President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday violated the coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Protection Regulations 2021 Act he recently signed into law reports SaharaReporters.
Buhari had on Wednesday signed the new law prescribing six-month jail term for persons convicted for disobeying any COVID-19 guideline.
Although most of the provisions were already in place, the legal instrument provided a basis for the prosecution of defaulters.
As provided in the Quarantine Act, section 34 of the new law states that any offence under the regulation is punishable by a fine or a term of six months imprisonment or both.
The law provides for the maintenance of physical distance in gatherings, while all persons in such public places must, among other things, wear face masks, wash their hands and have their temperature checked before entering such venues.
It also restricts gathering of more than 50 persons in an enclosed space “except for religious purposes, in which case the gathering shall not exceed 50% capacity of the space”.
It further mandates institutions such as schools, banks and worship centres to enforce existing guidelines to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
However, the President failed to adhere to the protocols, thereby violating the law during the validation of his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Sarkin Yara Ward in Daura, Katsina State.
Pictures seen by SaharaReporters show Buhari at different times
in midst of scores of people not observing social distancing as stipulated by
law.
He was also seen without face mask few times, even with people around him or having conversations with him closely.
