Crisis in UNICAL over Forceful Eviction of Staff from Boys’ Quarters

Tension has risen at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) following the forceful eviction of occupants from the institution’s Boys’ Quarters (BQs), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from senior staff, who accuse the management of abusing power.

The university, however, maintains that the exercise was duly approved by its Governing Council and aimed at addressing accommodation challenges for junior staff and curbing unethical practices.

The Boys’ Quarters, originally meant to house domestic staff and dependents of senior university employees, have become a point of contention after management began reclaiming and reallocating them to junior staff.

Some senior staff members alleged that personnel from the Security and Technical Services Department, accompanied by university security operatives, recently broke into several BQs, throwing out the belongings of occupants, including those away on sabbatical or official duties.

One senior staff member, who spoke anonymously, said: “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.”

Another staff member, also speaking on condition of anonymity, described the management’s action 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?” the source asked, warning that the situation could lead to unrest if not properly managed.

Defending the decision, the university’s spokesperson, Mr. Eyo Effiong, said the Governing Council had directed that all staff vacate the Boys’ Quarters after evidence showed that many of the facilities were being rented out to students and outsiders.

“Council decided that staff should give up their Boys’ Quarters.”

Letters were issued notifying them that the BQs had been revoked, and occupants were asked to vacate on or before April 30, 2025,” Effiong explained.

He said investigations revealed that some staff members collected between N80,000 and N350,000 yearly from students and outsiders, while paying the university significantly less, describing the act as both embarrassing and unethical.

Effiong further disclosed that the university had discovered security risks associated with some of the quarters. “We even found a case where someone in the BQ provided information to kidnappers. That incident reinforced the need to review the use of these quarters,” he said.

According to him, the reclaimed apartments will be reallocated 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. Those with genuine grievances can approach the Governing Council, which approved the decision,” Effiong added.