‘Alleged Stripping Of Staff By ex-Minister’: I Am Ready To Prove I’m Not Culpable – Gbagi, Calls For Forensic Investigation

Former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, on Saturday, called on Inspector General of Police to conduct a forensic investigation into the nude pictures circulating on social media in which he is being accused of dehumanising some staff of his hotel in Warri, Delta state.

Gbagi was accused of stripping Mr Victor Ephraim, Gloria Oguzie, Mrs Precious Achibong and Roselyn Okiemute Diaghwarh, staff of his hotel, Signatious Hotel in Delta State, naked and filming it.

BIGPEN reports that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, following public outrage over the ugly incident had on Friday, promised that justice will prevail in the scandal involving the former Minister.

Adamu, in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Frank Mba, said the Delta State Police Command has since commenced investigation into the issue.

The IGP also vowed that justice must prevail, no matter who is involved.

This came on backdrop of reports that the Inspector-General of Police had issued a warrant for the arrest of Chief Gbagi over his alleged involvement in the incident after the police raided the hotel and arrested two staff.

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However, addressing newsmen on Saturday at his Oginibo country home, Gbagi, said that he was neither arrested nor invited by the police over the incident which he said was ‘politically manipulated’ to discredit him ahead 2023 governorship election in Delta state.

“There’s no invitation to me from the Police. I will honour the Police invitation if am invited. The Police had invited people who are higher than me, even presidents. Who am I? I will honour the Police invitation.”

According to him, he has been preoccupied with the burial ceremony of his late elder Sister, Mrs. Doris Gbagi Emareyor, saying it was all lies that a team of policemen from Abuja came for him.

He, however, promised to honour any invitation of the IGP if he is invited for questioning over the incident, but queried “why should I be arrested? For what crime?”

He called on the police to go extra mile in its investigation to conduct a forensic investigation of the incident to determine if the supposed victims were physically assaulted by him or his son as being alleged.

According to him, he is ready to quit politics and give up his ambition if he is fingered to be involved in the alleged assault of the said staff whom he described as “freelancers” who were only in the hotel to seek for jobs.

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“If a forensic investigation is conducted today and it is proven that I am involved, that my hand, body or that of any person for that matter was in contact with them, I will resign from politics”, Gbagi said, adding that ” I never touch any of them. I made this statement on oath.

“The Nigerians you saw on those photographs are not staff of my hotel, they are freelancers who were seeking for jobs. None of them have been employed by the hotel.

“If you see the people that are being lined up, they are planned agents that were politically asked to come and create this euphoria. We are all wise people here, do see any of them injured, tortured or flogged?

“Two of them were in a sexual escapade in a guest room. They were sharing money that they stole when I caught them and handed them over to the police.

“I did not touch them. I won’t condescend to stripping them naked. Why should I strip people’s daughters naked for any reason?” he queried, adding that the allegation was a planned job by his political traducers.

Gbagi, who said the allegations were mere distractions and a paid attempt to demean and destroy his reputation, added that “I’ve told my people to prepare for more heats; to prepare for the worst

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“They may even bring the coffin to my house to label me a ritualist. I’m ready for them. I’ve paid my dues,” he boasted.

Recalls that the Inspector General of Police, in a statement had urged members of the public, particularly the alleged victims and all interest groups in the ongoing Police investigations, to remain calm as the Police intensify efforts towards unravelling the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“The IGP, while noting that the Delta State Police Command has since commenced discrete investigations into the matter with appreciable progress made, assures that justice will prevail no matter whose ox is gored”, the police statement reads.