Eko Hotel management says assault on artist is under police investigation

Pulse visited the hotel on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, to find out what really transpired on the night Mr. 2Kay was robbed and beaten to a pulp. Mr. 2Kay was in one of the hotel rooms with his friend when he was beaten and robbed.

The Duty Manager of the Eko Hotels & Suites who gave her name as just Funmi, said the incident is now a matter of the Nigerian police.

"Since yesterday, the police and the security officials of the hotel have been working round the clock to investigate what really happened" she said.

When asked if should give more information, she said its a security issue and so nothing would be said until the end of the investigation.

ALSO READ:Mr. 2Kay channels Port Harcourt roots in themed photo shoot

It would be recalled that on Sunday, October 22, 2017, music star, Mr. 2kay was robbed at gunpoint and beaten mercilessly by four armed men in his room after the “Buckwyld N Breathless” concert which took place at the EkoHotel and Suites. Mr. 2kay performed at the concert headlined by Tiwa Savage and 2face Idibia.

According to a PR consultant, Sakpaide Ogaga, Mr 2Kay was in the room with a friend and struggled with one of the robbers, as the others punched and hit him with a gun, repeatedly warning that they will shoot if he didn't calm down.

Ogaga also said, one of the robbers led and locked 2Kay’s friend in the bathroom, while the others tied the singer’s arms, legs and mouth and took his valuables including jewelry, clothes, perfumes, phones, and money. They also cut the room’s intercom (phone) to avoid any form of communication as they left the hotel.

Giving his own side of the story, the manager of Grafton Records which is the record label Mr. 2Kay is signed to, James Silas, expressed his shock over the sad incident.

"I was quite shocked when I got to Mr. 2Kay’s room last night. This was somebody I watched perform some minutes before the incident. Anyway, the hotel authorities and police are already investigating the incident and we hope they’ll apprehend the criminals as soon as possible," he said.

Eko Hotel is the most popular venue for concerts in Lagos state. Virtually all the biggest Nigerian music acts have headlined concerts at the Eko Convention Centre. The venue which can also be used for conference events can take up as much as 3,000 people.

The first main event at the convention centre was Headies 2010. This was followed by Psquare's headlining concert on July 30, 2011. Acts such as 9ice, 2face Idibia, Ice Prince, Wizkid, Olamide, Davido and others have held concerts at the venue. In 2012, US rapper Rick Ross performed at Eko Convention Centre.

As normal practice, organizers of concerts at Eko Convention Centre book hotel rooms for guest performers at Eko Hotel to aid logistics.

Mr. 2Kay was most likely given a room by the organizers of the show- Now Muzik and Hypertek. Pulse reached out to a rep of Now Muzik to confirm if Mr. 2Kay was given a room by the company. He declined to comment.

Pulse also reached to 2face Idibia's manager who is also happens to be the boss of Now Muzik, Efe Omoregbe to confirm if a room was booked for Mr. 2Kay at the hotel.

"I don't have any comment to make right now. Police are doing their investigation. At the right time we will make our own statement. Nobody is saying anything about it" he told Pulse in a telephone conversatuion.

Even if the singer got the room by himself, how was it possible for four men to gain access into the hotel and rob Mr. 2Kay?

A few years ago, access cards were introduced as part of the hotel's security system. People who lodged at the hotel were given these cards to access the elevator which would take them to the floor of their rooms. Without these access cards you cannot enter where the rooms are.

There are two possibilities here. The robbers might have gotten their hands on an access card. The chance of this happening is quite low. The other possibility is that the robbers must have followed people who were staying in the hotel into the elevator.

On nights when events take place at Eko Hotel, the lobby is usually crowded with guests who prefer to sleep at the hotel when the show is done. The gang of robbers might have followed a guest or guests in the elevator and headed to Mr. 2Kay's room.

What this also means is that the singer might have been trailed by the robbers. That's how they might have gotten his room number.

Right now, Mr. 2Kay is currently recuperating from the robbery incident.

Pulse will keep you updated as the investigation unfolds.