There was tension in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday as students of the University of Cross River State, UNICROSS, staged a protest over the death of three students and one staff member in a road accident that occurred along the Calabar-Itu highway.
The accident reportedly occurred in Odukpani Local Government Area when a Toyota Coaster bus conveying about 24 students and one staff member of the institution collided with a truck while returning from an official assignment in Akwa Ibom State.
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Onen Ebri, had confirmed in a statement on Saturday that three students and one staff member died in the crash.
Following the incident, the students reportedly marched from the university campus along Mary Slessor Avenue to the General Hospital, Calabar, accusing the facility of negligence and failure to promptly attend to injured victims brought there after the accident.
Videos of the protest circulating on social media showed students converging at a roundabout in Calabar with placards and banners, while singing solidarity songs in honour of their deceased colleagues.
The protest, however, later turned violent as facilities at the General Hospital, Calabar, were vandalised.
After visiting the hospital, the students were said to have proceeded to the Governor’s Office in Calabar, where police reportedly dispersed them with teargas.
In one of the clips, policemen attached to the Police Crime Patrol Response Unit were seen firing teargas from a patrol van as protesters scampered for safety.
Several students were reportedly injured during the confrontation, while hospital workers and some patients fled the facility over fear of further attacks.
The Cross River State Government has condemned the vandalism of facilities at the General Hospital, describing the incident as unfortunate.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, who visited the hospital for an on-the-spot assessment, said infrastructure including an ambulance, electrical installations, doors, windows and ward equipment were damaged during the protest.
“We are assessing the extent of the damage. The ambulance screens have been broken, and parts of the hospital have been destroyed. We will also evaluate the impact on the wards,” he said.
Ayuk explained that the protest stemmed from misinformation surrounding the accident and the treatment of the victims.
According to him, the students who died lost their lives at the scene of the accident, while the injured victims brought to the General Hospital were promptly attended to.
He added that critical cases were referred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, for specialised care.
“We responded immediately, coordinated with UCTH and created space in the casualty unit to handle the victims,” he said.
The commissioner insisted that no death was recorded at the General Hospital, contrary to claims that the victims died due to negligence at the facility.
“No patient died in this hospital. The deaths occurred at the scene. It is unfortunate that misinformation escalated the situation,” Ayuk added.
While acknowledging the right of citizens to peaceful protest, the commissioner said the destruction of public property was unacceptable and would negatively affect healthcare delivery.
He assured that the state government would review emergency response procedures and address any gaps identified.