N4,700 Food Dispute Leads to Two-Week Detention, N7.2M Demand by Edo Hotel CEO

Daniel Abu Shaibu, the Chief Executive Officer of Danisko Hotel located in Aviale, Edo State, is currently facing allegations of using police powers to unlawfully detain two young men. The accusation centers around a disagreement concerning a N4,700 meal that the individuals claim they neither ordered nor consumed. Furthermore, the hotel owner is reportedly demanding a sum of N7.2 million in compensation, alleging cyberbullying against the duo.

Usman Abdul Mumin and his friend, Mohammed Fahaas, have reportedly been held in police custody for approximately two weeks. They are facing a cyberbullying charge following Mumin's action of uploading a brief video clip documenting the initial incident. A brother to Mumin disclosed to SaharaReporters on Sunday that the detained men are being held by the anti-kidn*pping department and are slated to appear in court again on Monday, August 31. He added that a prior court directive mandated their continued detention until the next hearing.

According to the family source, the arrests of Mumin and Fahaas occurred after an argument at the hotel escalated. Mumin’s brother stated, “The CEO of Danisko Hotel, Aviale, around Auchi, arrested him and his friend because of a video he posted. They have been in detention for two weeks now, and are being charged with cyberbullying and awaiting court trial tomorrow morning.” He further explained, “I learnt that there was an order from the court to keep them in the police cell since last week till tomorrow morning, when they appear again in court. They are in detention under the anti-kidn*pping department. The CEO of Danisko Hotel said he will only let the case go if he (Mumin) pays him N7.2 million in damages.”

The family source narrated that Mumin’s ordeal began when he, his brother, and two friends visited Danisko Hotel after a visit to a hospital. In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, Mumin provided a detailed account of the events, explaining that the dispute arose after he inquired about food availability from a female bar attendant.

“We went to Danisko Hotel, Aviale, Edo North; four of us - me, my brother, and two of my friends. When we reached there, one of my friends went inside to see his friend. My brother and the other friend went and sat at the bar,” Mumin recounted. He continued, “Based on the fact that my friend was the one who took us there, he said we should order anything we wanted. Before he said that, I had already ordered V-smartic; then the other guys went inside and ordered what they wanted to drink. I was inside my car while they went inside the bar. While one of my friends was still inside the hotel with his friend, I was already hungry while sitting inside the car, because we had gone to the hospital to see someone, and it was when we were coming back from the hospital that we entered the hotel.”

Mumin stated that he subsequently contacted his friend to inform him of his hunger and desire to depart, but in the interim, he joined his brother and other friend in the bar. “Inside the bar, I asked the female attendant there whether they had food. She said yes. I asked her what kind of food they had, and she said she was not the one in charge of the kitchen, and that she would call the person in charge of the kitchen,” Mumin explained. “She went to the kitchen and came back, and told me that the person said she couldn't come because she was busy. She then said that the person in the kitchen told her that there was no Semovita but that they had pounded yam. I asked her how much the pounded yam was, and she said N4,700.”

Mumin confirmed that he declined the food offer because his friend had indicated their stay at the hotel would be brief, and he had food waiting at home. He explained, “But because my friend had told me that we wouldn't stay long at the hotel, I told the lady to wait.” He then returned to his vehicle to await his friend, who eventually emerged and proceeded to the bar to settle the bill for the drinks consumed by the other two men. According to Mumin, as they prepared to leave, the female attendant approached his car, demanding payment for the food.

“The lady came to my car and said I should pay for the food. I reminded her that I didn't ask her to prepare the food,” he stated. “After all, when I asked for the food, you said you didn't have Semovita but pounded yam, which you told me the price was N4,700, and I said no need. I don't need the food.” Mumin added that the argument intensified after the hotel management allegedly locked its gate, preventing their departure. “I asked why they were locking us inside, saying that was illegal detention despite things worth over N30,000 we bought,” Mumin asserted.

Mumin further alleged that the situation became increasingly tense when a hotel security officer reportedly brandished a gun. “The lady was shouting and lying. Meanwhile, I didn't even see the food we were arguing about,” he said. “But as the argument continued to waste my time, I brought out a Quran from my car and asked her to swear by the Quran if she knew she was saying the truth, and I would swear with the Quran too; then I would pay her the money. She said she was not a Muslim, that she...”