Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has suspended the 2021 Calabar Carnival.
The governor announced the suspension during an executive council meeting in Calabar, the state capital.
- IPOB’s killing of 3 policemen gruesome — FG
- Kaduna-Abuja train: How racketeers connive with officials, buy tickets with fake names
The governor said the carnival was suspended due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 and prevailing insecurity in the country.
“I really wanted this year’s carnival to go on. This was the reason I had to announce last week that the state carnival commission should proceed with all the arrangements.
“However, I received lots of calls within and outside the country on why staging it could be risky. It is not a question of integrity, it is the lives of the people,” he said.
He said he would not compromise the lives and safety of the citizens for the fleeting excitement of the carnival.
