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UNICAL

  • UNICAL management has no vested interest in Dean’s suspension – VC

    UNICAL management has no vested interest in Dean’s suspension – VC

    Prof. Florence Obi, Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Calabar, (Unical), has disclosed that the management of the institution had no vested interest in the suspension of Prof. Cyril Ndifon, former Dean of the Faculty of Law.

    Obi made this known in a press briefing on Monday in Calabar, following allegations that some senior members of staff of the institution wanted the professor out.

    It would be recalled that Ndifon was on Aug. 17 suspended by the institution after he responded to a query given to him by the school management.

    The query followed allegations of high handedness, improper behaviour towards female students, extortion, and unequal treatment among others.

    The VC said, following the response to the query from the former Dean over the allegations leveled against him by staff and students of the faculty of law, they were left with no other option other than to set up an investigative panel.

    She said the panel, which followed the  public service rules, would involve some staff of the faculty, the institution’s alumni, Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, (FCCPC), and police among others.

    “On Thursday Aug. 10, some law students led by their president came to my office to see me on some alleged improprieties going-on in their faculty and dropped a formal petition.

    “Based on the issues that were raised by the students, the management decided to meet with senior academics in the faculty and while we were having the said meeting on Aug. 14, we were informed that some students were protesting.

    “We granted the students audience and they raised issues that bordered on accountability, abuse of office, extortion, sexual harassment and many others”, she said, alleging that sexual harassment gained more prominence in the public space.

    She assured the students that the allegations would be looked into but the meeting with the senior staff of the faculty that continued later, revealed many other allegations not touched by the protesting students.

    According to her, the management resolved with the staff of the faculty of law on the need for some basic changes to be effected in the faculty to prevent what they termed as the overbearing influence of the Dean in the faculty.

    “Some of the immediate decisions we took was setting up a committee on student mobilisation to law school because the students had alleged that the Dean was being selective and using female students as bait.

    “We also mandated the committee to look at the list of law school students that had been sent by the former Dean and if need be, the list will be recalled.

    “While we removed two examination officers from the faculty and set-up a vetting committee following allegations of result manipulations, we also set up a student project committee that will be assigning projects and grading.

    “This follows allegations that the former Dean was in the habit of selecting only female students as his supervisees thereby making them vulnerable,” he said

    She maintained that the management had ordered a compilation and submission of list of students extorted by the faculty, to be refunded following allegations of extortion of students in the faculty, among other weighty allegations.

    While adding that the management would not fold its hands and accept ugly scenerios in the institution, both the students and staff who had alleged and the accused former Dean would be given the opportunity to defend themselves before the panel.

  • UNICAL finally bows to pressure, to recall students’ lists sent to Law School

    UNICAL finally bows to pressure, to recall students’ lists sent to Law School

    University of Calabar Law faculty may soon recall the lists of students sent to the Nigerian Law School in the last two years for proper scrutiny.

    This is following allegations that the former dean of the Faculty of Law at the university, Prof Cyril Ndifon, suspended last week over accusations of sex scandals, had allegedly compromised the lists with favouritism for female students he reportedly slept with.

    The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Florence Obi, mentioned this when she addressed the press over the several media reports last week about allegations that Ndifon sexually assaulted female students and did not usually follow due process, passing qualified students except those that yielded to his indecent overtures.

    Recall that female law undergraduates had publicly protested a few days ago with placards demanding that Prof Ndifon be removed over allegations of incessant sexual assaults.

    Also, UINCAL law graduates have constantly dragged the instituiton on the allegation that some students were favoured to attend the Law school over others without following due process.

    In the aftermath of the scandal, the Vice Chancellor disclosed that the Faculty of Law needed to be overhauled as a result of the overwhelming allegations against the dean for his alleged highhandedness, sexual assaults, domineering attitudes, and the sidelining of other key academic staff of the faculty.

    “Management resolved with the staff on the need for some basic changes to be effected in the faculty to avoid the continuous overbearing influence and power of any Dean of the Faculty of Law over the students,” she stated.

    The VC also listed other measures to be taken, including the setting up of a committee to take charge of students’ mobilisation to Law School; a review and possible recall of the students’ list sent to Law School; the removal from office of the two examination officers; and the setting up of a Result Vetting Committee.

    Other measures to be taken include setting up a Students’ Project Committee to assign project supervisors to the undergraduates; setting up an Admission Committee to review Direct Entry admissions; setting up a committee to update the existing Standard Operations Procedure (SOP) of the university to take care of the peculiarities of the Faculty of Law for Senate approval; and the appointment of a new sub-dean.

    Also being considered are the appointment of a new interim chairman of the Faculty’s Post-Graduate School Board and the setting up of a committee to review and assign courses for the semester in compliance with the university procedure on Quality Assurance.”

    The university authorities also directed the dean and the sub-dean to submit all result scripts, question papers, marking guides, and examination attendance lists for the past two sessions to the Director of Quality Assurance.

    Prof Obi further ordered that a panel look into alleged extortions said to have been perpetrated by Ndifon and, if found culpable, should be made to refund all illegal monies collected from the students under various sub-heads.

    The professor of Law is also presently being investigated by the Nigerian Bar Association for sexual assaults and improper conduct in UNICAL.

  • Unical suspends Dean of Law over sexual harassment

    Unical suspends Dean of Law over sexual harassment

    The Management of the University of Calabar has suspended Prof. Cyril Ndifon, Dean, Faculty of Law, for alleged improper behaviour toward female students.

    The letter, which conveyed the suspension, was signed by the university’s Registrar, Mr Gabriel Egbe.

    It stated that the suspension took effect from Thursday.

    Ndifon was suspended on the heels of a protest by some law students in the institution.

    The protesters accused him of “high-handedness and improper behaviour toward female students”.

    It would be recalled that in 2016,  Ndifon was also suspended after being accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old 400 level student in 2015.

    The suspension was validated by the National Industrial Court in 2016.

    Egbe stated Ndifon’s latest suspension came as a follow up to the his response to a query issued to him by the management, which the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, was reportedly not satisfied with.

    The letter stated that Obi suspended Ndifon while the matter was referred to a panel to be set up to investigate the allegations levelled against him.

    “Please refer to our letter Ref. UC/REG/DISC.45A dated Aug. 14, 2023 on your alleged violation of the provisions of the extant laws and policies of the university and your response to the said letter dated 16th August, 2023.

    “The vice chancellor has gone through your written representations and is not satisfied with your explanations.

    “She has, therefore, directed that you should be relieved of your position as Dean, Faculty of Law and placed on suspension, while the matter is referred to a panel that will be set-up to investigate these allegations,” it said.

    According to the letter, the vice chancellor directed the dean to hand over all university properties in his possession, including all official responsibilities to the Sub-Dean of the faculty before vacating office.

    The letter added that the dean was to stay away from the university premises except while responding to invitation from the panel investigating the allegations leveled against him.

  • Final year student bolt driver killed in Calabar

    Final year student bolt driver killed in Calabar

    A final year student of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) and bolt driver was on Friday night killed by suspected car snatchers at the Mary Slessor roundabout, Calabar, Cross River.

    The deceased identified as Francis Atabi, had given the two suspected car snatchers a ride around 8pm when the incident occurred.

    The suspects were said to have tried to snatch the Toyota Corolla vehicle from the driver while on their way to theri supposed destination.

    The resistance put up by the 25 year-old final year student of Education and Political Science, was what made the suspects stabbed him multiple times and also tried to snuff the life out of him with a rope round his neck.

    The deceased was said to have ran over a security man when he lost control of the car.

    As at the time of filing this report, the security man wassaid to have given up at the hospital where he was rushed to in Calabar.

    Meanwhile, Police Command in the state have confirmed the incident and said investigation had already commenced on the matter.

    Spokesperson of the command, SP Irene Ugbo who made the position of the Police known, said no stone will be left unturned in a bid to bring the perpetrators to book.

  • UNICAL installs Emir of Kano as 6th Chancellor

    UNICAL installs Emir of Kano as 6th Chancellor

    The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Bayero, has been installed as the 6th Chancellor of the University of Calabar, following his appointment by the Federal Government.

    The Emir was installed in a colourful ceremony held at the University’s International Conference Center on Thursday in Calabar.

    Prof. Florence Obi, Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, who performed the ceremony, described him as a “gentleman full of humility and honour”.

    “I, Prof. Obi, VC of UNICAL, do hereby formally install our worthy and well-beloved Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Emir of Kano, as the 6th Chancellor of the University of Calabar. I humbly pledge to you the loyalty and support of the entire university.

    “With your installation as Chancellor, you are now to preside over the 35th and subsequent convocation ceremonies in accordance with section 4 (1) of the University of Calabar Act 1979,” she said.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, presented the instrument of Office to the 6th Chancellor.

    “I, President Muhammadu Buhari, hereby in accordance with the powers conferred on me as the visitor to the university, re-affirm the Emir of Kano as the 6th Chancellor of the University of Calabar.

    ”I heartily congratulate you on your appointment as 6th Chancellor of the University of Calabar. I trust that you, as Chancellor, will faithfully and diligently carry out the duties of your office in the University of Calabar,” he said.

    Speaking after his installation, the Emir said his heart was full of joy to witness the ceremony, thereby thanking Buhari for the appointment.

    He pledged his readiness to work with the management of the university in achieving the desired growth and development.

    “With my new gab, I will engage the Federal Government and relevant agencies to look into the accommodation problem of staff and students of the great institution considering the growing population and complexities of a 21st century modern university such as ours.

    “We will explore the possibility of erecting a befitting senate building for the university.

    ”Given the parameters, indices and matrix survival in contemporary Nigeria, we shall be duty bound to study the welfare scheme of staff in other universities in relation to the take-home pay of our staff.

    “Once more, I thank the University of Calabar for the honour done to me today. Let us join hands with the current action oriented Vice Chancellor to reach the promised land,” the Emir said.

    Speaking, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State said that the Emir has all the qualities of a leader.

    Ganduje said that the Emir, who grew from a humble royal background, has continued to foster peace and unity in the Kano emirate.

    “With this installation, we are sure that the University of Calabar will go higher and higher because the Emir is a “round peg in a round hole”.

    The event was attended by the Pro-Chancellor of UNICAL, retired Gen. Martin Luther-Agwai and the Cross River Deputy Governor-elect, Mr Peter Odey.

    Others are; Mr Hilary Bisong, Deputy Majority Leader of the Cross River House of Assembly, the Chief Whip of the Assembly, Mr Okon Ephraim, traditional rulers, as well as staff and students of the institution.

  • UNICAL students get refund for illegal charges

    UNICAL students get refund for illegal charges

    Prof. Florence Obi, Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, has refunded an undisclosed amount of money illegally collected by some departments in the institution to 196 students.

    Obi refunded the money to the students on behalf of the university at the Senate Chamber of the institution on Thursday in Calabar.

    She told the students that the money was refunded in line with her administration’s zero tolerance for corruption and illegality.

    According to her, the university is making the refund to affected students for the third time, adding that students should be bold enough to report any illegal charges.

    She commended the Directorate of Service Compact with all Nigerian (SERVICOM), for recovering the illegally charges on behalf of the students.

    “If any student of this institution is asked to pay any charges outside the approved charges, such students should report to SERVICOM or the school management.

    “Students should always keep the receipt of any payment made; we want to see facts when such complaints get to us.

    “I am happy today that the affected students will all receive their monies. We are not out to witch-hunt anyone, but we must do the right thing in this university.

    “As a university, we will go after any department that collects unapproved charges; they must refund such to the students.

    “If any department has needs for anything, they should write for official approval,” the Vice Chancellor said.

    She advised the students to always dress decently while on campus in order not to breach the school’s zero tolerance for indecent dressing by students on campus.

    Earlier, Director of SERVICOM in the institution, Prof. Patrick Egaga, said that the directorate was concerned about the welfare of students.

    Egaga said that the directorate was working in line with the policy thrust of the current administration which has zero tolerance for corruption and illegality.

    He explained that the funds were recovered from the affected departments by the directorate in collaboration with the office of the Chief Security Officer of the institution.

  • UNICAL bans short skirts, body hugs among students, staff on campus

    UNICAL bans short skirts, body hugs among students, staff on campus

    The Service Compact With All Nigerian (SERVICOM) Directorate of the University of Calabar, has banned indecent dressing among students and staff of the university forthwith.

    Prof. Patrick Egaga, Director of SERVICOM in UNICAL, announced the ban in a statement issued on Friday in Calabar.

    He said that the Directorate had noticed with grave concern the increase and proliferation of indecent, provocative, and unofficial dressing, mostly by students and some female staff of the institution.

    “Specifically, short skirts or gowns, above the knee, open backs, crap tops, braless tops and gowns, spaghetti finger, sleeveless tops, handless gowns, bikinis, see-through, transparent, apparels and revealing contours are no longer tolerated on campus.

    “Others are handless gowns, bum short revealing laps, slit skirts, body hugs, V-necks exposing breasts, tubes, strip-less, rag jeans, shorts above the knee, sleeveless shirts, singlets, lingeries, sagged trousers and others.

    “All of these will no longer be tolerated on campus with effect from Tuesday May 2, 2023.

    “Consequently, any student or staff clad in regalia or paraphernalia mentioned will be denied effective access into any of the university facilities or be appropriately sanctioned.

    “A combined security and administrative task force will be constituted to monitor compliance,” he said.

    He said that female students and staff are enjoined to imitate the dressing culture of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, and her Deputies.

    He also called on the male students and staff to model the dressing pattern of the university’s Council Chairman, Retired Gen. Martin Luther-Agwai, and the Registrar, Mr Gabriel Egbe.

  • SAD! Fear in UNICAL as University Don found dead with multiple stabs

    SAD! Fear in UNICAL as University Don found dead with multiple stabs

    The police command in Cross River has confirmed the recovery of the body of a Professor of Political Science with the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Felix Akpan.

    The command’s spokesperson, Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the incident, said the body was discovered on Sunday with multiple stabs in his apartment at Plot 181, Duke Town Close, State Housing in Calabar.

    Ms Ugbo said an arrest had been made while the matter was still under investigation.

    “We have a suspect in custody who claims to be a friend of the deceased (Prof. Akpan).

    He said he did not know what happened to him or who stabbed him to death.

    “Our crack team of detectives have already swung into action; we will soon get to the root of the matter by unravelling who the killer is,” she assured.

    Meanwhile, a source who pleaded anonymity said the deceased, a former dean of Students Affairs at UNICAL, had a guest on Saturday but left very early on Sunday to Akampka before his body was found.

    “A lady who stays in the compound said that she heard a loud scream the same day the visitor, who has now been confirmed to be a friend, left his apartment and alerted people in the neighbourhood about the noise.

    “Perhaps, he forgot something that made him come back to the victim’s house, where he was apprehended and taken to prof’s apartment, where we saw the lifeless body of Prof. Akpan with multiple stabs,” he said.

  • UNICAL suspends 4 staff over students death

    UNICAL suspends 4 staff over students death

    The University of Calabar has suspended four staff of the institution’s medical center over the death of Ms. Precious Agindi.

    Agindi, a third-year student of the institution at the department of Library and Information Science, died on Jan. 28 at the institution’s Medical Center.

    Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, on Tuesday briefed newsmen after receiving the autopsy report.

    She said that the staff were placed on the suspension for showing lack of “emotional commitment” to the deceased.

    Obi said that the autopsy gave a detailed cause of death of the student who was brought to the medical center at a very critical state where she died in less than an hour later.

    “For emphasis, let me categorically state that the death of Ms Precious Agindi had nothing to do with the rumoured ruptured appendicitis as her appendix was found at autopsy to be healthy, not inflamed and intact.

    “This regrettable incident sparked very strong emotions, students’ demonstrations on that fateful day and a lot of misinformation and outright falsehood peddled by ill-informed and mischievous people, both within and outside the campus.

    “Regrettably, the lies that have been deposited in the public space, conscientiously or unconsciously, as amplified by social media, have had a damaging impact on the reputation and image of our university that my administration is working very hard to protect.

    “Management chose not to join issues with peddlers of falsehood at a time of deep sadness and sober reflection.

    “These persons without cause hastily blamed the death on the Medical Centre and by extension the university,” she said.

    She noted that the university maintained studied silence and strongly investigated the handling of the patient at the facility by constituting a panel of inquiry as well as carrying out a Coroner’s Inquest to determine the cause of death.

    “This, we are sure will serve a great purpose in the future, for understanding the causes of things is one of the callings of the university.

    “As I addressed protesting students on campus that fateful day, this much I promised we would do.

    “In fulfillment of this, with the full approval of the family of the deceased, we ordered an autopsy which was carried out by one of the foremost Nigerian Forensic Pathologists.

    “We are thankful to God that our late student was peacefully laid to rest on Feb. 11, 2023 in her hometown, Gbe Nanav in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

    “Yesterday, in the presence of the representatives of the family, the Benue and Tiv Community in the University, SUG officials, members of the Panel of Inquiry, Management received the Autopsy and the panel of inquiry reports.”

    She said that the late student never went to the university medical center but was only taken there by her friends in a very critical medical condition the day she died.

    “Please note that Ms Precious had received treatment from other private clinics in town from the scan result and other medications presented to the nurses on duty when she was brought in.

    “The panel of inquiry made up of experienced medical consultants and doctors absolved the nurses on duty of any professional negligence but saw elements of lack of emotional commitment as medical professionals.

    “While life and death are both in God’s hands, management of the university strongly believe that it is our responsibility to do our best at our respective duty posts to offer the service of care both professionally and emotionally considering our quest for excellence as an academic institution.

    “It is on this note that management feels that medical personnel in our medical center must give not just professional services but emotional and psychological services which are more soothing especially when one is on a sick bed.”

    The VC noted that the problem of commitment to work in the University of Calabar was a pillar that the institution gives great value in all its sections, including the Medical Centre.

    “Management has, therefore, decided to place all the staff on duty on a 3-months suspension for lack of empathy and psychological support and especially for demanding for money for card against the medical center policy of attending to patients in critical condition first.

    “The above investigation has revealed, that the patient was brought to the Medical Centre critically ill and her eventual death shortly after arrival was not as a result of professional negligence by staff of the medical center.

    “Also, there is an established clinical condition as cause of death which in deferment to the family and in respect to the dead we do not wish to reveal.

    “Yet all sorts of lies have been told both online and offline to batter the image of the University and instigate unrest among the students,” she said.

  • UNICAL suspends 4 students over “water ritual”

    UNICAL suspends 4 students over “water ritual”

    The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, has approved the suspension of four students of the institution identified in a viral video and found culpable of partaking in an unlawful act of water ritual on a fellow female student.

    The announcement of the suspension is contained in a release signed on Saturday in Calabar by Mr Gabriel Egbe, Registrar of the institution.

    Egbe said that the unlawful act was carried out by the four students during the last matriculation ceremony of the institution on Dec. 2, 2022.

    Egbe mentioned the affected students to include Stephen Usen, a student of Accounting Department, year 4, and Aniefiok Idorenyin, a student of Computer Science, year 2.

    Others are Miracle Adeyemi, a student of Political Science, year 2 and Blessing Queen, a student of Genetics and Biotech, year 4.

    “Management deliberated extensively on the report of the committee on Gender-Based Violence and the strength of its findings and has accordingly directed the affected students to proceed on suspension with effect from the 2020/2021 academic session.

    “Deans, Heads of Departments and other relevant officers of the university have been tasked with the duty of full compliance with the given directive,” Egbe said.