The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Mobile Court on Monday ordered the immediate closure of Wuse Market and UTC Market over alleged flagrant disregard for the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations Act, 2021.
Magistrate Idayat Akanni, gave the order after the defaulters were brought before the court by the FCT Taskforce on Enforcement of the COVID-19 Safety Guidelines.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on January 26, signed the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Health Protection Regulations, 2021 as an executive order in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act.
The protection regulations will serve the urgent need to protect the health and wellbeing of Nigerians in the face of the widespread and rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in the country.
Briefing newsmen after the order was given, Mr. Ikharo Attah, Head, Publicity and Enlightenment, FCT Ministerial Enforcement Taskforce on COVID-19, said the FCTA has rectified the regulations and directed the security agencies and enforcement task force to ensure compliance with the regulations in the territory.
Attah explained that the enforcement of the executive order was in line with the directive of the President which was heavily carried out by the FCTA taskforce.
He said that the law had empowered the taskforce to ensure total compliance with the regulations, adding that that was why the task force went around strategic places in the city to arrest violators.
Attah further disclosed that the task force had arrested, arraigned, prosecuted and convicted no fewer than 100 persons for their violation of the executive order.
”The judge in her wisdom after seeing what transpired here at the Eagle Square gave a strong ruling that three key areas of default, that is the Wuse Market, UTC Market and Murg Shopping Plaza be shut down until they comply.
”That means that from midnight today, these properties and markets have to remain closed based on the verdict of her lordship. That the contravention she saw was very massive and that these properties should remain sealed until compliance is actually made.
“In all the properties sealed, there were no thermometers to check temperatures, no water for customers to wash their hands and no sanitizers.”
The task force has carried out massive advocacy across the city prior to the commencement of the enforcement of the executive order in the city. Most of the offenders prosecuted were fined N2, 000 each because they were first-time offenders, while those who couldn’t afford to pay the fine were sentenced to two -week community service.
