The Cross River State government has indefinitely
suspended the Permanent Secretary of the state
Ministry of Education Anne Odey, who last week
released a statement suspending all forms of
morning devotion in schools across the country.

The State Security Adviser (SSA) to Governor Ben
Ayade, Jude Ngaji who made this known to newsmen
yesterday in Calabar, explained that indeed the state
police commissioner, Henry Fadairo, had contacted
the state ministry of Education about a possible
attack by Boko haram members during early
morning and afternoon devotions in various schools.

Ngaji said the permanent secretary unilaterally took
the decision of suspending the age long practice of
morning devotions in the state, without consulting
the state governor.

"The governor has directed that the permanent
secretary be suspended indefinitely while the
ban on suspension of devotion has been lifted
immediately. It is true that police got intelligence
information that Boko Haram is planning to
bomb schools during morning devotions and
therefore directed authorities in the Ministry of
Education to act fast.

But the permanent secretary did not bother to
refer to the governor or call for stakeholders’
meeting to that effect.

So, the governor feels pained that the permanent
secretary got such sensitive information without
seeking for his advice and went ahead to issue
directive suspending morning devotions in
schools," he said.

He added that the governor is a strong believer in
God and will not do anything that will prevent people
from worshiping God.