UniCal justifies eviction from staff apartments amidst outcries

By Christian Njoku

The management of the University of Calabar (UniCal) has justified eviction of some of its staff members from the institution’s quarters despite outcries from those affected.

Some senior staff had accused Unical management of abuse of power following the forceful eviction of occupants from the Boys’ Quarters (BQs)

One of the affected senior staff, who pleaded anonymity, said that the university security personnel and staff of the Security and Technical (SAT) Services Department recently broke into some of the quarters.

He said they threw out belongings of occupants, including those away on sabbatical or official duties.

“If I’m paying for the main house, I should have the right to use the BQ for my dependents, house-helps, or relations.

“Some of our colleagues returned to meet their doors broken and personal items thrown outside; this is not acceptable in a university environment,” he said.

Another senior staff of Unical, Mr Jacob Emmanuel described the eviction as high-handed and demeaning to senior members of the academic community.

“Is the management saying our house-helps should now sleep in our bedrooms because the BQs have been seized?,” he queried while warning that the situation could lead to a breakdown of law and order if not properly handled.

But Unical Spokesperson for Unical, Mr Eyo Effiong, said the action was taken in order to accommodate the junior staff and curb unethical practices.

Effiong who made the remark while speaking with newsmen in Calabar on Tuesday said the governing council of the school directed some staff to vacate the BQs after evidence showed that they rented them out to students and outsiders.

“Letters were issued notifying them that the ownership of the quarters have been revoked, and occupants were asked to vacate on or before April 30, 2025,” he explained.

The Unical Spokesperson further said investigations revealed that the staff collected between ₦80,000 and ₦350,000 yearly from students and outsiders while paying the university much less.

He described the practice as unethical and embarrassing to the university, adding that the institution also discovered security threats linked to some of the occupants.

According to him, the reclaimed apartments will be reallocated directly to junior staff through the university’s housing department to ensure accountability and proper rent deductions.

“This policy affects all senior staff who misused the facility, not just professors; and those with genuine grievances can approach the Governing Council, which approved the decision,” he stated.

(NAN)