Lawyer Sues SGF, Others For Violating Social Distancing At Abba Kyari’s Burial

A criminal complaint bordering on violation of social distancing rules has been filed by a lawyer, Tope Akinyode, at a Magistrate Court in Wuse, Abuja, against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and others.

Part of the claims of Akinyode’s nine-paragraph affidavit, was that the SGF had admitted on television that he violated government order when he attended the burial of the late Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari on April 18.

Punch newspaper reports that he listed those who violated the order to include the SGF; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu; National Security Adviser, Babagana Munguno; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmad Rufai; Ambassador Lawal Kazure, Musa Dauda, Yusuf Sabiu, Bashir Ahmed, Aliyu Sani, and Hajiya Dadiya Umar-Farouq.

“Further to the above, the defendants, having violated the order of government on safety precautions, were barred by presidential officials from entering the Aso Villa in a significant disapproval of their act.” he stated.

The date for the the hearing has not been fixed.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had recommended that only limited number of persons should attend burials, in line with social distancing guidelines against the spread of covid-19.