Gov. Ben Ayade
From: Dianabasi Effiong, Calabar
Some vendors at the Christmas village have recounted losses of valuables, goods and money following alleged armed robbers at the Calabar Christmas Village after a performing musician, Kris Daniel, was also attacked while on stage.
However, the Cross River State Government said there were no robbery incident as reported.
A vendor, Mr Emmanuel Bassey, who said he owns the shop at stand 41 in the Christmas village, also told journalists that he escaped death while his day’s sale were snatched.
He said: “On the 25th December while I was here serving my customers, the next thing, I saw people running from the stage so when I realised what was happening I saw these guys entering into my shop. They carried my drinks, collected my money, even my customers ran with my money for fear. So I have not gained anything here. All my business that I invested with over N300, 000, I have lost everything.
“My sister’s phone was collected. I regretted collecting this stand. I paid N80,000 for the tent for the 31 days. I just resumed sales today since the incident occurred to see if I can still get part of the money I invested here before it ends in 4days or so.
“There were gunshots. Police were here but they ran away and came back after the event. It was not only my shop even my neighbour, they collected his money and broke his head with the bottles they were throwing at us”.
Another vendor who was also directly affected, Silas Obun of stand 55, told journalists that he was robbed at his stand within the Christmas village.
A vendor, Mr Emmanuel Bassey, who said he owns the shop at stand 41 in the Christmas village, also told journalists that he escaped death while his day’s sale were snatched.
He said: “On the 25th December while I was here serving my customers, the next thing, I saw people running from the stage so when I realised what was happening I saw these guys entering into my shop. They carried my drinks, collected my money, even my customers ran with my money for fear. So I have not gained anything here. All my business that I invested with over N300, 000, I have lost everything.
“My sister’s phone was collected. I regretted collecting this stand. I paid N80,000 for the tent for the 31 days. I just resumed sales today since the incident occurred to see if I can still get part of the money I invested here before it ends in 4days or so.
“There were gunshots. Police were here but they ran away and came back after the event. It was not only my shop even my neighbour, they collected his money and broke his head with the bottles they were throwing at us”.
Another vendor who was also directly affected, Silas Obun of stand 55, told journalists that he was robbed at his stand within the Christmas village.
He also alleged that the policemen on duty at the village were not helpful when they were alerted on the incidence where the musician, Kriss Daniel, was also allegedly attacked.
“We have been having good sales since the beginning of the Christmas village that started 3 weeks ago but I was rubbed because there was no good security and to me I don’t think they should allow gambling in this kind of place.
“And when this happened I went to the police outside the gate they did not do anything instead they were running. Government should provide good security for us. I saw one security man who changed his uniform for fear of being hurt. They used bottle on my head three times.
“And when this happened I went to the police outside the gate they did not do anything instead they were running. Government should provide good security for us. I saw one security man who changed his uniform for fear of being hurt. They used bottle on my head three times.
“They (miscreants) collected my money, phone and destroyed my shop. Even Kiss Daniel was attacked. They destroyed his car. He had to run out of the stage. It is not fair if government is saying there was no robbery,” he said.
But in a rebuttal to the robbery reports at the Christmas village the State Government said such claims were purported, concocted and represented what it called mere tissues of lies.
Government’s position was conveyed in a statement availed journalists in Calabar by Gov. Ben Ayade’s spokesman and Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Christian Ita.
But in a rebuttal to the robbery reports at the Christmas village the State Government said such claims were purported, concocted and represented what it called mere tissues of lies.
Government’s position was conveyed in a statement availed journalists in Calabar by Gov. Ben Ayade’s spokesman and Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Christian Ita.
It stated: “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 report was not only concocted but done in bad faith with the sole aim of embarrassing government. The report is replete with factual inaccuracies and outright lies invented by the author of the said report.
“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”.
“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 coupled with the heavy security presence, it is extremely difficult to imagine a robbery than to think of carrying it out.”
“The report was not only concocted but done in bad faith with the sole aim of embarrassing government. The report is replete with factual inaccuracies and outright lies invented by the author of the said report.
“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”.
“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 coupled with the heavy security presence, it is extremely difficult to imagine a robbery than to think of carrying it out.”
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