By Ayo Onikoyi

The Cross River State Government has described reports in some national dailies about a purported armed robbery attack on the Calabar Christmas Village as a ruse and a mere tissue of lies.

The Government in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor Ben Ayade, Mr. Christian Ita said the report was not only concocted but done in bad faith with the sole aim of embarrassing government.

According to the statement, “The report is replete with factual inaccuracies and outright lies invented by the author of the said report.

“It is shocking that a reporter who is holidaying somewhere in Lagos could conjure a robbery incident that never took place and worst still, syndicate same to some of his colleagues all in a bid to damage a brand that has been painstakingly built over the years.

“For the avoidance of doubts, there was no robbery at the Calabar Christmas village. That it was even reported that gunshots were fired shows the depth of ethical bankruptcy of the writer.

“What happened is that some fans who were watching Kiss Daniel’s performance became unruly at some point, throwing plastic bottles on stage. The incident lasted for a very brief period before security officials restored normalcy.

“How this incident is now being reported as an armed robbery attack begs the question whether the author of such report was truthful, accurate and objective in his reportage as the security mechanism in place makes it difficult if not impossible for anyone to sneak in any harmful object as biblically, it will be easier for a Donkey to pass through the eye of a needle than for such to take place.”

According to the Senior Special Assistant to the governor, for those who are familiar with the Christmas Village, “it is a one-stop centre where different activities are happening at the same. It is such that everyone keeps an eye on his neighbour and couple with the heavy security presence, it is extremely difficult to imagine a robbery than to think of carrying it out.”