President Muhammadu Buhari was on Saturday seen in public without a face mask in his Daura hometown, where he had gone for a four-day official visit.
The President on Friday, arrived his Daura, Katsina State, his hometown, for a four-day official visit where he also participated in the All Progressives Congress (APC) membership registration and revalidation exercise.
In some of the pictures that surfaced online, Buhari was seen discussing with some All Progressives Congress’ leaders at the revalidation of his APC membership in Daura on Saturday without putting on a nose mask or maintaining social distancing as stipulated by the new law.
The President has signed an executive order making wearing of face masks in public compulsory in the country in order to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Executive Order pursuant is to exercise the powers conferred on him by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010 on the use of face masks in public, in addition to other guidelines.
The move comes as cases of the disease in the country rise and Nigerians flout preventive measures.
According to the order, which was signed on January 27, all Nigerians should wear face masks at all gatherings and keep a physical distance of at least two metres.
The law, which was recently signed by the president, prescribes a six-month jail term for defaulters.
The first time Buhari was sighted with a face mask since the COVID-19 pandemic started was in July 2020. Prior to that time, visitors to the Presidential Villa were always seen with face masks while Buhari was never seen with one.
Meanwhile, the presidency has threatened Nigerians to wear facemasks or face another national lockdown.
