Time for hotels to step up vigilance

ON July 2, 2025, Emmanuel Gambo, a 200-level student of material and metallurgical engineering at the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka, was arrested for the alleged murder of a 22-year-old female undergraduate, Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem, in a hotel room in Obukpa, Nsuka, Enugu State. The duo had checked into the hotel on June 14 at about 9pm but at some point during their stay, an argument had broken out. According to the police investigations, the disagreement allegedly stemmed from issues surrounding payment, presumably for services rendered. Emmanuel, apparently unable or unwilling to resolve the matter amicably, allegedly strangled Deborah to death and concealed her lifeless body, wrapped in a towel and curtains, under the bed in the hotel room, obviously to avoid detection. He then checked out the next morning, telling inquisitive receptionists that Deborah had already left. The hotel staff later noticed a foul stench emanating from the room and discovered Deborah’s body in an advanced state of decomposition. They immediately alerted the authorities.

Spokesman of the Enugu State command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, stated that “the suspect used a false name and untraceable contact information”, which made it initially difficult for the police to identify and locate him. Gambo was, however, tracked down and arrested by the police through intelligence-led efforts. Among the victim’s personal effects recovered from the suspect were her iPhone, a Redmi tablet, earbuds, and a bottle of red wine that was with the victim, and some of which he had allegedly thrown out of the hotel window in an attempt to discard the evidence. According to Ndukwe, the case has been transferred to the state CID for further investigations.

This is, of course, not the only case in recent times. In February,  a 21-year-old lady, Esther Isaac Asuquo, was found dead in her hotel room in Agete Resort, Gwarinpa, Abuja, with blood on her face and lips, and a black and swollen eye. On June 16, another young lady, Aladi Offikwu Johnson, was found dead in her hotel room on 3rd Avenue, Gwarinpa, Abuja, with her hands tied behind her back. She had checked into the hotel, accompanied by an unidentified man, who left the hotel alone. During the routine service by hotel staff the next day, she was found unconscious, and was later confirmed dead by medical personnel. Also, last month, the Bayelsa State Police confirmed the death of 22-year-old Francisca Otu, a commercial sex worker from Omubo, Akwa Ibom State. She was found naked and lifeless in a room at Favour Home Guest House in Igbogene, Yenagoa, where she had checked in with an unidentified man.

The stories are, to say the least, distressing. They raise serious concerns about security and staff vigilance in hotels nationwide.  The rise in suspicious deaths, violent crimes and unchecked activities within hotel rooms across the country is deeply saddening and unacceptable. The recent spike in reported murder cases involving young women lodged, lured, killed, and robbed by their male companions in hotels across Nigeria is a grim reminder of the security gaps that exist in the hospitality industry. Traditional havens of rest and privacy are increasingly becoming scenes of unspeakable violence. Hotels are supposed to be safe spaces where guests can relax and feel protected. They are not just spaces for leisure or business; they are places where people expect to be safe, no matter their status, gender, or reason for lodging. When that basic expectation is violated, it points  to institutional negligence. It cannot be cheery news that human lives are being lost due to negligence, poor checks and, in some cases, a disturbing culture of indifference. While it is true that hotels cannot fully control who walks in or what intentions guests may have, they do have the power and responsibility  to minimise risks. In this regard, the absence of basic security measures such as functioning CCTV cameras, digital guest records, and trained personnel is inexcusable. The hotels either in these cases had no CCTV coverage at all or claimed that their systems were not functioning at the time. In an age where digital surveillance is both affordable and essential, such negligence is unacceptable. If these systems had been working, if check-in details had been properly logged, lives might have been saved; or, at the very least, justice would have been much easier to pursue. The similarities between these cases are not coincidences; they are symptoms of a widespread culture of carelessness and lack of accountability in parts of the hospitality sector. In the separate cases, the women who lost their lives had all checked into the respective hotels with unidentified men. And the hotel staff were unable to provide complete guest information to the authorities, raising serious questions about how check-in records are observed in the hotels and why proper ID verification is apparently neglected.

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For far too long, many hotels have operated with lax check-in protocols. Guests can check in without proper identification, and visitors come and go without being logged.  It has therefore become painfully clear that hotels must urgently rethink their approach to guest safety. The time has come for the industry to adopt a culture of vigilance and accountability. This cycle of violence must end. It requires a commitment from every hotel owner, manager, and employee to prioritise the safety of every individual who walks through their doors. There must be enforced identification protocols for every guest, with a digital trail of who checks in, with whom, and when.  Additionally, CCTV coverage in lobbies, corridors, and exits must be functional and monitored actively, not just installed for show.

Hotels should also train their staff to detect red flags and empower them to act. This includes knowing when to ask questions, how to discreetly raise alarms, and what to do in emergencies. A well-trained receptionist or cleaner might be the difference between life and death in a suspicious situation. Furthermore, panic buttons or emergency alert systems in rooms should be considered. Women–indeed all guests– must feel they have a lifeline, even when they are behind closed doors. Finally, collaboration between hotels and law enforcement should be strengthened. Regular audits, background checks, and security partnerships will reassure the public that safety is not being left to chance. Security is not a luxury—it is a duty. Until hotels take firm and visible steps to safeguard lives, they risk becoming accomplices to preventable tragedies. Every life lost is a stain on the conscience of a system that failed to care. The time to act is now.

The safety of human lives must outweigh commercial interests. No guest should fear that checking into a hotel might be the last decision she ever makes. We urge all hotels nationwide to implement a strict guest identification system and flag suspicious behavior. It is not enough to focus on luxury and convenience; safety must come first. The regulatory authorities must step up their game. Random inspections, penalties for negligence, and transparent investigations into hotel-related crimes must become the norm. A hotel operating without adequate surveillance and guest accountability should not be in business.