FCTA alerts of fake COVID-19 inspectors, fraudsters in Abuja

By SALISU SANI-IDRIS

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has alerted residents on the activities of COVID-19 fake inspections teams.

Mr Ikharo Attah, Head, Media and Enlightenment of FCT COVID-19 Protocols Enforcement Taskforce, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that fraudsters now go round to extort event planners and managers in the guise of being members of COVID-19 inspection team.

Attah, who admitted to being inundated with such negative reports, debunked the rumours making round that members of his taskforce were involved in the criminal act.

He said that the FCT Police Command had launched a manhunt for the criminal syndicate, stressing that nobody was authourised to penalize violators of the health guidelines.

He, however, stated that it was only the Mobile Courts, constituted by government, that had the right to penalise violators of COVID-19 protocols.

According to him, any group of persons found extorting money from members of the public under any guise should be reported to the appropriate authorities for proper actions.

“We actually work on the part of integrity, having been set up by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, and under the Chairmanship of the FCT Commissioner of Police Bala Ciroma, we don’t go out to ask for money on issues that relates to COVID-19.

“We also avoid going to people asking them to give us money for whatever. But it is quite disheartening and disturbing to hear the rumour making round that some people go round in the name of COVID-19 protocols enforcement team collecting money from the people.

“We want to insist very strongly for people to understand that we don’t have any office or any person like COVID-19 inspection officer who have been assigned to go round.

“The CP, who is the Chairman of the FCT taskforce on COVID-19 protocols enforcement, has not approved any officer to go round and all those in this act should desist from it,” he said.

Attah urged event planners and managers to obey the COVID-19 guidelines issued by PTF.

He also urged them not to entertain those disguising as inspectors, saying steps were being taken to arrest those perpetrating the act.

The FCTA official also appealed to the public to abide by the environmental and planning laws to avoid noise pollution in the territory.

“Even if you are marrying during COVID-19 and you are 50 persons in the venue, you must not make it loud so much that people cannot sleep, it is not right,” he said. (NAN)