UNICROSS, EFUT COMMUNITY COMMIT TO PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF LAND DISPUTE AS TRADITIONAL LEADERS BACK UNIVERSITY'S POSITION

 

The management of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) has reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful engagement, sustainable development and respect for traditional institutions following a high-level courtesy visit to the Efut Palace aimed at addressing concerns surrounding the ongoing encroachment on the  university's land.

The visit, which took place on Monday, June 1, 2026, provided an important platform for frank and constructive discussions between the university management, traditional rulers, and community stakeholders on issues affecting the institution's growth and the future of its host community.

Speaking during the meeting, the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South and Muri Munene of the Efuts, His Royal Highness Prof. Itam Hogan, a former Chairman of the Governing Council of CRUTECH (now UNICROSS), welcomed the Vice Chancellor and her delegation and emphasized the importance of dialogue, understanding and cooperation in resolving all issues relating to the university and its host communities.

The revered monarch recalled that shortly after her appointment as Vice Chancellor, Prof. Francisca Bassey paid a courtesy visit to the Palace to formally introduce herself to the traditional institution. 

He commended her for consistently showing respect, honour, and recognition to the Efut traditional institution and the Palace throughout her tenure.

The royal fathers present at the meeting gave the Vice Chancellor a standing ovation in appreciation of her exemplary relationship with the traditional institution and her commitment to maintaining cordial ties with the host community.

In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor expressed profound appreciation to the Paramount Ruler, royal fathers, community representatives and other dignitaries for their willingness to engage in dialogue and their commitment to preserving peace and harmony.

She reiterated that the land in question was duly acquired and approved by the Cross River State Government for the university, noting that documents presented during the meeting clearly showed that compensation had been paid in respect of the acquisition and development of the property. 

She stressed that the land remains critical to the university's long-term development strategy and is designated for major infrastructural projects aimed at improving teaching, learning, research, innovation and the overall student experience.

The Vice Chancellor expressed deep concern over the increasing encroachment on university land and the negative consequences it has had on the institution. She informed the traditional leadership that the university has recorded numerous security breaches linked to some residents within the encroached areas, including incessant theft of university property, incidents of attempted rape of students and the sale of illicit drugs to students.

To underscore the gravity of the situation, she presented video evidence documenting some of these incidents and explained that the university could no longer ignore developments that threaten the safety and wellbeing of students and staff.

Prof. Bassey further disclosed that the institution has suffered significant losses arising from criminal activities within the affected areas. She disclosed that cables, sliding windows and other valuable equipment worth over ₦300 million were stolen from facilities belonging to the Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Physical Sciences, the University Staff School, the new auditorium and other places within Calabar campus. She described the situation as deeply troubling and detrimental to the university's developmental aspirations.

The Vice Chancellor also informed the Palace that recently, security personnel were attacked at a site within the university premises where an encroacher had illegally commenced the laying of a building foundation on university land.

She revealed that while carrying out their lawful duties and seeking to question the individual responsible for the unauthorized development, the security personnel were violently chased away by individuals from the encroaching community. 

The incident disrupted efforts to prevent the illegal occupation and development of university property and posed a threat to the peace and security of the institution.

She noted that these unfortunate incidents have continued to undermine the university's ability to effectively utilize land legally acquired for educational purposes and have slowed down critical infrastructure projects needed to support the institution's rapidly growing population.

Prof. Bassey further highlighted UNICROSS's expanding international profile, disclosing that the university has established academic collaborations with Zhejiang College in China and Cyprus International University. 

She explained that these partnerships are expected to create opportunities for research, staff and student exchanges, innovation, and international visibility for the institution.

However, she expressed concern that despite these promising opportunities, the university currently faces serious limitations in developing new infrastructure because much of the land earmarked for expansion has been encroached upon. 

She emphasized that without adequate space, the institution's ability to maximize the benefits of these international partnerships and accommodate future growth could be significantly constrained.

The Vice Chancellor also disclosed that the Cross River State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the university in recovering portions of the encroached land. 

She noted that the government recognizes the strategic importance of the property to the institution's expansion plans and has pledged to work with relevant authorities and stakeholders to ensure that the university's legally acquired land is protected and restored for its intended educational and developmental purposes.

She further stated that the university management is actively exploring funding opportunities for the construction of additional academic, administrative, and research facilities to meet increasing demands for space and improve service delivery across the institution.

Responding to the issues raised by the Vice Chancellor, the leadership of the Efut Palace unanimously expressed displeasure over the activities of individuals responsible for the encroachment and associated criminal acts. The traditional rulers strongly condemned all forms of lawlessness, including theft, attacks on security personnel, vandalism, and activities capable of jeopardizing the safety of students and staff or hindering the development of the university.

The royal fathers reaffirmed their support for UNICROSS and acknowledged the institution's immense contributions to education, economic development and the social advancement of the host community. They assured the Vice Chancellor and her management team of their full cooperation in ensuring that peace, law, and order are maintained and that all legitimate concerns are addressed through dialogue and lawful means.

The meeting ended on a positive and hopeful note, as participants unanimously expressed confidence that through continued engagement and collective responsibility, lasting solutions would be achieved in the best interests of both the university and the Efut community.

– UNICROSS Media Team