On Thursday, the 31st December, 2020, while Nigerians were waiting in anticipation for the New Year, the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA), a body charged with the responsibility of the planning and development of all urban areas within Kaduna State, announced on its social media platforms that it had demolished a proposed venue for a sex party in Barnawa, Kaduna South.
The state government had gotten wind of the controversial party due to its wide publicity on the social media and had directed on the state police command to wade the matter by arresting the organizer of the event.
“When we got to know of this development, the government was disturbed, so the governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, informed the police,” Abdullah Yunus, special assistant to Governor El-Rufai on media, had told newsmen.
Asher Kings and Queens Restaurant
The Asher Kings and Queens Restaurant is 34 sitting capacity, located at 75, Kachia Road, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna State. The ICIR gathered that it was registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 for food production and processing services on 5th December, 2016, with the Corporate Affairs Commission. The registration number is BN2463851.
It is a one-storey building structure, with a VIP Lounge section, where premium customers relax to watch football league games in a cozy environment, with all the comfort; air conditioners and light music.
Whilst the ground floor is where the kitchen and serving spot is, also with chairs and tables for customers to sit and eat their food as required.
We hire/rent the VIP section for light events, of not more than 26 customers.
Controversy
But controversy has continued to trail the demolition as Aisha Mercy Yakubu, the owner of the restaurant in an issued statement on Saturday said the VIP Lounge of the restaurant was hired by one of her customers, who is into fashion on the 27 December, 2020, to host a reunion party for customers.
Read Also:
- Coalition condemns arrest, arraignment of journalist in Kaduna
- Sex party: Kaduna government contradicts self, says demolished building lacks permit
“On the 27th December, 2020, a customer hired the VIP Lounge for a 15-man reunion/Clothing line promo, to appreciate his customers for their good patronage of his brands,” parts of her statement read.
She added that “Before the event proper commenced, a friend of mine and noticed an unusual movement around the main gate to the restaurant as it was half opened to avoid a crowded environment. We approached the main gate and on getting there I saw two truck load of heavily armed officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
“I asked the team leader what was going on but he ignored my question and said he will explain to me when we get to the Police Station, Sabon Tasha Division.”
Aisha noted that it was when she got the police station that she got to know that the venue had been advertised on social media for a proposed sex party. She said the police detained her and her staff for more than 24-hours despite denying the knowledge of the event.
According to her, the next day, the police also arrested those who had initially hired the place for a reunion and were only released after they paid a whopping sum of 100,000 naira for their bail.
“When we arrived the Police station, my customer, who accompanied me to the station, enquired what the matter was and the Police showed us a poster on a GSM phone belonging to one of the officers by name Inspector Felix. It was a poster of an event titled; KADUNA SEX PARTY, which the Police claimed the venue for the supposed “sex party” was scheduled to hold at my restaurant, even though with no address of where it will take place on the poster.
“I denied knowledge of that event as there was nothing of that sort taking place at the restaurant and I wouldn’t stoop so low to entertain such illicit activity at my place, but the Police refused to believe me and had my friend and two of my staff detained for one night, one day until the customer that had earlier hired the place for usage on that fateful day was also arrested the next day.
‘They were released after paying a “bail fee” of #100,000 to Inspector Felix and one other lady Officer, fair in complexion.
“I noticed how incompetent the NPF were, I suggested to them to call the number on the supposed “Kaduna Sex Party” poster, which they immediately put a call through and a name came out using the True Caller App as MARVELLOUS AKPAN.”
She was asked by the police to a sum of N20,000 which she did to enable them to track the so called Akpan. The police arrested Akpan and in his confessionary statement, he denied knowing where the restaurant was located and the owner.
“The Police asked me to pay a fee of #20,000 for them to do their job of tracking the user of the phone number, which I immediately paid them so that they will swing into action.
“Marvellous Akpan was arrested the next. He was interrogated and he obliged to owning the phone number on the poster and printing of the poster which was posted on Social Media, assisted by a friend of his named Noah and one other guy. On further interrogation, Mr Marvellous Akpan confessed to the Police that he doesn’t know me and has never being to my restaurant nor have any knowledge of its address. Mr Chimeze,who had hired the place was released, summarily, after the successful arrest of Mr Akpan.
She thought the matter has ended with the arrest of Akpan but was surprised on the New Year eve when she saw a payloader accompanied by security operatives to demolish the building hosting the restaurant without any prior notification.
“The next day, 31st December, while at the other Branch of my restaurant, at Court Road, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, a friend of mine called me asked me to go to the main Restaurant and see what was going on. I immediately went and saw a combined team of Policemen, Soldiers, KASTLEA and Vigilante groups guarded a Payloader to demolished my restaurant.
“No prior notice was served to me before the demolition, there was no form of communication between I and the Kaduna State Property Development Agency (KASUPDA) who came to demolish the building structure. Even when they arrived at the location, the main entrance to the main Restaurant and the restaurant was under lock and key. There was no any form of communication to me!
“I watched them pulled down the building without allowing me remove any item before the demolition. As a result of the trauma, I lost my one month old pregnancy.”
Aisha has vowed to take legal action against the statement stating she lost her valuables ranging from:
- Cooking utensils;
- Furniture;
- Electric appliances;
- Chillers;
- Deep freezers;
- Bemarrings outdoor catering utensils
- Cash, and other valuables that all worth over #32 million, as the place was abruptly vandalised after the demolition.
You can reach out to me on Twitter via: vincent_ufuoma