Imoke Condemns Latest Rampage In UNICAL
CALABAR, August 28, (THEWILL) - Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has described the August 26 destruction of properties in the University of Calabar (UNICAL) by students during a demonstration as most unfortunate.
While fielding questions from newsmen after an on the spot assessment of damages cars and buildings, Governor Imoke reasoned that no matter the cause of the demonstration the students should have opted for dialogue with the school authority rather than resort to wanton destruction.
The governor, who was received and conducted round the main campus of the University by its Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Ekpoke, said the level of destruction was unquantifiable because there was nothing the rampaging students did not spare.
He, however, noted that calm has returned and the institution has shut down, while students have been ordered to vacate their hostels and adequate security has been in place.
The Vice Chancellor of Unical Prof. James Ekpoke, said nothing should have warranted the students to resort to that level of destruction as there is an appropriate channel for them to establish their disagreement.
According to Prof. Ekpoke, the institution had given students dead line on registration and payment of school fees since the academic session commenced on January 14, 2011 and the closing date was August 26, 2011, adding that representatives of the students Union Government (SUG) met with the school authority on the matter but was surprised that students resorted to violence rather than waited for the outcome of the discussion.
He said it was impossible to ascertain the level of destruction as every part of the university community was touched by the irate students, disclosing that the authority intends to look back and see if there were security lapses because there was a limit to which the security on campus can go because armed police men are not expected to enter campus as a matter of policy.
Ekpoke disclosed that some arrests have been made but debunked that there was an armed robbery attack in one of the male hostels which prompted the demonstration, however, adding that that there was an alleged incident of student being shot dead by the school gate and admitted that the action could have been master minded by detractors outside the campus.
Investigation revealed that all vehicles at sight, irrespective of their inscriptions had their windscreens smashed while the Vice Chancellor Unical Micro-Finance Bank, Unical Press, Samuel Imoke Medical Centre, Proposed Senate Building, Unical Pharmacy and Transport Office had their glasses windows and doors broken as well.
The destruction was extended to lecturers’ official residences, but surprisingly, the lecture halls were spared.