By AMAWU Cletus Albert Amawu.
CITIZENS’ SOLUTION NETWORK CONDEMNS UNICROSS MANAGEMENT OVER DETENTION OF GRADUATE CRITIC, MARTINS EYAM.
The Citizens’ Solution Network has issued a press release condemning the management of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), led by Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. (Mrs.) Francisca Bassey, over the continued detention of Martins Eyam, a graduate of University who publicly criticized the institution’s “No School Fees, No Exams” policy, describing it as overzealous and a reflection of administrative ineptitude.
According to the Country Director, Richard Inoyo, the University’s action is unjustifiable and constitutes a gross violation of Eyam’s fundamental human rights, particularly his right to freedom of speech and expression.
Inoyo emphasised that Eyam’s comments posed no threat to the security of the University Community but merely highlighted legitimate concerns about the institution’s policies and governance. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of Martins Eyam, urging the University to embrace constructive criticism and uphold democratic principles within accademi environments.
Read Press Release Full Text Message Below:
PRESS RELEASE:
UNIVERSITY OF CROSS RIVER STATE AND IT’S VICE CHANCELLOR SHOULD END THE ABUSE OF POWER AND RELEASE MARTINS EYAM FROM THE CALABAR PRISON.
It is no longer news that the Management of University of Cross River State led by its overzealous new VC who emerged as the acting Vice Chancellor Mrs. Francisca Bassey, have thrown student Martins Eyam into jail for simply speaking up against the school’s policy of No School Fees, No Exams.
It is been over a week now that student Martins Eyam has been languishing in jail now for simply holding an opinion due to the administrative violation of his right to free speech by the acting Vice Chancellor of University of Cross River State.
We at Citizens’ Solution Network are calling on the Cross River State Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, as well as the Attorney General of The State to quickly realise that the fundamental human right of graduate student Martins Eyam to free speech must not be silent by an appointee in University of Cross River State.
No government appoints any acting Vice Chancellor to operate with impunity or even use the state’s security outfit_ Operation Okwok and the Calabar Prision to target dissent and jail them when their primary role is to confront criminal elements and protect innocent persons who have committed no crime.
Let it be on public registry that, we all as a society terribly fails when evil people overstep their bounds by misusing state resources in punishing innocent persons for speaking up against wrong policy actions_ what the Vice Chancellor Mrs. Francisca Bassey has done is arbitrary abysmal.
Let it be said that neither the acting Vice Chancellor who is openly violating the right of graduate student Martins Eyam by using public security and imprisonment institutions nor even a devil of any means would stand their son or daughter or ward being abducted and locked up in Calabar Prison for simply exercising their right to expression which is constitutionally guarantee by Section 39, which states and I quote: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impact ideas and information without interference”.
We call for the immediate and unconditional release of student Martins Eyam. We condemned the unacceptable abduction and the gross violation of the right of graduate student Martins Eyam in the strongest terms, and we demand that the acting Vice Chancellor be relieved of her appointment forthwith, given this grave transgression of her’s using state paramilitary apparatus and personnels in locking up and jailing a citizen who simply committed no crime known by any court of competent jurisdiction.
Today, graduate student Martins Eyam is the victim, none of us can tell if tomorrow a mini tyrant might overstep her bound to imprison one of our own children who did no wrong.
Let this atrocity end now, release graduate student Martins Eyam, and relieve the acting Vice Chancellor from this crucial appointment that requires someone who won’t be abusing her privilege and violating student citizens’ right.
Human Right violation especially as regards free speech is a gross indictment against any citadel of learning where freedom of expression ought to be glorified and dissident voices allowed to stress and reemphasize the vital significance of intellectual diversity and policy alternative pathways on all matter of administrative differences and agenda setting.
Free graduate student Martins Eyam now.
Thanks for reading
Signed.
Richard INOYO,
Country Director,
Citizens’ Solution Network.
For: Population Council and Panel of Elders.
23rd April, 2025.
