Coronavirus: Police drag 2 Imams to court for holding Jumat service in Nasarawa

News Agency Of Nigeria 17:02 - 04 May 2020

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The Police in Nasarawa State on Monday arraigned two Muslim Clerics for allegedly violating the ban on religious gathering in the state.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Government and the Nasarawa State Government had banned religious gathering as parts of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing the Mobile Court on Monday in Lafia, George Idoko, Prosecuting Counsel, explained that Mohammed Adeka of 500 Housing Estate Lafia and Yahaya Saleh of Mararaba Akunza all in Lafia, were arrested for holding Friday Congregational prayers.

The prosecuting counsel said the offences contravened the proclamation by the government banning religious gathering to contain COVID-19 that is ravaging the entire world.

The prosecutor, therefore, urged the court to sanction the defendants in order to serve as deterrent to others and safe members of the public from being infected by the virus.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Magistrate Yahaya Sharfa, granted Adeka bail in the sum of N500, 000 while Saleh was granted bail in the sum of N300, 000 with surety each in like sum.