(Minna)
The Niger State Government has warned Liquor Operators in the state to adhere strictly to the laid down protocols for the sale of beer during the period of easing lockdown, to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the state.
The Director of Operations of Niger Sate Liquor lincence Board,(NSLLB), Alhaji Bala Mohammed, handed down the warning while speaking with journalists in Minna, on the measures taken by the board to curb the spread of COVID 19 in the sate.
He said that beer parlours were places where people from all walks of life garthered to relax and enjoy themselves , hence, the pandemic could easily be spread, if the enjoyment seekers fail to follow the health protocols aimed at checking the spread of the virus.
The Director stated that so far, violators of the order in three local government areas: Mokwa, Chanchaga and Bida had been arrested and prosecuted and had their hotels sealed.
He also reminded liquor licenced vendors in the state that they were only allowed to sell on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday from 12 o’clock in the afternoon till 10 o’clock in the night, adding that such places should not be located near public schools, Islamic study centres, churches and mosques.
He further admonished persons who might like to drink beer, during covid 19 pandamic time, to adhere to the laid down rules to avoid arrest by the law enforcement officers.
Duaglobalnews reports that though the latest statistics in the number of new cases of Coronavirus, as released on June 25 by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) stood at 23,298 cases, Niger is not listed among the states with the cases of the virus as the time of this report.
According to the centre, Nigeria has recorded 684 new cases of the virus with 8,253 patients discharged while 554 patients have died, since the country recorded its first case of the disease on February 27,2020.
