Two night clubs – Cool Leo and Paris Nightclubs – in Karu within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) now face demolition, about two years after the popular Caramelo strip club in Utako was destroyed.
The clubs were, over the weekend, sealed off for violating COVID-19 protocols and for arbitrary change of land use from residential to mix use of commercial and hospitality purposes.
Head, Public Enlightenment, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Taskforce on Enforcement of COVID-19 Guidelines, Comrade Ikharo Attah, stated these while speaking to reporters at the Eagle Square during trial of 29 persons arrested across the FCT for breaking COVID-19 guidelines.
Ikharo vowed that FCTA authorities would stop at nothing to ensure demolition of the two popular night clubs unless they revert to approved residential land use for the area.
He said: “Two clubs in Karu Site, very offensive clubs, have been asked to close. They operate in residential area, against COVID-19 protocols and disrupt the peace of residents at night.
“They are Paris Club and Cool Lea and they have been sealed off indefinitely until they revert to the original land use.
“Should they refuse to revert, then we will invoke other aspects of FCT master plan and demolish the buildings. We will not allow them to continue disturbing the neighbourhood”.
On the prosecution of the COVID-19 offenders, Ikharo said: “Twenty-nine persons were apprehended, brought before the court and subsequently the judge found them guilty and they were given the option of fine, which they all paid.
“We want residents to know that the fundamental thing to do is to obey health protocols, conform with it going forward, and ensure that they live peacefully and happily.
“So all we are doing is to vigorously continue with FCT COVID-19 contravention enforcement directive given by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello and the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, our Chairman that we go out and sustain COVID-19 health protocols in the FC.”
Ikharo, however, scored his committee high, adding that: “But in all, the compliance in Abuja is very high, compared to other places in the country. You will score us very high if you compare”.
