The Cross River Police Command and the University of Cross River State (UniCross) have resolved to deepen their collaboration to strengthen campus security and tackle cultism and other emerging threats.
The Command’s Spokesman, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Calabar on Monday.
He said the decision followed a strategic security meeting between the Commissioner of Police, Ajo Ordue, and the Vice-Chancellor of UniCross, Prof. Francisca Bassey, at the command headquarters.
According to him, the meeting focused on reviewing and strengthening the security architecture around the university, with particular attention to the safety of students, staff and other members of the academic community.
Ordue assured the university management of increased police visibility and security presence within and around its campuses.
He said the deployment would be driven by intelligence gathering, information sharing and rapid response to security threats, while calling for stronger coordination between the police and the university’s internal security structures to ensure the early identification and prevention of criminal activities.
The commissioner urged students and staff to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements, cult-related activities, recruitment attempts and other security concerns to the appropriate authorities.
He also said the command would strengthen the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) programme within the university as part of efforts to prevent cultism and other forms of youth-related criminality.
Ordue stressed that sustained engagement with students and other members of the university community remained critical to preventing crime and maintaining peace on campus.
Responding, Bassey commended the command for its continued partnership with the university and efforts to strengthen security around the institution.
She pledged the university’s continued cooperation with the police, saying closer collaboration was necessary to effectively confront cultism and other emerging security challenges.
The vice-chancellor called for further strengthening of the partnership to safeguard lives and property and create an environment conducive to teaching, learning and research.
The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to working with the university and other stakeholders to ensure a safe and secure academic environment.
He said effective campus security remained a shared responsibility requiring constant vigilance, timely information and sustained collaboration.
