By Salisu Sani-Idris
Abuja – The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned operators of nightclubs, bars and gardens not to open for business until the COVID-19 restriction was lifted.
Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Enforcement Task Team on COVID-19 Restrictions, Mr Ikharo Attah, gave the warning on Sunday while monitoring compliance by operators in Kubwa, Gwarinpa and Wuse.
“We believe that if we relax too much, with the number of positive COVID-19 cases on the rise it would not be good for the city,” he said.
Attah, however, expressed concern with the high number of suspected commercial sex workers around buildings housing the nightclubs at Kubwa.
“The presence of the ladies of the night is a violation of the curfew because they are not on the exemption list of essential workers.
“Their presence made us to carry out full checks on some nightclubs which are truly closed.
“At moments like this, we expect them to stop the unholy trade in their own interest because the men who may patronise them may be COVID-19 positive.
“We received several calls that (a nightclub and bar) located at Lobito Crescent in Wuse 2 was fully operational. But when we got there we discovered that it wasn’t true.
“A bar operating at a plaza located opposite the nightclub was the one operating and playing very loud music which necessitated the calls and complaints we got from residents of the area.
“We shut down the bar and confiscated some of its loudspeakers which were handed over to Enforcement officials from the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB),” he said.
The chairman explained that the team would be extending its checks on nightclubs in the suburbs while appealing to FCT residents to stay at home during the curfew periods to avoid endangering their lives.
(NAN)
