The Lagos State Task Force on COVID-19 on Wednesday arrested 60 young persons at a surprise party venue at Abule Egba.
The suspects were said to have gathered at 84 Parks and Gardens, Idi-Oparun Bus Stop, opposite Abattoir in violation of the lockdown order put in place to prevent further spread of the novel Coronavirus disease, COVID-19.
According to the spokesperson for the Lagos State Environment Protection Agency (LASEPA), Bola Ajao, the team including officials from Safety Commission and Rapid Response Squad (RRS), stormed the venue after a tip-off from a concerned citizen.
Quoting LASEPA’s General Manager (GM) Dolapo Fasawe, Ajao said they got the information around 3:10pm and responded immediately, adding that the suspects were at the venue for a birthday party.
“It is no longer business as usual in the state. This pandemic has united us all and encourages citizen participation in terms of information sharing. We responded at exactly 3:10pm after receiving the information and surprisingly met the youth who were shabbily dressed for a birthday party.
“It shouldn’t be difficult for us to obey simple instruction and adhere strictly to safety precautions, so as to timely flatten the curve so normalcy can return back to the world.
“The facility has been sealed off while the youths were taken away by the police for further investigation and profiling.
“This is to appeal to parents and guardians to seriously warn their wards to stay away from unlawful gathering. All hands are on deck to ensure that there is no hiding place for flagrant violators.
“The war can only be won through the collective efforts of all. We all have a part to play as stakeholders,” she said.
Similarly, the Director General Safety Commission Lanre Mojola expressed shock that some people could still gather to merry when lives are being lost across the globe.
“It’s disheartening that the youth who are the future of this great nation are insensitive about their health. If not because of them they should think about those people who are to be affected directly or indirectly by their action or inaction,” he said.
Mojola warned facility owners to avoid renting their properties for unlawful or illegal purposes as the state will not hesitate to sanction them.
LASEPA also sealed a night club on Monday at Victoria Garden City (VGC) alleged to have used a pharmacy as cover up.