidnapped Vice Chairman of Dubai Estate Mr. Benjamin Ezenma, popularly known as Big Ben, continues to be unknown, more startling revelations have emerged about the stay of the otherwise known as Big Ben at the Maxbe Continental Hotels Limited, Awka, before he was abducted on November 12, 2024.
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, while speaking to newsmen that visited the hotel on Monday, said that Mr. Ezenma might 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 a friend of the abducted victim whose name was not mentioned, was later invited by the DSS for interrogation and might have stayed in the facility of the security agents for a few days before being 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 friend was also invited by the DSS and we are aware that the friend 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.
