The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Ministerial Task Team on COVID-19 (Coronavirus), on Sunday shut down the famous Jabi Lake Mall for violating Presidential ban on social gatherings.
Jabi Lake Mall is an Abuja landmark on the Lake side of Jabi and renowned for its vast selection of over 120 stores.
Beyond shopping, the elegant mall also houses a number of restaurants and entertainment options, including a Cinema.
Leader of the Task Team, Mr Ikharo Attah, told journalists shortly after the closure of the mall that the management had consistently violated the FCTA’s guidelines on COVID-19.
The closure was after the FCTA secured a judgement from a Mobile Court headed by Magistrate Idayat Akonni, who sat in the mall premises in Jabi.
The Magistrate ordered the mall to be seal for a period of two weeks over default of the COVID-19 protocols bearing three-count charge.
Attah lamented that the management encouraged and granted permit for a musical concert by Naira Marley on June 12 in spite of several warnings by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
According to him, the mall is conducting business activities exceeding the normal hours approved by the authorities.
Attah explained that the seal order was necessitated by the unlawful and embarrassing event at the mall on June 12, 2020.