Lawmakers seek suspension of four UNICROSS governing council members over misconduct

• Otu to investigate alleged land grabbing in institution
The Cross River State House of Assembly has called for the immediate suspension of four members of the 5th Governing Council of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) over allegations of misconduct and abuse of office.

The affected council members are Dr. Emmanuel Ettah, Dr. John Inah Ukam, Prof. Mathew Nsing Ogar, and Prof. Stephen Ochang. This resolution followed a petition from A. B. Cobham and Associates, legal representatives of Mr. Emmanuel Eyo, highlighting serious infractions, including illegal tenure extension and the unauthorised sale of university property.

According to the petition, the accused officials remained in office beyond their tenure, which expired in September 2023, and allegedly auctioned university assets between May and August 2024 in violation of the Public Procurement Act.

MEANWHILE, Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has ordered the immediate stoppage of all unauthorised ongoing building construction work on the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) land, Calabar, pending the outcome of the investigation of their status by the government.

The governor gave the order shortly after carrying out an on-the-spot assessment and verification of alleged illegal encroachment of the university land by unauthorised persons, alleging irregular auctioning of assets belonging to Unicross by members of the immediate past governing council.

The state government, acting on multiple petitions on the matter on Tuesday, began an investigation into the alleged criminal act, accusing members of the governing council of violating procurement laws by secretly selling off public properties to themselves.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Asset Management and Recovery, Gilbert Agbo, acting on the directive of the governor, had on March 19 issued a directive to the university management demanding an urgent review of the sale of all properties belonging to the school.

The management of the institution was also requested to, within seven working days, produce a full list of all auctioned assets, official approval and Governing Council resolutions related to the sale.