A popular Nollywood actress who was at the forefront of Nigeria’s “Stay At Home” campaign has been arrested for breaking the country’s 14-day lockdown by holding a party.

According to CNN, Funke Akindele Bello and her husband faced a firestorm on social media after her husband posted a video a birthday party on Instagram Saturday. Many felt she was going against the country’s social distancing rules to flatten the curve of the coronavirus. Akindele-Bello and her husband were arrested, with Lagos police spokesman Bala Elkana saying Sunday the video had a “large number” of people. Currently, Nigeria has banned gatherings of over 20 people in three cities, along with the two-week lockdown.

Akindele-Bello and her husband were arrested and were brought to court Monday, pleading guilty to charges “connected with breaking the Lagos State Infectious Disease 2020 regulation under the Public Health Law,” CNN reports. No sentencing has been given as of yet. But, Akindele-Bello has released an apology on Instagram, saying that most of the people at the party were her production crew members who had been self-quarantining at her studio while at work on a film.

Before getting in trouble, Akindele-Bello was one of many celebrities to participate in Dettol Nigeria’s initiative to promote steps to take to limit the spread of the illness, including social distancing.

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Photo: Funke Akindele Bello YouTube 

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