Staff , students protest insecurity in CRUTECH

Aggrieved workers and students of the Cross River University of Technology have protested against insecurity on the campus following encroachment into the school land by the Efut community in the Calabar South area of the state capital....


The workers, under the aegis of Association of Resident of Staff Quarters, CRUTECH, Calabar campus, conveyed their protest in a letter delivered to the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh.

Numbering over 40, the aggrieved workers, in company with students residing in the school hostels, said they had become regular victims of robbery attacks.

The workers displayed various placards with such inscriptions as, ‘No future for development in CRUTECH,’ ‘Our gates must no longer be used as an access to any community,’ and ‘CRUTECH in the midst of illegal community,’ among others.

The Chairman of the association, Dr Samuel Ntino, lamented that a major portion of the university land had been sold by the Efut community leaders and developed by people not known to the university.

He said, “You are aware that for some time, the main campus has become a point of constant raids by robbers. Frustrated staff, residents on the main campus took their fate in their hands by sourcing for alternative security arrangements which led to formation of vigilance groups with materials bought by residents.

“What we consider as a serious threat to security on campus is that the entire CRUTECH land has been illegitimately acquired and built upon by people whose integrity we cannot vouch for. Our current neighbours have access to their houses through the main gate and litter the quarters at night with their cars.

“We are left with no other option but to embark on this peaceful demonstration to create a platform that will draw the attention of the government to the continued encroachment of the university land reserved for future developmental purposes.”

A lecturer, Mr. Ugoji Nwabueze, said the student hostels were being constantly attacked by robbers, adding that such encroachment had in the past led to massive devastation at the University of Calabar.

Nwabueze therefore warned the university authority to take the protest seriously to avoid it snowballing into a crisis.

Acknowledging receipt of the protest letter, the vice-chancellor said he would convey their message to the governing council of the institution and the state Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade.

Owan-Enoh noted that lecturers’ offices were constantly being burgled by miscreants, adding that the management would take concrete steps to address the issue form different dimensions.