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Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 9 March 2021

Source: thenationonlineng.net

Police arrest 113 clubbers in Lagos

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Operatives of the Lagos Police Command have arrested 113 suspects in two Lagos nightclubs for allegedly flouting COVID-19 protocols.

The suspects, who were arrested at Garbana Nightclub in Ajao Estate and DNA Nightclub, Victoria Island, at the wee hours of Sunday, were paraded on Monday by Police Commissioner Hakeem Odumosu.

Their arrests came barely a week after 172 others were arrested at Cubana Nightclub in Victoria Island for violating laid down procedures to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

Decrying the recalcitrant behaviour of nightclub owners, Odumosu said one of the nightclubs even removed a tape earlier used by the government to seal the premises for breaches, mulling the need for stiffer punishment against such persons.

He warned landlords to desist from leasing their properties meant for other purposes to nightclub owners, noting that such action was in breach of the Physical Planning Law of the state.

Odumosu appealed to parents to caution their children against nightclubbing during this period, noting that more youths were contracting the virus because of disobedience to laid down rules.

According to Odumosu, all the arrested suspects would be charged to the court for the Magistrate to decide their fate.

The CP held a meeting with all DPOs and Area Commanders at the POWA Hall, Oduduwa, Ikeja, where warned DPOs to stop allowing nightclubs to operate in their jurisdiction or face the consequences.

To set an example, Odumosu announced the immediately deployment of DPO Ajao Estate, Isolo, and senior officers of the division for allowing night clubbing and violation of other COVID-19 protocols in the area.

For violating the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Health Protection Regulation, 2021, 55 persons, who were arrested yesterday for not wearing facemasks in public places, were arraigned before an Abuja Mobile Court.

The violators were summarily tried and convicted by the trial magistrate, Ebiwari Damini Eremasi, after pleading guilty to the charges read out by the prosecutor, were fined N2,000 with an option of engaging in supervised community service.