Gov Ayade suspends Calabar festival over insecurity

The Cross Rivers State Governor, Ben Ayade, on Monday suspended the 2021 annual Calabar carnival over insecurity and fear over the newly discovered COVID-19 variant, Omicron.

The governor’s Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Linus Obogo, disclosed this to journalists in Calabar.

He said the decision to suspend the annual festival was reached at a meeting between the governor, members of the State Executive Council and carnival’s stakeholders.

According to him, the decision to suspend the festival was unanimous.

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Obogo said: “The gathering was to unveil the theme of this year’s carnival but based on the emergence of the new variant called Omicron and the advice by health experts that it kills faster than other variants, the governor then puts it before the stakeholders and it was unanimously agreed that the carnival be suspended.

“The carnival band leaders and other stakeholders agreed that for the purpose of public health and safety, the carnival be suspended.

“Also, there is an emerging security report which indicates that the event may be taken over by some hoodlums.

“To avoid all of these from happening, it was advised that the carnival be suspended so that people are not caught unawares.”

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