EndSARS: Hoodlums Looted, Destroyed N1.3bn Worth Of Property At UNICAL – Pro Chancellor
From Ani Bassey
The Pro Chancellor of the University of Calabar Senator Nkechi Nwaogu says the institution lost property worth 1.3 billion naira during last months EndSARS protest in the state.
Senator Nwaogu who doubles as the Chairman of the current 12th Governing Council made this known at the institutions Senate Chambers.
She said the destruction has set the institution backwards by five years and appealed for intervention from government, agencies and public spirited individuals.
“To lose property of about 1.3 billion naira in one whim of criminal attack is very challenging and daunting for the university to replace alone.
“It is agonizing to report that the untoward events of Saturday, October 24, 2020 where vandals laid siege to a centre of knowledge in Calabar goes down in history as a day of infamy and great assault on our shared humanity.
“Unrestrained by security agents, enemies of progress invaded the University campus in what was like an open warfare and made straight for key targets and offices, to loot and destroy.
“Sadly, they had a field day in fulfilling their criminal and barbaric intentions against the institution by attacking the following places and offices: Academic Publishing Centre, New Medical College, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and UniCal Hotel and Conference Centre.
“They stole sensitive materials in each of these places-gadgets, computers, servers, refrigerators, furniture, television sets, aluminum windows and doors, laboratory equipment, mattresses, generating plants, armored cables, etc. What could not be taken away by the marauders was destroyed beyond repair, to demonstrate that the action was premeditated.
“Today Unical is bleeding seriously, because of the attack, the way no other University in the country has ever had to. This is a shock felt to the very foundations of this institution.
“Indeed, the university of Calabar has been dragged backward by at least 5 years, which can be very exhausting, given the effort and sacrifices being made to improve the system generally as evidenced in the struggle of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)”, she lamented.
