UNICROSS VC marks 3rd anniversary, awards best students, staff; kidnapp attempt foiled

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cross River State, (UNICROSS) Professor Augustine Angba has marked the third anniversary in office and gave awards to the best students, retirees, and others.

The ceremony was held inside the new café on campus, and had students, staff, and guests in attendance.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Augustine Angba during his opening speech commended the immediate past Governor, Senator Ben Ayade, and the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu for their inputs in the institution as well as the governing council of the institution and others for their teamwork.

The VC rolled out the strides achieved in the past three years in office including the renovation of the Tetfund intervention project, medical center, event center, faculty of management science, hostel accommodation, tourism village, e-library complex, remodeling of the three campuses gates, Calabar campus 1500 seating capacity auditorium with four conference rooms among others.

He said the ultra-modern laboratory in Okuku campus is near completion; the food processing lab in Obubra campus, remodeling and reconstruction of the Ekpo Abasi roundabout as a way of corporate social responsibility; construction of more than 1,500 classroom desks, completion and furnishing of faculty of communication technology and the completion of the entrepreneurship skill acquisition center equipment across all campuses.

The VC gave awards and honors to retirees; the Feed One Train One Student (FOTOS) recipients, best hostel, faculty, and departments among others.

He charged the school management to keep up the good work that in no distant time will rank the ivory tower the best university in the country.

Also, good-spirited youths in Nyangasang Community, Calabar Municipal Local Government of Cross River State have foiled, and apprehended some kidnappers gang members as well as rescued their victim – Mrs. Caroline Bassey.

The incident which happened at about 11.30 am on Saturday 4th November 2023 was masterminded by kidnappers who came in a Toyota Camry car and pretended to rent chairs from the victim.

They succeeded in tying one of the victim’s aides and putting him in the refrigerator before driving out of her premises with her own personal car.

However, luck ran out of them as the alarm raised while the kidnappers were driving out attracted the attention of a dare-brave good Samaritan who blocked them and in a bid to abandon their stow away vehicle, two occupants jumped out to join their colleagues in the victim’s car as they were trying to reverse having noticed the blockage and which in turn enhanced the brave good Samaritan to knock him down with his Toyota Hilux vehicle,  thus allowing neighbors and some youths to apprehend one of them.

The State Security Adviser South, Commander Patrick Odiong, and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Federal Housing estate were immediately contacted and their swift response and collaboration with other security outfits yielded fruit as the kidnappers were eventually intercepted along Akamkpa axis.

Mrs. Bassey is the twin sister of Dr. Joseph Bassey, former Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health.

The youths could be heard in an online video link obtained by news men saying they have played their part in apprehending the suspects and avoided jungle justice but now left for the security agencies and the law to take its course.

An eyewitness said, “we hope with the arrest of these kidnappers, more useful information will be extracted from them with a view to making Calabar unsafe for criminal activities.”

A source added: “It’s important to add that, this dare-brave good Samaritan (one of a kind) chased the kidnappers up to Odukpani junction, all in a bid to rescue the victim but lost track of them because of the near-dead speed they were applying but thankfully, the security network along the Calabar/Itu and Akamkpa axis were equally activated immediately which led to the rescue of the victim.

“Surprisingly, this chap is not a security operative but truly deserves accolades.”

The rescued victim – Mrs. Caroline Bassey is seen in the video giving testimony and narrating her ordeal.

By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)