UNICROSS Students Protest in Calabar Over Death of 3 Students, Driver

UNICROSS Students Protest in Calabar Over Death of 3 Students, Driver

Tension erupted in Calabar on Monday as furious students of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) took to the streets to protest the death of three students and their driver following a fatal road crash allegedly worsened by negligence at the General Hospital Calabar.

The students marched from the university campus through Mary Slessor Avenue to the General Hospital, where they reportedly destroyed signboards and caused disruptions while accusing hospital staff of failing to provide prompt emergency treatment to the victims after the accident.

From the hospital, the protesters proceeded to the Governor’s Office, where the situation escalated into a confrontation with heavily armed policemen deployed to restore order. Eyewitnesses said security operatives fired teargas to disperse the crowd as tension rose across parts of the city.

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During the clash, several students were reportedly injured, while panic spread inside the hospital premises, forcing some medical personnel to temporarily abandon their duties out of fear of reprisal attacks.

The protest followed a tragic road crash over the weekend involving a vehicle conveying UNICROSS students returning from an official assignment in Akwa Ibom State. The accident claimed the lives of three students and their driver, throwing the university community into mourning.

Angry students accused the hospital of delay and negligence in handling the victims, insisting that quick medical intervention could have saved lives. They demanded accountability from both the hospital authorities and state government over what they described as a “preventable tragedy.”

Confirming the unrest, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said security operatives were deployed immediately to contain the situation.

“I’ve been right on the scene from the onset, and so far so good; we’ve been able to put the situation under control,” he said.

Police later dispersed the protesters and restored order in the affected areas, although tension remained high around the university and government buildings for several hours.

The incident has sparked renewed public debate over emergency response failures, hospital preparedness, and road safety management in Cross River State, with calls for urgent reforms to prevent similar tragedies.

Authorities are expected to continue investigations into both the accident and the circumstances surrounding the alleged hospital delay.

UNICROSS Students Protest in Calabar Over Death of 3 Students, Driver