By Akanimo Kufre
The Cross River State government has urged residents of Calabar to disregard rumours making the rounds that the state government has mandated business establishments to close daily activities by 10 pm in the city.
In a statement, the state government said: “The attention of the Cross River State Government has been drawn to a news item circulating in the social media in which the Nigerian Police is purported to have directed business concerns including drinking joints and bars in Calabar to close shop at 10pm.
“The state government wishes to state without equivocation that it is unaware of such a directive from the police and that only it (The state government) has the power to place the whole or any part of the state under a curfew.
“We therefore, ask members of the public to treat as fake any news purporting a directive to residents and business concerns to close shop at 10pm.
“We also wish to state that in spite of recent security challenges, the state remains one of the safest in the country and as such would not compel such a directive.
“Members of the public should therefore go about their normal businesses as government has adopted several strategies, including daily raids on suspected criminal hideouts, to ensure the state remains safe.”
