A bereaved father, Henry Airenekhuemen, has called on authorities to ensure justice over the death of his son, Mattias, who allegedly drowned in a swimming pool at Signatious Hotel, located in the Ajao Estate area of Lagos State.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro on Monday, Airenekhuemen said his son had attended a poolside event at the hotel on Saturday evening, where he was selling tickets in a bid to earn some income.
He explained that the family became alarmed after receiving a call from one of Mattias’ older brothers, who said the young man had been taken to Isolo General Hospital and that a relative was urgently needed there.
According to the grieving father, he was devastated upon arriving at the hospital to find his son already dead in the vehicle that conveyed him to the medical facility.
Airenekhuemen recounted that he was informed his son had drowned in the hotel’s swimming pool. He said a friend who accompanied Mattias to the event told him that Mattias had been sitting with him and a woman. The friend reportedly stepped away briefly and later tried to reach Mattias by phone, but got no response.
When he returned to their table, the woman reportedly claimed Mattias had stepped away, even though his phone was still there and plugged in. A subsequent search reportedly led to the discovery of Mattias’ body inside the swimming pool.
However, the father expressed doubts about the drowning narrative, pointing to what he described as unusual physical signs on his son’s body, which raised questions about the actual cause of death.
The incident was immediately reported to the police, who visited the hospital, documented the scene, and transferred the body to the morgue. Officers later accompanied the family to the hotel to inspect the swimming pool area.
Airenekhuemen said concerns were raised during the visit about the absence of a pool attendant or trained diver at the time of the incident, but no clear explanations were provided.
He disclosed that three individuals have since been taken into custody at the Ajao Estate Police Division, including the hotel manager, the woman last seen with Mattias, and the friend who claimed to have found him in the pool.
The father further alleged that the circumstances surrounding his son’s death appeared suspicious, citing a call received by the family from someone who claimed to be a hotel staff member and attempted to discuss a possible settlement. He also questioned why the pool party reportedly continued even after his son’s body was found.
When this reporter visited the hotel on Monday, only minimal activity was observed. A man believed to be a staff member stated that the facility was temporarily closed due to renovations and that the manager was unavailable.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages sent to her had not been answered as of the time of filing this report.
The incident adds to growing concerns over recurring cases of drowning in swimming pools, particularly in hotels and recreational facilities, raising renewed questions about safety compliance and regulatory enforcement.
