Prominent Nigerian actress, Funke Akindele, has been arrested after holding a party during the lockdown imposed to tackle coronavirus.
She was widely criticised online for the party in her Lagos mansion, held to celebrate the birthday of her husband.
Akindele, who is best known for her series, Jenifa’s Diary, broadcast on national TV, has appeared in a Nigeria Centre for Disease Control video to raise awareness about coronavirus.
She defended the party, saying that everyone who was there had been living in her house for two weeks.
However, her tweet has since been deleted.
It is not clear how many people attended the event in Lagos, where all gatherings of more than 25 people have been banned.
Even if the limit was not breached, the video posted online by Akindele’s husband Abdul Rasheed Bello, known as JJC Skillz, has been widely condemned for setting the wrong example.
Lagos State police say they have intensified “efforts to arrest the remaining persons in the video”.
They have urged her husband, and Naira Marley, to report to the police on Monday or “risk being declared wanted”.
Following the furore, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and cleaning products company Dettol have distanced themselves from Akindele, saying she holds no official ambassadorial position with them, despite appearing on the video they produced together.
They have both emphasised the need for social distancing.
A lockdown was imposed in Lagos, the neighbouring state of Ogun and the capital, Abuja, last week in order to halt the spread of the virus.
The House Party Funke Akindele and her Husband JJCskillz did with the likes of Naira Marley, Eniola Badmus.. why this during this total lockdown? š©šš¤¦š½āāļø pic.twitter.com/fNVMEIgZHd
— M i a š§£ (@sisimiaa) April 5, 2020