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The Anambra State Government has suspended operations in a section of Wintess Garden Annexe, Ifite Awka, over a viral pool sex video which was linked to the facility.
The state Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Mr Donatus Onyenji, who signed the seal order dated September 8, said the action was to enable the government and security agencies conduct further investigations on the matter.
Onyenji explained that the action was in line with the state Tourism and Hospitality Law 2016.
He added that this was in spite of the ministry already having an application for Operational Permit by Wintess Garden Hotel dated August 31.
He said, “However, while the process is ongoing, our attention has been drawn to the social media video of live sex and pornographic content (sex party) conducted on September 3 at an open place in your hotel/facility.
“This and other such indecent operational standard and unholy acts of public show of indecency must not be allowed in any hotel in Anambra.
“Government of Anambra hereby directs the management of Wintess Garden Hotel to shut down operations pending further investigations and review of the application.”
Reacting to the development, the General Manager of the hotel, Mr Ndibe Ikeh, regretted the ugly incident, saying it did not represent the company’s values and operational principles.
Ndibe thanked the state government for wading into the scandal by taking decisive steps to investigate and unravel the perpetrators and their motives.
The hotel manager, who did not rule out blackmail by detractors, called on the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Police to conduct a thorough investigation with the aim of establishing the role of the hotel in the incident.
“Wintess Garden Hotel is a responsible organisation with good moral values, our services are open to the public, as a management, we condemn the incident and call for thorough investigation of this matter.
“We apologise for this embarrassment and thank the Anambra government for their kind intervention, just as we call on them and the security agencies to conclude the investigations,” he said.