Abdulsalami Ginsau, Assistant Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, died on Friday, March 27, after being trapped in a faulty elevator at Chida Hotels in Abuja's Utako District. A party official, Umar Haruna Doguwa, confirmed Ginsau had travelled to Abuja to coordinate accommodation for Kano delegates ahead of a party convention. He successfully arranged lodging before checking into the hotel. When Ginsau failed to appear at the event, a search began, leading the delegation to the Utako Police Division, where they learned of an incident at Chida Hotels. Upon arrival, they identified the body as Ginsau's. Doguwa alleged negligence by the hotel management, noting prior complaints about the lift. Police confirmed the report and stated an autopsy is ongoing as part of the investigation. The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, did not respond to calls. Chida Hotels declined to comment through manager Princess Oluchi, citing the police probe. An internal source revealed that 150 rooms were booked for Kano APC delegates, but over 1,000 people arrived, overwhelming the facility. The source said the elevator malfunctioned and was forcibly opened, and Ginsau, staying on the third floor, entered it in the early hours. The lift reportedly sank with him inside, undetected until a foul smell led to the discovery the next day. The Kano APC has formed a committee to probe the incident with security agencies. Family representative Hamza Haladu said Ginsau was healthy before the trip and described the death as shocking. The Kano State Government has contacted the family, and burial is scheduled for Thursday in Kano under Islamic rites. Ginsau was a lawyer, corporate executive, and prominent political figure in Kano.
A man walks into a hotel elevator and never walks out—this is not fiction but the fate of Abdulsalami Ginsau. The fact that over 1,000 people were accommodated in a facility booked for 150 exposes a pattern of disregard for basic safety in Nigeria's hospitality and political logistics. When party officials prioritise crowd size over welfare, and hotels allow overbooking to compromise infrastructure, preventable tragedies become inevitable. This incident lays bare how negligence, dressed as expediency, has become normal in public affairs.
