The Cross River State Government has declared war on land grabbers and corrupt officials responsible for the massive encroachment of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) land and the illegal sale of government assets. Acting on the directive of Governor Bassey Otu, a high-powered delegation led by the Special Adviser on Asset Management and Recovery, Barrister Gilbert Agbor, stormed the university for an on-the-ground assessment of the situation NEGROIDHAVEN can say.
What they uncovered was nothing short of blatant criminality—a large portion of the university’s land illegally seized, unauthorized structures springing up, and critical government assets missing without a trace.
Furious over the extent of the encroachment, Barrister Agbor did not mince words, vowing that the government would crush all illegal occupants and prosecute those responsible.
“This is nothing short of a criminal takeover of government land! UNICROSS is meant for education, not for land speculators and corrupt individuals looking to profit illegally. Every single piece of land stolen from this university will be reclaimed, and those behind this land grab and illegal sales of assets will face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.
In a swift response, the government has ordered the immediate blocking of access roads leading to illegally developed areas to halt further construction and prevent more land theft. Eviction notices are being prepared for those occupying university land without authorization.
“Nobody has the right to sell or occupy government land without approval. Those involved in this fraud will not go unpunished. This government will not stand by and watch UNICROSS be strangled by land grabbers,” Barrister Agbor vowed.
Beyond the encroachment, the team also uncovered serious financial misconduct tied to the previous university administration. Critical government assets—including official vehicles and a generator—have mysteriously disappeared. The findings confirm allegations of corrupt asset disposal, with no records or justification for the missing items.
“These are valuable assets that belong to the people of Cross River State, not to a handful of corrupt individuals treating government property as their personal estate. We are launching a full-scale investigation to track down those responsible, and let me be clear—there will be consequences. “This administration will not be compromised. We will take back every inch of stolen land, recover every missing asset, and punish every single individual who participated in this grand theft. UNICROSS must not be sacrificed on the altar of greed,” Agbor stated.
Shaken by the scale of the problem, the Vice-Chancellor of UNICROSS, Prof. Francisca Bassey, condemned the reckless encroachment, revealing that she had raised the alarm earlier.
“This is a disaster for UNICROSS. When this university was built, it was designed to accommodate a small number of students. Today, we have a huge number of students, yet our land is disappearing before our eyes! We need this land to expand, build modern facilities, and ensure our students can compete on a global scale,” she lamented.
Prof. Bassey also expressed outrage at reports that some university staff may have been complicit in the land and asset scandal.
“If any staff members betrayed this institution by participating in illegal land sales, they must be exposed and dealt with. The law does not protect criminals, and UNICROSS will not harbor traitors,” she stated firmly.
Adding his voice to the outrage, Economic Adviser to the Governor, Prof. Peter Oti, described the situation as economic sabotage, warning that unchecked corruption and land theft could cripple the university and damage the state’s economic growth.
“Land grabbing, abandoned projects, and missing government assets do not just affect UNICROSS—they weaken the entire state’s economy. If we allow this rot to continue, we are setting ourselves up for long-term failure. The time to act is now,” Prof. Oti stated.
