Consistent with the Governor Bassey Otu-led administration’s commitment to strengthening safety across tertiary institutions, the Director of the Homeland Security and Safety Agency – South, Chief Michael Nsan, has led a high-level delegation to the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) to assess security gaps and chart a collaborative path toward a safer academic environment.
Chief Nsan said the visit was in line with the Cross River State Government’s directive to ensure that all public institutions are adequately protected through modern, coordinated security systems.
“Our governor is very serious about security and takes the state’s security architecture very seriously. We have been mandated to assess government facilities, understand their security challenges, and work out practical solutions,” he stated.
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According to the Homeland Security Director, the Agency is exploring technology-driven interventions, including the integration of UNICROSS into a centralised modern control room to enable real-time monitoring and rapid response during emergencies.
“We want to see how the university can be plugged into a modern control room so that, in the event of any security issue, we can work in sync to ensure everyone’s safety,” Chief Nsan added.
Responding, the Vice Chancellor of UNICROSS, Prof. Francisca Bassey, described the visit as timely and reassuring, noting that the university has been battling persistent security challenges arising from vandalism, theft, flooding, and land encroachment across its campuses.
“Your visit is very timely. We are facing heartbreaking levels of theft and vandalisation. Because our campuses are unfenced, they have become thoroughfares for surrounding communities, which is not acceptable anywhere in the world,” she said.
Prof. Bassey revealed that critical academic infrastructure, including windows, electrical installations, and heavy-duty cables, has been repeatedly vandalised, sometimes shortly after repairs.
“As we fix facilities, they are vandalised again. This drains our limited resources and exposes our students and staff to serious risks,” she lamented.
She further highlighted structural gaps such as poor remuneration for outsourced security personnel, an ageing workforce, lack of patrol vehicles, and absence of CCTV systems and a functional control room, stressing the difficulty of effectively securing three campuses under such conditions.
Also speaking, the Media Aide to the Homeland Security and Safety Agency, Mr. Michael Archibong, assured the university community of the Agency’s readiness to partner with UNICROSS.
“We are prepared to collaborate fully with the university to ensure the safety and security of lives and property on campus,” Archibong said.
On his part, the Chief Security Officer of UNICROSS, Mr. Iwara Ibiang, called for stronger enforcement to deter criminal activity.
“Beyond routine security checks, there must be arrests and prosecution of offenders. We also need a comprehensive security database to strengthen deterrence and accountability,” he noted.
The engagement ended with a shared commitment to sustained collaboration, facility assessment, community engagement, and deployment of modern security solutions aimed at safeguarding lives, protecting infrastructure, and creating a conducive learning environment at the University of Cross River State.
