By Anietie Akpan
Classified records and other vital documents were destroyed following recent rain storm that destroyed the top floor of the Bassey Asuquo Administrative Block at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).
But the management of the university has said that there was no cause for alarm.
A pressure group in the university, The Concerned University Community, comprising staff, students, and alumni, has accused the university management of negligence and possible cover-up in the incident, which they say reveals “deep administrative lapses.”
The group urged relevant authorities to launch an independent probe into the matter.
In a statement signed by its spokesman, Mr. Bassey Obono, the group questioned why only the affected building sustained extensive damage while numerous structures of similar height and design within the campus remained intact.
“Why weren’t the other buildings affected?” the statement queried pointing out the “curious timing” of the incident, as the building had been closed for three days, between October 6 and October 8, before the roof and ceilings were suspiciously uncovered.
“Could this closure be linked to attempts to conceal certain irregularities?” the statement asked, adding that the development comes amid mounting scandals surrounding admissions, employment controversies, and allegations of illegal deductions from staff salaries and other issues that recently led to a two-day protest (October 8 to 9) by members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) under the Joint Action Committee (JAC).
Obono alleged that staff were earlier denied access to parts of the administrative block, reportedly to prevent the service of legal documents related to a disputed employment exercise.
“The circumstances surrounding this incident raise questions that should not be ignored,” the group maintained, calling for transparency and accountability from the university’s leadership.
Reacting to the allegations, the UNICAL management dismissed any suggestion of foul play, attributing the damage to a violent windstorm that was accompanied by heavy rainfall in Calabar.
In a statement from the institution’s Information Unit, the management explained that the storm caused “massive damage to the roof” of the building, which houses the Registry and Audit Units, adding that the situation was under control.
“The necessary measures are being taken to ensure safety, restore operations, and safeguard important documents,” the statement read noting that security personnel and the Works Department were immediately deployed to provide emergency support.
Meanwhile, The Concerned University Community insists that only a transparent and independent investigation can restore confidence in the institution’s handling of the matter.
