Nigeria Fines Popular Actress for Throwing Party During Lockdown

  • Star of ‘Jenifa’s Diary’ appears in virus awareness campaign
  • Nigeria’s cases have doubled in the last week to reach 232
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A Nigerian celebrity who stars in a government-sanctioned coronavirus awareness video has been fined for inviting friends to celebrate her husband’s birthday despite a lockdown.

Funke Akindele, the lead of comedy series Jenifa’s Diary, and her husband Abdulrasheed Bello on Monday were each fined 100,000 naira ($260) and sentenced to 14 days of community service. They are the first to be prosecuted under a Lagos state law that bans gatherings of more than 20 people.