Students of the University of Cross River (UNICROSS) protested on Monday, May 4, 2026, at the General Hospital, Calabar, over the death of four individuals, including student leaders and a staff member, following a crash on Saturday, May 2, 2026. The accident occurred on the Uyo–Calabar highway in Odukpani when a truck collided with the vehicle carrying over 20 students returning from Akwa Ibom State. The protesters accused the General Hospital of negligence, alleging that two injured students were denied emergency care due to unavailability of doctors and died while being transferred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH). Martha Nkom, a student, stated the victims were rejected because no personnel were present in the emergency unit. The protest later moved to the governor's office, where security agents used teargas to disperse the crowd. Cross River State government, on Sunday, May 3, 2026, maintained that the victims did not die due to hospital negligence, asserting that deaths occurred at the crash site. Police Public Relations Officer ASP Sunday Eitokpah confirmed the protest and stated that the situation was under control.
The protest highlights gaps in emergency medical response that directly impacted student safety after an accident. Affected students and parents should demand official reports on the timeline of care provided at General Hospital and the circumstances of the transfer to UCTH.
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