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From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sealed four parks and gardens even as it has prosecuted 12 persons over COVID-19 violations.
Head, media and enlightenment, FCT COVID-19 Taskforce, Attah Ikharo, disclosed this to journalists, yesterday, saying the shut down of the recretoinal centres was for a period of two weeks on the order of the FCT Mobile Court who found them guilty of contravening PTF COVID-19 regulations regarding operations of bars, night clubs, gardens and the likes.
He said the 12 persons prosecuted were those arrested at nights at the four gardens and parks during the yuletide.
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“We went out just before Christmas celebration and met some parks violating COVID-19 regulations as we did our operation. Because we are enforcement officers and not judges, we arrested and took them to the court through our prosecutor and the judge found them guilty. The judge gave those arrested the option of fine, and a seal off order for the four parks and gardens. What we observe is that most of them operated beyond the period they ought to. The persons who were in the shops didn’t comply with physical distancing, face masks wasn’t there at all and no hand washing points.
“They were totally in breach of COVID-19 protocol and the judge, Magistrate Egbe Arafe in his wisdom, issued seal off order for two weeks. After the two weeks, we will now come back to the court and continue the trial,” he said.
Ikharo while urging other gardens and parks to operate in line with COVID-19 protocols, said the focus would be on night clubs, vowing that they would have it tough if they flout health regulations issued by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19.
He regretted that despite calls from children and parents for the FCTA to reopen the Million Park, Jabi Lake and other parks that had been shut down, it was difficult to reopen such places for safety reasons.
