FCTA Prosecutes 20 for Breaching COVID-19 Protocol

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday arrested 20 persons for flouting COVID-19 protocols.

The offenders were charged before Chief Magistrate Raphael Egbe of the FCT Mobile Court, sitting at the Eagle Square Abuja, and slammed with a one-count charge of violating COVID-19 protocol by not wearing face masks.

The 20 accused persons, who were arrested by FCT TaskForce on COVID-19 were given an option of fines that ranged from N1,000 to N5,000, depending on their conduct during and after the arrest.

Chairman of the FCT COVID-19 Taskforce, Ikharo Attah, said seven parks were shut within two days of the exercise for operating in stark violation of the new guidelines on the control of the pandemic.

However, an officer of Nigeria Police Force, attached to the taskforce, sustained a gash on his nose that required being taken to hospital when the taskforce was attacked by hoodlums, who attempted to obstruct taskforce operation and escape arrests.

“The enforcement has been on for some days now. On Wednesday, we had a night operation and we had a very tough time. One of our police officers was attacked and badly injured in the nose and he is recuperating in the hospital now. The Mobile Court is currently sitting a day to the Christmas and we have so far prosecuted about 20 persons today -four from the parks and 16 of them from contraventions of health protocols -of face masks and others. We are begging people in the FCT to please comply. We are not happy doing this but to save ourselves, we have to do it,” Attah said.