By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—ANGRY youths, yesterday, crippled activities at Protea Hotel, Benin, following the death of a 26-year-old boy, identified as Chibuike Edeh, an indigene of Enugu State, in the custody of the police at the area command in the state capital.

The deceased, who was a staff of the hotel, was alleged to have stolen N42,000 from a guest and was handed over to the police at Area Command, Sapele Road, by the Chief Security Officer of the hotel last Friday.

However, to the surprise of the family of the deceased and residents of Stadium Road, where they reside, somebody called them on Saturday evening, informing them that the deceased body was found at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH.

Mother of the deceased, Christiana Edeh, said when she saw her son at the area command Saturday morning, he told her to try and remove him from there, that he was innocent; only for her come to back in the afternoon and was informed that her son was missing. The entire guests at the hotel were evacuated as the protesters took over the entire premises, forcing management staff of the hotel to take to their heels.

Not even the presence of policemen could stop the protesters. Some of them went naked, vowing to remain at the hotel premises until police and the management of the hotel produced the deceased.