Pres. Buhari Signs Law Prescribing 6-Month Jail Term For Flouting COVID-19 Protocol

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a new law to check the spread of Covid-19 pandemic and slammed six months imprisonment on violators of Covid-19 protocols.

The chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, disclosed this in Abuja, on Wednesday, January 27.

The bill titled “Covid-19 Health Protection Regulations 2021” reads in part, “The regulations enforce physical distancing of at least two metres and a regulation of the number of people to be admitted in an enclosed environment.

The first part of the new regulations imposes restrictions of gatherings and enforces a physical distancing of not less than two meters between persons at all times. The part also provides that no gathering of more than 50 persons shall hold in an enclosed space, except for religious purposes, in which case the gathering shall not exceed 50 per cent capacity of the space.

All persons in public gatherings, whether in enclosed or open spaces, shall adhere to the provisions of Part two of these Regulations. The provisions of these regulations may be varied by Guidelines and Protocols as may be issued, from time to time, by the PTF on COVID-19 on the recommendation of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).”