A dark cloud looms over the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) as the Cross River State Government uncovers what appears to be a brazen, calculated looting of public assets by the institution’s former Governing Council members. In a move that has sent shockwaves across the state, officials entrusted with safeguarding the university’s resources allegedly sold off valuable assets to themselves in a secretive, illegal auction.
For months, these individuals operated in the shadows, reportedly disposing of over 400 government-owned items between May and August 2024. Among the assets was a 500KVA generator installed just in 2015, eight industrial generators, and several official vehicles, including one donated by the previous administration of Governor Ben Ayade for university use.
What makes this revelation even more damning is the deliberate circumvention of the law. Under the Public Procurement Act, asset disposal of this magnitude requires public advertisement, competitive bidding, and strict oversight. Yet, in this case, there was no advertisement, no open bidding, and no transparency. The sale appears to have been a premeditated ploy—an inside job designed to enrich a select few at the expense of the institution.
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This isn’t just mismanagement—it is daylight robbery of a public institution.
Governor Bassey Edet Otu is not taking this lightly. His Special Adviser on Asset Management and Recovery, Barr. Gilbert Agbor, has issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding: A full inventory of all assets sold; Official approval documents and Governing Council resolutions (if any existed at all); Evidence of public advertisement announcing the auction (or proof that none was ever made); The identities of buyers and their connections to the former council members; and Detailed financial records—who received the proceeds, where the money went, and how it was used.
Failure to provide these documents will not be treated as mere administrative negligence—it will be regarded as proof of corruption, with consequences to follow.
This scandal has ignited outrage among students, staff, and citizens alike. The sheer audacity of the alleged looters—selling public property to themselves in plain sight while hiding behind bureaucracy—has fueled calls for probe and prosecution.
A senior university staff member, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the situation as “one of the most shameful betrayals of trust in UNICROSS history.”
“This was not just mismanagement—it was outright theft. These people believed they could get away with looting a public institution without consequences. But the truth is out, and they must be held accountable,” the staff member said.
With the government tightening its grip, the former Governing Council members now stand at a crossroads—either justify their actions with undeniable proof or face the wrath of the law.
