Metro
Police Clear Avista Beach Resort of Complicity in Fun Seeker’s Death
Nigeria’s leading hospitality destination, Avista Beach Resort in Lekki, Lagos has been cleared of all rumours of breaches, complicity or wrong doing in the unfortunate circumstances leading to the death of a fun seeker.
A grossly misinformed phone recorded video posted on social media a few days after Valentine’s Day had alleged that the fun seeker who was reported missing had been kidnapped and his body parts mutilated by ritualists.
Preliminary police investigation has however, revealed that contrary to claims made in the hurried video that the deceased had lodged at the resort, himself and 14 other youthful friends had instead lodged in another hotel close by and only spent about 90 minutes at the resort from 7.30pm to 9.00 pm.
Upon receiving a call the next day from Barracuda Beach, which is about 6 kilometres away from Avista Beach Resort, the police drove down to recover the body and confirmed he had drowned and his body parts were untouched and intact. Apparently, the cold ocean waves had washed his body ashore so far away from the resort.
It is commendable to note that the Lagos State Safety Commission, upon hearing news of the mishap, had immediately swung into action; initially sealed up the resort to investigate the matter, but later re-opened it after facts emerged that all safety measures were adhered to at Avista Beach Resort.
Speaking on behalf of the popular Avista Beach Resort, the manager, Nosa Adun has made further clarifications to the media saying, “If caution had been exercised and the warning signs at the beach front followed by the young man and his friends, the tragedy would have been totally averted. This has never happened before at Avista.
“However, we wish to express our heartfelt condolence to the family and friends of the deceased over the tragic incident that occurred the Saturday after Valentine’s Day at the beach, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time” Adun said.
Below are excerpts from the official media statement made by the management of Avista Beach Resort has been in circulation since its February 22, 2024 release date.
Given the seriousness of the matter, it is very imperative for us to correct some misconception and misrepresentation of facts in the media space. The deceased, accompanied by 14 others, including his girlfriend, arrived for an evening at our resort and they were given access to our resort because they came with hand tags from the hotel next to our resort. They brought their own foods and beverages, which was against our policy, but were eventually allowed to bring in the items after so much pleading.
The deceased and his friends sat at one of our cabanas, decided to proceed further to the beach front despite signages that clearly advised caution due to the absence of lifeguards particularly at night when tidal currents may vary.
At 9.00 pm while they were bound to return to their hotel, they realized that the deceased was not amongst them, they went back to the beach front to search for him but couldn’t find him, and left the resort without seeing him.
The following morning, the family returned with law enforcement officers, alleging that their brother had been kidnapped by Avista. The accusations are unfounded and regrettable. At Avista, we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and security as a leading brand in the hospitality industry.
Currently, the matter is still under investigation by the Nigerian police. The body will undergo a thorough autopsy. While we await the conclusion of the inquiry, we will vigorously pursue legal action against any party engaged in defamatory or malicious publications or behaviour to ensure that justice is served.
Avista Beach Resort aka ‘the coolest beach in Lagos’ was founded in 2020 and designed to compare favourably with some of the most patronized beach resorts in the world as a family vacation destination. “Beyond the sea ambience and experience, our guests enjoy nature, great cuisines and very comfortable accommodation in a very secured environment” its manager, Adun said.
Avista Beach Resort remains the meeting point of Integrity and Hospitality.
A former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, on Wednesday, alleged that names of Boko Haram members were once discovered on the Nigerian Army recruitment list, warning that such infiltration is undermining the country’s security architecture.
Speaking during a special plenary session of the House convened to review the national security situation, Wase said former Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Muktar Betara, could confirm the incident.
He said the development reflects the deep flaws in Nigeria’s recruitment processes, which have allowed individuals with criminal backgrounds to enter sensitive security institutions.
Wase, who revealed that he lost both a brother and a cousin to terrorists, said the infiltration of the system explains why criminal groups continue to operate freely in many parts of the country.
He added that insecurity has become so overwhelming that his surviving younger brother begged him to help secure a transfer out of their community.
He said: “My brother, former chairman of defense, and my very good friend, Betara, will bear with me that we have moments in when in the process of recruitment, we found in the list names of criminals. Boko Haram members were found in the list of Army.
“There has to be a thorough way of ensuring that when we are recruiting, those of us who are politicians should recommend people of good character and integrity. That’s the only way we can solve this problem. You find a criminal in the system, and before you know it, whatever you do, you cannot have the problem resolved. So we must change the system and way of our recruitment.
Yes, as politicians, it’s good to recommend. This is what we are here for. But when you are recommending, please recommend people of integrity, people that will meet standards and ensure that they give the best access to our country.”
The former deputy speaker warned that Nigeria’s security crisis persists partly because some individuals benefit from the chaos, enabling criminals to move in convoys and operate with impunity.
Wase further lamented the politicisation of indigeneship and citizenship, describing it as one of the key issues dividing the country and calling for constitutional reforms to address the problem.
He noted that kidnapping has become routine, with about N5 billion reportedly paid as ransom in one year, while more than 30,000 people have been killed in Boko Haram-related attacks over time.
Wase urged lawmakers to take a holistic approach to the crisis, stressing that the scale of insecurity facing the country is more dangerous than many realise and requires urgent, coordinated action.
The 24 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi state, have been rescued.
Details of the efforts that led to the rescue of the students are still sketchy at the time of this report, but an official announcement is expected tonight, according to TheCable report.
On November 17, bandits attacked the school and abducted 25 female students after killing an official and injuring a security guard.
According to a BBC report, two of the girls escaped from their captors. Quoting Hussaini Aliyu, an official from Danko Wasagu LGA, the BBC reported that the two students ran away as they were being led into the bushes by the bandits and escaped across farmland.
On November 19, Hussaini Aliyu, chairman of Danko/Wasagu LGA in Kebbi, released names of the 25 abducted schoolgirls.
The list of the kidnapped students, seen by TheCable, is organised according to their class categories.
After the incident, Bello Sani, commissioner of police in Kebbi, said additional police tactical units, alongside military personnel and vigilante groups, have been deployed in the area.
Waidi Shaibu, chief of army staff (COAS), also directed troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA to leave no stone unturned in the ongoing search-and-rescue operation for the abducted students.
President Bola Tinubu also directed Bello Matawalle, minister of state for defence, to relocate to Kebbi over the abduction of schoolgirls.
Tinubu ordered Matawalle to move to the state “to monitor security efforts to secure the release of the abducted students”.
Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has announced the release of the 38 worshippers who were abducted by bandits from the Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku.
The victims, who were kidnapped during a recent attack on the church, regained their freedom on Sunday after days of what the governor described as intense collaboration among security agencies and government authorities.
Governor AbdulRazaq attributed the successful rescue operation to what he called President Bola Tinubu’s “hands-on approach,” saying the President personally led efforts to secure the release of the abducted persons.
He disclosed that President Tinubu cancelled his scheduled trip to the G20 meeting in South Africa to focus on security breaches in Kwara and Kebbi states, adding that the President also ordered increased security deployments to the affected areas.
The Governor extended appreciation to the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, and the Nigeria Police Force, which recently deployed four additional tactical teams to Kwara on the President’s directive.
He also thanked security operatives, community leaders, religious bodies, and residents of Kwara State for their support throughout the ordeal.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has strongly condemned the violent attack on Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku town, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, describing the incident as both “heartbreaking and sad.”
The attack, which occurred during a prayer service, reportedly left some worshippers dead and an unspecified number abducted, shocking the Christian community and highlighting persistent insecurity in vulnerable regions.
