COVID-19: Abuja authorities bar couple from wedding reception, shutdown church

It ended in tears and not in cheers as a newly wedded couple in the nation’s capital, Abuja, as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Ministerial Team on COVID-19 Restriction Enforcement barred them from attending their wedding reception on Saturday in Zone 6, Wuse area of the City.

Eye witnesses said that bride and groom were about to arrive the venue when the FCTA enforcement team got their before them and abruptly shut down the programme because the crowd was much and a violation of the FCTA’S recent order against gathering of more than 50 people in one place.

The FCTA team also on the same Saturday stopped and shutdown activities at a popular Pentecostal church, Christ Embassy, located at Jabi district of Abuja, for the same contravention of rules of having a congregation of more than 50 people in one place.

The team, which initially was at the popular Wuse market, moved to the church following complaints that members were violating the no-church gathering rules and are holding weddings and other activities.

Upon arrival at the church, the team, led by the chairman, FCT Traffic Management Task Force Team, Mr Ikharo Attah, addressed and subsequently dispersed the worshippers.

The enforcement team visited Police Quarters at Wuse Zone 6 and stopped a wedding reception which was ongoing with over three hundred people in attendance.

The team arrived just before the bride and groom were to drive to into the venue located in a neighbourhood.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team also visited Wuse and Dutse Alhaji markets and frowned at the partial compliance with the social distancing directive.

The team also visited Utako Market and insisted that it must be shut down immediately.