The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Cross River

  • Cross River: Confusion as APC postpones ward congress

    Confusion trailed the conduct of the All Progressives Congress ward congresses in Cross River State yesterday.

    It was gathered that the Stanley Ekezie-led Ward Congress Committee which arrived Calabar, the state capital, on Friday evening had in a meeting with stakeholders agreed to shift the congresses by 24 hours to Sunday.

    They had also agreed to have a meeting on Saturday morning by eight o’clock in this regard.

    By eight o’clock yesterday, party members and stalwarts from across the state had convened at the party’s secretariat premises for the meeting but the committee members were absent.

    The situation generated tension as members accused the committee of being hijacked.

    After waiting for hours party stalwarts like Hilliard Eta, National Vice Chairman South-South; Okoi Obono Obla, Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution; Senator John Owan-Enoh, Hon Cletus Obun, Prof Eyo Etim Nyong, Hon Venatius Ikem, Hon Paul Adah, Barrister Utum Eteng, among others led members to a hotel in Calabar where the Committee members were staying.

    According to Eta, they were going to lay siege to the hotel to ensure that the committee members came out to ensure the right thing is done.

    The party stalwarts who spoke with our reporter accused the National President, John Odigie Oyegun, and the National Organising Secretary, Osita Izunaso, of being behind the crisis in the party in the state.

    They all eventually, with the committee members, returned to the party secretariat for a meeting presided over by Eta, where they resolved that the congresses be postponed indefinitely and the election materials be handed over to the Commissioner of Police for custody.

    In a resolution at the end of the meeting, signed by Eta, Obla, Owan-Enoh, Eteng, Adah, Nyong, among others, they accused the ward congress chairman, Ekezie of colluding with others to rig the process.

    According to the resolution, vigilant members of the party discovered already prepared and filled result sheets and other incriminating document in an SUV vehicle parked in the hotel.

    “In the light of the above have resolved that we do not have confidence in the Chairman, Stanley Ekezie, and other members of APC Cross River State Ward Congress to superintend a credible free, fair and transparent Ward congresses in Cross River,” they said.

    The chairman of the Congress Committee, Stanley Ekezie, who said nothing throughout the meeting, also declined comment.

  • Cross River’s first private varsity matriculates 251

    The Arthur Jarvis University in Cross River State has matriculated 251 students.

    The institution, located in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, is the first and only licensed private university in the state.

    Its Vice Chancellor, Prof Ani Nkang, said the institution has 23 academic programmes in 15 departments and four faculties – Natural and Applied Sciences, Humanities, Management and Social Sciences.

    He said in line with the university’s strategic plan, the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences and Law would begin in October once the National Universities Commission (NUC) gives the nod.

    Nkang said 117 of the matriculating students were enrolled in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, while 134 enrolled in the Faculties of Humanities, Management and Social Sciences.

    He told the students that it was their obligation to maintain law and order, promptly pay school fees, protect university property, respect staff and other students, keep the surroundings clean and report suspicious or criminal activities to the authorities.

    The VC said the university was focused on pursuit of excellence in teaching, research and community service.

    Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University, Prof Bassey Asuquo praised the institution for the progress made so far.

    Asuquo, a former University of Calabar VC advised the students to have positive attitudes towards success and not to lose focus.

     

  • Cross River gets partners in fight against human, wildlife trafficking

    two groups, the Conference of Western Attorneys-General (CWAG) and the Africa Alliance Partnership (AAP), have partnered the Cross River State to tackle human and wildlife trafficking.

    They held a one-day symposium on Investigation and Prosecution of Transnational Crimes: Wildlife Trafficking in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    Speakers at the symposium said there was the need to have joint responses to transnational crimes by establishing and building cooperative relationships.

    The event was sponsored by the Cross River State Ministry of Justice in partnership with CWAG and AAP.

    At the event were representatives of CWAG; Chief Judge of Cross River State, Justice Michael Edem; representatives from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation; Nigeria Customs Service; Nigeria Immigration Service; the Police and the National Park, among others.

    CWAG Director, Mr. Markus Green, said given the trans-border nature of wildlife and human trafficking, child pornography, drugs, firearms, among others, no single country can address the challenge of the global crime alone.

    “It is on this note that CWAG-African Alliance Partnership seeks to contribute to the reduction, prevention and elimination of transnational crimes. This is part of the symposium that we are doing around nine different countries in Africa.

    “Primarily, what we are doing is to encourage the rule of law. We deal with a range of topics, including human trafficking, wildlife trafficking and some of the general administration of the rule of law practices.

    “Like anything new, the initial reception for the training was met with scepticism in Nigeria. But the idea is that we all belong to a global village and so we talk about the global social justice system. Whatever impacts United States also impacts Nigeria, and the reverse,” he said.

    Cross River Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Mr. Joe Abang  said United States Attorneys-General were in the state due to their passion for conservation of wildlife and bio-diversity.

    He said: “We are host to one of the largest national parks, which houses chimpanzees, monkeys and other important species to humanity.

    “These western attorneys-generals in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Justice, state ministries of justice and body of attorneys-general in Nigeria chose Calabar as a biodiversity hotspot to share experiences they have had in the United States, Mexico and other countries and to deliberate on the way of preserving these endangered species.”

    AAP’s representative, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN) said CWAG and APP had held other trainings around Africa, such as the one on the rule of law.

    He said: “This time our focus is on wildlife trafficking. Agreed, there are laws against wildlife trafficking but the problem is always around the enforcement of the law.

    “What we have done is to bring in different people from abroad to come and share their knowledge on how they have been able to succeed.

    “I think one of the things that will come out from this training is the need for cooperation among the different agencies. There are so many agencies involved.

    “All these agencies are involved in trying to enforce various laws. The question is whether they are working in any coordinated manner to ensure that they are effective.

    “With respect to wildlife, clearly, you cannot have the parks working alone because something can slip out of the park and if that happens, there will be the involvement of other security agencies.”

  • We are improving, decongesting Nigerian prisons, says Assistant Controller

    Assistant Controller General of Prisons in charge of Zone E, Mr Jide Joseph Olorunmola, says there has been remarkable improvement in the Nigeria Prisons Service, and that the present leadership is working hard towards decongestion.

    Olorunmola, who was on a familiarization/inspection tour to the Cross River State Command, and conducted round by the State Controller of Prisons, Imaikop Ndaekong said, said the situation today is much better than it was in the past.

    He said, “When you talk of improvement, you look at the past and look at the current situation and then forecast for the future. The structures were dilapidated. There was shortage of drugs. There was lack of vehicles to convey prisoners to courts. That was the situation before the current administration under the leadership of Controller General of Prisons, Alhaji Ja’afaru Ahmed. Since he came there has been massive reconstruction and renovation of structures and infrastructure being provided. Drugs, duty vehicles, staff cars have also been provided. Those things were not in place before and so there is a big improvement going on.

    Read Also: 195 Nigerians in Moroccan prisons for drug crimes – Envoy

    “Of course when you talk of prison congestion, you can see the efforts of the Federal Government. There is a presidential committee on decongestion that has been going on. In Kano a 3, 000 capacity prison has been put in place and the CGP and Minister have repeated very often that the goal now is to put in place a 3, 000 capacity prison in every geopolitical zone of the country.

    “With all the operational vehicles that have been purchased and distributed all over the prison formations across the country to convey prisoners to court, you will agree with me that is a fine effort aimed at decongesting prisons. Because if inmates do not attend court regularly, if they miss their courts, that may add to our problem of congestion. In the area of drugs, they are regularly being supplied to prisons for inmates use. Even staff welfare has been improved upon and this goes a way to improve the system.”

    Cross River State Controller of Prisons, Imaikop Ndaekong, who conducted him round the Command said the State’s Prisons consists of five convict prisons and one farm centre with 960 inmates population made up of 944 males and 16 females.

    “The present leadership of Nigeria Prisons Service under Controller General of Prisons Jaafaru Ahmed in which you are a management member, has put smiles on the faces of every of Prison Officer and Cross River State Command is conspicuously part of this web of change in the Service.

    “Permit me sir to inform you that the Command had benefitted enormously in the distribution of beddings, operational vehicles, agricultural machineries and implements, drugs, medics and uniform for staff and inmates,” Ndaekong said.

  • DPR to shut down unlicensed petrol stations in Cross River

    The Department of Petroleum Resources ( DPR ) in Cross River, on Wednesday in Calabar, threatened to shut down filling stations in the state without registered operating licence.

    Mr Bassey Nkanga, the state DPR Operations Controller, gave this warning at a meeting with the officials of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria ( IPMAN ) and Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria ( MOMAN ).

    Nkanga said that the department reminded oil marketers in the state on Oct. 31, 2017 on the need to renew their operating licences, adding that the dateline for registration had since elapsed on March 31.

    According to him, DPR will soon embark on ‘operation display your renewed licence in your filing station or be shut down’.

    He told the oil marketers that any filling station shut down during the operation, the owner would have to pay a fine of N250,000 before it could be reopened for business.

    “Any moment from now, we will embark on an intensified operation to ensure that marketers, who have not renewed their licences are not allowed to operate.

    “We have more than 600 filling stations in Cross River and it is sad to know that only a little above 100 have their valid registered licences.

    “To prevent any embarrassment, IPMAN members should display their renewed licences in their filling stations henceforth,’’ he said.

    The Operations Controller frowned at marketers, who were in the habit of adjusting their fuel pump to short-change customers.

    He further warned that any filling station under-dispensing petroleum product would face the wrath of the law.

    On the issue of kerosene explosion in the state, Nkanga said that the organisation would partner with IPMAN in the state to drastically reduce the influx of adulterated product.

    “Don’t buy doubtful product from anybody apart from the licensed depot; anyone, who buys adulterated product and there is an explosion in any corner, that person will face the necessary sanctions.

    “DRP is well equipped in checking petrol stations across the state to ensure that the right thing is done,’’ he said.

    Mr Lawrence Agim, the IPMAN Chairman in Cross River, expressed sadness on the incessant kerosene explosions in the state.

    Agim said that many families had been affected by such explosions.

    He lauded the state DPR for always holding regular meetings with them in order to appraise the situation of petroleum product in the state.

    NAN

  • Cross River: 2019 senatorial race hots up

    In Cross River State the race for the three senatorial seats on all the ticket of all the leading political parties is gathering steam, reports Nicholas Kalu in Calabar

    Once again election season is around the corner and in Cross River State, there is already frenzy in the air as politicians, political supporters and political activities begin to take centre stage in anticipation of the 2019 General Elections.

    Offering more drama at the moment in the state is the race for the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Political gladiators have already begun to put their game plans in place to occupy the southern, central and northern senatorial districts seats of the state at the Senate.

    In the Southern Senatorial District of the state it appears it would be a battle to wrestle the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the incumbent Senator, Gershom Bassey. Bassey, known as one of the “Three Wise Men” of the state, whose bid to be governor after Liyel Imoke failed due to the zoning formula in the state, beat then incumbent, Prince Bassey Otu of Labour Party, to emerge winner. Otu had then recently dumped the PDP for Labour Party. Gershom is said to be a close friend to former governors Donald Duke and Imoke, who were believed to have together drawn the blueprint for the state and was to be the third in line to be governor. But since Duke from the South had taken a turn and Imoke from the central had been next, it was argued that the next governor should be from the North, which Ben Ayade took. As he was denied the governorship in 2015, Bassey went for the Senate, which he won.

    At the moment, it is strongly speculated that a former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, Mr. Ekpo Okon, is warming up to wrest the ticket of the party from Bassey. Okon was also a member of the House of Representatives and State Chairman of the PDP during Imoke’s tenure and is believed to have packed some political clout.

    Prince Bassey Otu who lost the seat in 2015, however appears relentless to get his seat back. Now a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the main opposition party in the state, it is believed the former Senator would work towards ensuring he returns to the red chamber of the National Assembly. Many of Otu’s supporters are confident of his return, as they believe he only lost in 2015 due to the culture of imposition, which was prevalent then. Sweet Prince as he is popularly called is said to be a grassroots politician, who stands a good chance now the party in power at the Federal level is no longer the PDP.

    The Central Senatorial District of the state is where the politics has always been the hottest across the state. The incumbent Senator, John Owan Enoh, began his journey in the Senate as a member of the PDP, but defected to the APC.

    Seeking to unseat Enoh is Mr. Chris Agara, a businessman, philanthropist and a stalwart of the PDP in the state.

    Considered to be a favourite for the party ticket and seat of the Central District, Agara has to wrestle for the ticket with Dr. Sandy Onor, a former commissioner in the state.

    Onor, formerly a member of the PDP, had at various times moved to the Labour Party, the APC and back to the PDP, where he seeks to fly the flag of the party at the next elections.

    With Onor’s return to the party, the name of the River State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has been thrown up as the pillar behind his ambition, as they are believed to be close friends.

    Stakeholders from the area say activities that led to the last PDP National Convention are indications that Wike is not only backing Onor’s ambition, but is determined to ensure he gets the ticket of the PDP to run the senatorial race.

    “For instance, in October last year, Wike had visited Ayade few days before Onor decamped to the PDP. It is widely held in political circles that he must have been connected to the return of his friend to the party. Just days after Onor returned to the PDP, he was nominated into a powerful committee that organised the party’s national convention that led to the emergence of Uche Secondus as PDP’s National Chairman,” a political stakeholder from the area said.

    But Agara’s supporters do not believe speculations of Wike’s interest on who becomes their next senator would deter Agara. They believe it is time for Agara to be appreciated for his steadfastness and support for the PDP right from the inception of the party. They argued that when the party faced some storms, people like Onor dumped the PDP and turned back to fight the party, yet they come back to benefit from it.

    “It was the activities of people like that, that eventually brought the PDP down from power at federal level, while Agara stood firm and helped in securing the party. It would be a misnomer for Wike to jump over the head of the state, Governor Ben Ayade, and impose a senator on the people of the central zone, where the former governor of the state, Mr. Liyel Imoke, is a major stakeholder. Onor has not been a steady party man and there is no guarantee he would not dump the party if he eventually becomes senator,” one of them said.

    Besides talks of support from Wike, Onor’s supporters however believe his long political experience would be to his advantage. Onor, a former local government chairman popularly known as the Caterpillar, is believed to be a political heavyweight in the area and having fully reconciled with the PDP is intent on picking its ticket.

    The APC, at the moment, seems to have the incumbent Senator John Owan-Enoh as its only aspirant. Enoh, believed to be very popular among the grassroots, though in opposition in the state, is believed to have what it takes to maintain his seat.

    In the Northern Senatorial District, Rose Oko presently occupies the seat. Her supporters claim she has done well and deserve to go back, pointing to empowerment programmes she has attracted to the people in the area.

    Seeking to take over her seat is touted to be Mr. Jude Ngaji, who is presently the State Security Adviser. The son of Senator Greg Ngaji, who also represented the district in the Senate, Jude is said to enjoy a lot of political goodwill among the people. For the APC, Mr. Francis Bullem, a former banker with 20years experience, businessman and former governorship aspirant, is believed to seek the position to represent the Central District in next year’s election. Bullem, a former member of the PDP, had left to join the APC because of the culture of impunity and imposition.

  • Nasarawa, Yobe, Cross River pay highest price for kerosene in March

    The National Bureau of Statistics ( NBS ), says residents of Nasarawa, Yobe and Cross River, paid the highest price for kerosene in March.

    The NBS said this in its National Household Kerosene “Price Watch’’ for March, 2018 released in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The NBS report said that residents of Nasarawa paid an average price of N306.07 per litre for kerosene, Yobe paid N300.78 while Cross River residents paid N300.68 for the product.

    Meanwhile, the report noted that states with the lowest average price per litre of kerosene were Abia; N229.35; Delta; N227.77 and Borno; N225.13.

    The report said that average price per litre paid by consumers for kerosene decreased by -6.79 per cent month-on-month and -13.66 per cent year-on-year from N288.57 in February to N268.99 in March.

    Read Also: Yobe donates N200m for Army Barrack project

    Similarly, the report said that average price per gallon paid by consumers for the product decreased by -8.45 per cent month-on-month, and -19.57 per cent year-on-year from N1,030.33 in February to N943.27 in March.

    It, however, said that states with the highest average price per gallon of kerosene were Kebbi, N1,105.00; Benue, N1,096.67 ; and Jigawa, N1,061.90, respectively.

    It also noted that states with the lowest average price per gallon of kerosene were Ebonyi, N828.57; Delta, N821.54; and Rivers, N814.08.

    NAN

  • DSS arrest major financier, armourer of kidnap gang in Kogi

    The Department of State Services ( DSS ) said it had arrested Lawal Mohammed, a suspected major financier and amourer of the dreaded Basalube kidnap gang in Kogi.

    A statement issued by an operative of the service, Mr Tony Opuiyo, on Tuesday in Abuja, said the suspect was arrested on March 23, at Japama in Obajana Local Government Area of Kogi.

    Opuiyo said that the suspect was apprehended with two other members of the gang, Mohammed Tukur and Abubakar Ibrahim, by the joint team of the Service and the Military during the operation.

    He said that Tukur was identified as the Chief surveillance officer of the gang who coordinated the gang’s movement across Rivers, Edo, Delta, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kogi and the Federal Capital Territory, preparatory to the execution of their operations.

    The operative said that items recovered from the suspects include: three cell phones and 25 bottles of psychotropic inducers.

    In a related development, the DSS said it had also arrested five suspected members of the Basulube kidnap gang at Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta.

    The suspects are: Ali Abubakar, a top ranking member of the gang, Abubakareem Idrisa,Bashir Tsoho, Sanusi Abubakar, Nuhu Muhammadu and Abubakar Abdulhammeed.

    “This arrest was effected while Abubakar was perfecting plans to carry out kidnap operations in Obajana, Kogi,“he said.

    He said that in its determination to decimate the gang, the Service on on March 26 arrested Abubakar Danlansu, driver and weapon courier of the group at Dikko area of Niger.

    “The suspect was arrested enroute Edo from where he was to convey weapons to Obajana in Kogi for the gang’s planned kidnap operations.

    He said that the service had arrested Matthew Ekam, 39, in connection with the kidanap of Obianuju Onyema in Yenagoa on March 12 and later released by the kidnappers on March 18.

    Opuiyo said the suspect is a native of Ogoja, Cross River and a driver of a heavy duty truck operating between Bayelsa and Rivers.

    He said that on March 24, the service arrested a suspected Boko Haram terrorist, Mohammed Bello on the outskirt of Wudil Local Government Area of Kano State.

    Read Also: How we secured Dapchi schoolgirls’ release —DSS

    He said Bello was believed to be carrying out surveillance activities for the extremist group in the area.

    “At the point of his arrest, several handsets, multiple identity cards including those of a Police Constable and neighbourhood vigilante member and N37,857.00 were recovered from him,“he said.

    “The arrest of these suspects hold major significance for law and order and safety of persons.

    “It is instructive to note that the activities of kidnappers and armed robbers on the Lokoja-Okene and Abuja-Kaduna corridors have relatively reduced as a result of sustained counter operations of the Service and sister security agencies,“he said.

    Opuiyo said that the recent arrest of Abubakar and other members of the dreaded Basalube kidnap gang would apparently result in the complete elimination of violent and other allied crimes in those regions.

    “The successes so far recorded by the Service are geared toward providing a safe and peaceful environment for law abiding citizens to pursue their legitimate endeavours.

    “We wish to reassure the public that the tempo of these operations will be continually reviewed, strengthened and sustained.

    “The Service, therefore, wishes to reiterate its stance that all perpetrators of violence and criminality against the Nigerian State and its law-abiding citizens will be made to face the full course of law no matter how long it takes, “he said.

    NAN

  • UNHCR urges Cameroonian to respect human rights

    The United Nations High Commission for Refugees ( UNHCR ) has appealed to the Government of Cameroon to respect human rights of all citizens for the sake of peace.

    The commission’s representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Antonio Canhandula, made the appeal while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Makurdi.

    Canhandula said the instability in Anglophone Cameroon had forced thousands of citizens to seek asylum in Nigeria.

    He said Cameroonian Government should explore alternative ways of engaging with those who feel aggrieved for the sake of peace and that both parties should respect human rights.

    “UNHCR urges the Government of Cameroon to explore ways of engaging with those who feel aggrieved, for the sake of peace.

    “We also reiterate the need for respect of human rights by all parties involved,’’ Canhandula said.

    He said the refugees complained of exclusion from the national life by the Cameroonian Government, political processes and important positions in the government.

    “Longstanding grievances against the central government in Cameroon took a new turn in 2016 when a group of Anglophone Cameroonians triggered civil society-led demonstrations.

    “This was based on allegations of marginalisation by the authorities, particularly in the education and justice system.

    “Initially, the protesters called for the return to a federal system of government and greater autonomy.

    “However, on Oct. 1, 2017, the separatist movement, Ambazonia Governing Council, declared unilaterally the independence of Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest Regions.

    “Tensions ensued with government security forces clashing with movement, resulting in injuries and deaths and leading to an influx of English-speaking Cameroonians into Nigeria.

    “Critics accused government forces of killing dozens of civilians while the administration is also alleging that suspected separatists have killed more than 10 security personnel since the crisis intensified in October.’’

    Canhandula further said that the UNHCR had registered 20,485 Cameroonian refugees seeking asylum in Benue, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

    He explained that the commission also opened a permanent office for the coordination of their activities in Calabar, Cross River, field offices in Adikpo, Benue and Ikom in Cross River.

    Read Also: UNHCR launches $157m appeal fund for Boko Haram victims

    The UNHCR representative said that the Benue Government had allocated 191 hectares of land for the settlement of refugees in Kwande Local Government Area.

    He added that the site was being developed.

    According to him, each site has the capacity to host 4,000 persons.

    He, however, said that the influx is expected to continue and there is the need for more land in Benue.

    “We are still working with the state authorities in Cross River to identify a suitable location to move the refugees away from the border in line with international standards.

    “Issues of accessibility, security, topography, water resources, absorption capacity and good terrain for sanitation facilities are taken into consideration while selecting potential refugee sites.’’

    Canhandula said the commission was yet to gain access to Akwaya, where some Nigerian refugees in Cameroon were located.

    “The Akwaya sub-division, in particular, hosts small refugee population of around 1,800 Nigerians and around 600 Cameroonian returnees, who had been refugees in Nigeria before being repatriated in 2015 and 2016.

    “This area is very difficult to access, particularly during the rainy season.

    “Nevertheless, our office in Cameroon is working to organise an assessment mission there.

    “But we cannot provide first-hand information at this moment,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Cult killings: 11 suspected cultists arrested, two on the run as UNICAL tightens security

     

    The Management of the University of Calabar has tightened security around and within the institution following the killing of two students by gunmen in a suspected renewed wave of secret cults groups’ clash on campus last week.

    Besides the directives of the Vice Chancellor as Head of Management that police patrol teams be stationed at the main gate of the Institution and the Internal Security Team at other strategic parts of Campus, random stop and search of persons and vehicles at vulnerable point it was observed has been intensified.

    A release issued by the Registrar of the Institution, Mr. Moses Abang indicated that the patrolling/combing exercise had paid off with the arrest of 11 suspected cultists who have been handed over to the Anti-Cultism/ Kidnapping Unit of the Nigeria Police, Cross River State Command for further interrogation.

    According to the release, on March 16, 2018, gunmen launched unsuspecting attacks on one Oko Sylvester Ayide aka Davido, a final year student of the Department of Theatre, Film and Carnival Studies, University of Calabar and Wilson Augustine Ebina, a second year student of the Department of Education Science (Chemistry Education) in a violent manner that resulted in their death.

    “Investigation revealed that Prior to his death, Oko Sylvester who was shot on the stomach has been on suspension for his involvement in various acts of cultism and robbery while Wilson Ebina was shot dead at a building under construction opposite the Faculty of Education Twin Theatre Hall. Both are said to belong to the Vikings Confraternity.

    “In a related development, a final year student of the Faculty of Law and resident of Hall 4, Nkanu, Augustine Ebri (Abacha) and Obimbua Obey Joseph (AKA: Obe), also a final year student of the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences are on the run following the discovery of dangerous items in Nkanu’s room by operatives of the Security Unit of the University.

    “Items recovered from the room include one locally made pistol, one small axe, one face mask, live and expended cartridges, military camouflage, military sweater, one long dagger, one machete, assorted bottles of concoctions, Charms/finger rings, assorted phones, cult regalia, drugs/wraps of Indian Hemp and a host of others.

    “The dangerous items have been handed over to the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Nigeria Police, Cross River State Command for further investigation,” it read.