Increased Security Presence As Egg Seller Is Shot In CRUTECH

By Ushang Ewa

An egg seller whose name was simply given as Asuquo was on Friday shot and allegedly strangled by two men at the Calabar main campus of the Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH).

Asuquo resided at a community close to the Varsity’s staff quarters. He sold eggs to businesses nearby in the campus and was returning home at about 7:30 PM on Friday  when his killers shot him at the field where artworks are displayed between the Department of Virtual Arts and Technology building and the old Faculty of Education block.

A show organized by students was ongoing at nearby Male Hostel 2 and this may have caused many not to hear the shots said another resident (name withheld) who claimed to have raised an alarm after seeing him crawl for a short distance and inquired who shot him but Asuquo could barely utter a word but could be heard saying two boys.

His corpse was evacuated to an undisclosed mortuary CrossRiverWatch gathered after a mini drama at the Ekpo Abasi junction saw people scared when security personnel were said to have engaged in high speed maneuvers.

Mr. Asuquo is said to have a knack for not accepting to be cheated and two major rumors surround his death.

The first is that, the assailants may have asked for his phone and he probably preferred to engage them leading to his shooting.

The second is that his death may be reprisal for beating up two gangstas who had seized a 100 level student phone about 3 to 4 months ago and returning the phone to the unnamed student.

All these could not be verified as at press time as the University management, has kept mum with increased surveillance from the Varsity’s internal security team and more patrol by the ‘Operation Skolombo’ team which comprises of a 6 man team of Police and NSCDC personnel almost always stationed at the gate.

CrossRiverWatch has reached the acting Chief Security Officer, Lt. Col. Moses Effiong (rtd) for comments.

The show which was holding near the crime scene, is said to have come to an abrupt end with students preferring indoors in the following 48 hours.

The Students Union Government had also held a congress earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, they have been an increase in harassment of students by gangs who claim the students ‘fly’ their colors.

Snatching of phones, valuables and several others are also on the increase after a 6 months decline which followed the story of the arrest of ‘Mr. CRUTECH’ for alleged ‘looting’.

He is said to be a member of the Klans confraternity but joined some Vikings confraternity members to brazenly attack students who were reading at the ‘PREFAB’ and ‘ETF’ halls of the institution.

Outside the school, Operation Skolombo has upped its level of Stop and Search operations especially at the Orok Orok, Goldie by Mount Zion, Mount Zion by Orok Orok, Mount Zion by Uwanse, Mount Zion by Atamunu, Yellow Duke by Palm Street and Ekpo Abasi by Yellow Duke; areas within a 5 kilometers radius of CRUTECH and the University of Calabar.