From Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe

Following the recent demolitions by the Taskforce on Closure of Gala Houses and Joints, Fina Lodge Management on Saturday condemned the activities.

Recall that the taskforce inaugurated by the Gombe State Government has embarked on demolition of lodges and gala houses including Fina Lodge.

According to a statement on behalf of the management issued by Nuhu Philip Maiguwa and Gankino Philip Maiguwa, Fina Lodge was established in 1998 at Unguwar Waja, Bolari Quarters, before its demolition by the taskforce on February 14, 2024.

The management said that their attention was drawn to a press release disseminated online by the Gombe State Taskforce dated 15th February, 2024 & endorsed by chairman Capt. Bitrus Bilal (rtd).

The management disclosed that upon going through the said press release were in utter shock & total disbelief by the false, spurious lies and most untrue statements made by the chairman of the taskforce, adding that they kept a register of guests received & cooperatively partnered with the men and officers of the Police Command and DSS, availing them of all their guest registers and uninhibited access to FINA Lodge, whenever they so desire.

He said, “In reaction to the same, we posit that the true state of the facts is the FINA Lodge is a registered Business Name having the requisite permits and governmental approvals to operate and function in the hospitality business and has been paying all its taxes to the government, and we submits daily reports to the CID, Immigration, and DSS, while ensuring prompt payment of revenue to the Revenue Board.”

While debunking the taskforce insinuations that its a gala house, the management added that “FINA Lodge is neither a Gala Hall, dance house or brothel but a reputable Guest House, managed and operated by a team of proficient & law-abiding hospitality staff, who are cognisant of the regulatory ordinances & its modus operandi thereof, always ensure that FINA Lodge was managed following all regulatory laws.”

They explained that they upheld its cherished policy, prohibited the sale of any alcohol, beer, denatured spirits, injurious spirits, or intoxicating liquor and it has no bar or restaurant, were also kept a daily register of all the female lodgers (containing their names, addresses, phone numbers & ages) to ensure that no underage girl entered or was smuggled into the premises.

“However, despite the management’s due diligence and uninhibited cooperation with the authorities, on Wednesday the 14th of February 2024, the men, and officers of the Taskforce Committee, without any notice came with bulldozers and caterpillars and demolished FINA Lodge from its roof to its foundation.

“This is an irascible display of nonchalance for the hard-earned property of the citizenry in these times of hardship, the taskforce after demolishing FINA Lodge did not leave any security in place to ward off looters, with same leading to the invasion of the demolished premises (with the task force being in the actual and constructive notice of same) by over 1000 scavengers and thieves, went on to steal our property including televisions, electrical appliances, beds, mattresses, pillows, wardrobes, curtains, refrigerators, and air-conditioners.

“Scavengers removed and looted glass windows, doors, roofs and in its entirety all of FINA Lodge’s property. The men and officers of the task forcefurther turned a blind eye to the miscreants invading a storey building and broke down the place, removing windows, doors, and part of the roof, stealing all the electrical appliances, bathroom fixtures. also broke a store where we had kept over 200 bags of grains and beans cultivated by the family and carted them away,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the task force committee in a meeting at its secretariat, on 13th February, 2024, expressed that its observed that, there are still the reports of the activities of some unlawful establishments, gala houses, brothels and unlicenced night clubs within Gombe State where illegal and immoral activities take place and are used as sanctuaries for criminal elements.

Its chairman, Bilal noted that in spite of the efforts of the Task Force in organizing and holding consultative meetings with the leadership of the Hoteliers, Proprietors/Managers of all the Hotels and Traditional Rulers of the affected communities with a view to informing them to desist from harbouring drug peddlers, criminal fugitives and under aged males/females who patronize their establishments to carry out their heinous acts and immoral activities

According to him, in continued compliance with the executive order No. 006 of 2023 and to allow for fair hearing, the Task Force invited the Proprietors/ Managers of some of the affected hotels/brothels along with the members of the host communities for thorough investigation on the alleged drug peddling, immoral/criminal activities and public nuisance.

“During its continued investigations, the Task Force has discovered that some of these establishments in question still used to harbor fugitives from justice, propagate illegal and immoral activities and they were suspended on 12th February, 2024 from operation until final investigation by the Task Force.

He said the suspended Hotels are Evergreen Hotel behind army barracks, Dureja Hotel behind army barracks, Sharp Corner at Railway Junction, Fina Lodge at Anguwan Waja in Boari, Runko Hotel at Tunfure; and Zuma Royal Hotel at Tunfure.

It was in spite of this suspension, the aforementioned hotels continued with their heinous activities of harbouring under aged persons, drug abusers and criminal elements.

He added, “It is in view of the above and the several notices issued to the hoteliers and operators of these houses to stop from such activities that the Taskforce carried out the demolitions in Evergreen Hotel, Dureja Hotel and Sharp Corner Hotel, while partial demolition was carried out on Fina Lodge located at Anguwan Waja and Runko Hotel at Tunfure on 14th February 2024.

“The Task Force has observed that some miscreants have embarked on demolitions and lootings on some houses located at different areas of Gombe metropolis. The general public should note that the Task Force did not authorize such act by these miscreants. It therefore issued warning to all persons involved in such acts to desist from this unlawful behaviours or face the wrath of the law.”

While commending Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s moral sanitization campaign, they vehemently but respectfully requested the halting of further activities against FINA Lodge until its men and officers of the taskforce are well guided on due processes.

“And considering the heavy loss of property by the lodge, we correspondingly request for relocation and compensation for the arbitrary, bizarre, and unwarranted demolition of FINA Lodge”, the management appealed.