There was tension in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday as students of the University of Cross River State, UNICROSS, staged a protest over the death of three students and one staff member in a road accident that occurred along the Calabar-Itu highway.
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The accident reportedly occurred in Odukpani Local Government Area when a Toyota Coaster bus conveying about 24 students and one staff member of the institution collided with a truck while returning from an official assignment in Akwa Ibom State.
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Onen Ebri, had confirmed in a statement on Saturday that three students and one staff member died in the crash.
Following the incident, the students reportedly marched from the university campus along Mary Slessor Avenue to the General Hospital, Calabar, accusing the facility of negligence and failure to promptly attend to injured victims brought there after the accident.
Videos of the protest circulating on social media showed students converging at a roundabout in Calabar with placards and banners, while singing solidarity songs in honour of their deceased colleagues.
The protest, however, later turned violent as facilities at the General Hospital, Calabar, were vandalised.
After visiting the hospital, the students were said to have proceeded to the Governor’s Office in Calabar, where police reportedly dispersed them with teargas.
In one of the clips, policemen attached to the Police Crime Patrol Response Unit were seen firing teargas from a patrol van as protesters scampered for safety.
Several students were reportedly injured during the confrontation, while hospital workers and some patients fled the facility over fear of further attacks.
The Cross River State Government has condemned the vandalism of facilities at the General Hospital, describing the incident as unfortunate.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, who visited the hospital for an on-the-spot assessment, said infrastructure including an ambulance, electrical installations, doors, windows and ward equipment were damaged during the protest.
“We are assessing the extent of the damage. The ambulance screens have been broken, and parts of the hospital have been destroyed. We will also evaluate the impact on the wards,” he said.
Ayuk explained that the protest stemmed from misinformation surrounding the accident and the treatment of the victims.
According to him, the students who died lost their lives at the scene of the accident, while the injured victims brought to the General Hospital were promptly attended to.
He added that critical cases were referred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, for specialised care.
“We responded immediately, coordinated with UCTH and created space in the casualty unit to handle the victims,” he said.
The commissioner insisted that no death was recorded at the General Hospital, contrary to claims that the victims died due to negligence at the facility.
“No patient died in this hospital. The deaths occurred at the scene. It is unfortunate that misinformation escalated the situation,” Ayuk added.
While acknowledging the right of citizens to peaceful protest, the commissioner said the destruction of public property was unacceptable and would negatively affect healthcare delivery.
He assured that the state government would review emergency response procedures and address any gaps identified.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Nursing, Dr. Esu Coco-Bassey, condemned the attack, alleging that the protest was hijacked and fueled by misleading social media reports.
“The accident happened along Odukpani Road, not in this hospital. Health workers attended to victims promptly, but unverified information triggered the protest,” he said.
A nurse in the casualty unit, Mr. Godwin Betiang, said the situation became chaotic when the protesters stormed the hospital.
“I saw a mob approaching, including a young man carrying a gun. We had to run for our lives,” he said.
He said the protesters invaded wards, damaged equipment and disrupted care, forcing staff and patients to flee.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, confirmed that security operatives intervened and brought the situation under control.
“I’ve been right on the scene from the onset, and so far so good; we’ve been able to put the situation under control,” he said.
Meanwhile, a staff member of UNICROSS, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the protest escalated after suspected cultists hijacked what was initially planned as a candlelight procession in honour of the deceased students.
In a related development, the university has accused a former Special Adviser on Education to ex-Governor Ben Ayade, Mr. Castro Ezama, of allegedly inciting staff and students through social media posts over the incident.
In a letter dated May 5, 2026, signed by the Registrar and Secretary to the University Council, Dr. Catherine Ndifon Osal, and addressed to Ezama, the institution alleged that his posts encouraged staff and students to disregard established grievance procedures and confront the university management.
The university said such conduct was capable of creating disaffection between students, staff and management, and was detrimental to peace, order and the atmosphere required for teaching, learning and administration.
The governing council also warned that certificates awarded by the university are based on character and learning, adding that it reserves the right to withdraw any certificate where the holder’s subsequent conduct shows a clear departure from the expected standard of character.
“For the avoidance of doubt, you are reminded that every certificate issued by the University of Cross River State is awarded on the twin pillars of character and learning,” the letter read in part.
The university directed Ezama to take down all allegedly inciting social media posts, desist from further engagement of that nature with its staff and students, and publish a formal apology to the Vice Chancellor on the same social media platforms.
It gave him seven days to comply, warning that further action would be taken against him if he failed to do so.
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