Lockdown: Police Arrest Funke Akindele Over House Party

News getting to 9jatoday that the Lagos State Police Command arrested Funke Akindele for hosting a party in violation of the lockdown order in the state.

Lagos state public relations officer Bala Elkana confirmed that the actress had been taken to the state’s Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba.

He said: “Yes, we (arrested) Funke Akindele and are looking for others. She was taken to SCID.

We learnt that policemen arrived at Amen Estate, near the Lekki-Epe expressway, in about three patrol vehicles.

Akindele, popularly known as Jenifa, married to singer Abdulrasheed Bello, also known as JJC Skillz, held a party in his honor on Saturday.

The singer Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, also participated in the party, which had more than 20 other people.

Thousands of Nigerians on social media have asked for the arrest of Akindele, popularly called ‘Jenifa’.

The actress, who is an ambassador for the Center for Disease Control and Dettol in Nigeria, appeared in ads asking Nigerians to observe social distancing and hygiene.

She later apologized for the incident, saying that most of the party’s participants were colleagues, who lived temporarily on the property and were unable to return to their home states because of the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Lagos Infectious Disease Regulation 2020 (the Regulation) prescribes a one-month prison sentence or a fine of N100,000, or both, for people found guilty of hosting meetings or of disrespecting the order.

It says in part: “Where there is a violation of a closing order or staying at home, Security Agencies will have the power to arrest without a warrant and will be able to detain anyone who violates the restriction or stay at home for at least forty-eight (48) hours.

“When the person is found guilty, he is fined one hundred thousand Naira (N100,000.00) or 1 (one) month in prison or 3 (three) months of community service.”