Court fines Naira Marley and manager for violating travel ban

Popular Nigerian artiste, Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and his manager, Seyi Awonuga, have been arraigned before the Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile) Court, Oshodi, for violating the ban on interstate travels.

The controversial artiste left Lagos for the Federal Capital Territory for a concert on Saturday, June 13, 2020. The concert, which held at the Jabi Lake Mall, Abuja, attracted public outrage. The government thereafter shut down the mall and stopped the operation of the airline, whose plane conveyed Naira Marley.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, was said to have ordered Naira Marley’s arrest. The singer and his manager turned themselves in at the police station on Thursday and were subsequently arrested. The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bala Elkana, confirmed the development in a statement.

He said, “It will be recalled that on June 13, 2020, around 2pm, the suspect, in total violation of the lockdown order, embarked on a non-essential travel from Lagos to Abuja and back to Lagos the same date through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, for a musical concert in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“He was arraigned alongside his manager, Seyi Awonuga, on one count of breach of cessation of movement and interstate travel order made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Regulation 4(i) of the Lagos State Infectious Disease Emergency (Prevention) Regulation No. 2 of 2020, and committed an offence punishable under Section 58 of the Public Health Law, Ch. P16, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

“The two accused persons pleaded guilty to the charge and were awarded a fine of N100,000 each by the presiding magistrate.”