The Kano State Tourism Management Board, on Thursday, shutdown Mbanefo Holiday Inn ,a popular Hotel in Sabon Gari area, over alleged illegal activities, even as no fewer than 19 call girls otherwise known as Commercial Sex Workers were apprehended.
The state authority also arrested three illegal migrants.
The Managing Director of the state Tourism Management Board, Alhaji Abdullahi Mu’azu-Gwarzo said the hotel operators had turned the place as brothel where the rooms are being used for ‘short time’ which is a complete violation of the law guiding hotel operation in the state.
He said the hotel was sealed up due to violation of state government laws on hotel operations.
According to him, about seven months ago the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) had arrested about 14 illegal aliens including chadian and camerounian nationals.
“About nine days ago we invited operators of the hotel over some illegal activities. If we allow such things to continue only God knows what will happen in the hotel”
We are working on the orders of Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje because of the illegal activities being perpetrated in the hotel.
He said the hotel operators were alleged to have been harbouring non Nigerians, teenage girls as well as other suspected criminals.
Speaking further , Mu’Azu-Gwarzo warned hotel operators in state to ensure strict compliance with the laws guiding the operation of hotels as the state government would not hesitate to close down any hotel found flouting the law.
He said the state government would continue to monitor the activities of hotel in the state in order to ensure sanity in the system.
Meanwhile,the Hotel Manager, Mr Boniface Anayochukwu said the state government revoked the license of the hotel despite attempts to renew it.
According to him, the hotel has been in existence for close to four decades.
He stressed that “I registered the hotel but the licence was later revoked and I was asked to apply for a new one.
“We have been operating for 40 years if we are not registered how can we operate for these number of years”.
