Restrictions: FCT enforcement team shuts bars, arrests violators for impersonating army officers

News Agency Of Nigeria

May 28, 2020 4:03 PM

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Ministerial Task Teamed on the Enforcement of COVID-19 Restrictions has arrested eight persons for impersonating army officers and for violating the 8pm to 6am curfew imposed on the territory.

Restrictions: FCT enforcement team shuts bars, arrests violators for impersonating army officers. [Vanguard]

Chairman of the task team, Mr Ikharo Attah made this known while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

Attah explained that the violators who were arrested in Kubwa and Dutse Alhaji Districts of the FCT would be arraigned in the Mobile Court.

He said that some of those arrested were in drinking bars and gardens, while a tricycle operators and a commercial motorcyclist were arrested for operating during the curfew hours.

He said that at the Second Gate, Dutse-Alhaji, the team accosted the operator of a drinking bar who claimed to be a soldier but upon interrogation he admitted that he lied in order to evade arrest.

He said the impersonator further confessed that he is a Chef who closes late from work and not a military personnel as claimed.

Similarly, Attah said that at Dutse Makaranta, the team shut a beer parlour which was fully in operation few minutes after 10pm.

He said that the manager of the place also claimed that it is owned by a serving Major in the Nigerian Army, adding that they decided to operate into the curfew hours because of the occupation of the owner.

The chairman, however, said that the level of compliance with the night curfew in Kubwa and Dutse area was very high.

”Unlike Lugbe where we went few days ago, most of the known nightclubs and bars in Kubwa and Dutse-Alhaji are closed. Vehicular movement is very few and made up largely of those on the exemption list”, he stated.

”The level at which some residents of Dutse Alhaji and Makaranta parade themselves as military personnel even when they are not”.

“The Chef claimed to be a soldier while the beer parlour Manager said the place belongs to a Major in the Army.

”This must stop forthwith. People should not drag the name and image of the military in the mud.”

“In spite of the high level of compliance in these areas, very few persons still seem not to fully understand the purpose of the curfew.

”Imagine we met a lady who claimed that she was going to visit her friend after 9pm during the curfew.

”Also surprising during the night operation we caught two bricklayers who were returning from Bauchi state despite the interstate travel ban and were going home to Bwari town,” he said.

The chairman appealed to other enforcement officers across the country to close ranks and halt the interstate travelling which seems to be going on massively in spite of the Presidential ban.

News Agency Of Nigeria