The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Tuesday, January 12, demolished five local entertainment centres known in Hausa language as “Gidan Drama” and “Gidan Dembe”, and also arraigned 25 persons including motorists and commuters for allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols, including lack of observance of social distance and refusal to wear facemask. The head, Media, Public Enlightenment and Advocacy of the FCT Ministerial Enforcement Taskforce, Comrade Ikharo Attah, while addressing reporters during the three hours exercise said: “the removal of the structures became inevitable following repeated warnings to the owners and operators of the Gidan Drama and Gidan Dembe to stop operations because they are prohibited to do so under the COVID-19 Protocols and Guidelines”.
“Thousands of persons gather in these local entertainment centres to watch artistes and wrestlers perform. In one of the centres, we observed during surveillance that thousands gather to watch nude dancers. Facemasks, physical distancing and sanitizing of the hands do not exist here at all.
“appealed to Kannywood actors and actresses who sometimes make appearances in these centres to desist from coming here. If we get them here we will arrest and charge them to court regardless of their fame and status,” Attah said.
“Most of the commercial drivers arrested carried too many passengers and overloaded their vehicles in contravention of the COVID-19 Transportation Guidelines and Protocols, ” he added.
