There have been widespread reports over the social media that the Passport of UB Vice-Chancellor, Dr Nalova was seized on Saturday 17th by the frontier police at the Nsimalen airport in her attempt to travel to the USA and that she is under custody. The reasons are yet to be uncovered, however, other sources revealed that she is under investigation for corruption and unlawful detention of students.
BaretaNews CEO Mark Bareta in trying to confirm this report spoke with the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Nalova on phone this morning to get what she has to say. The Vice-Chancellor refused claims that she has been arrested or that her passport was seized. She was so gracious on phone and questioned this reporter that how can she be under custody and still speaking with me on phone? She debunked the report as another false news spreading over the social media.
However, one cannot really tell, if the Vice-Chancellor is telling the truth because even those under custody could still have access to phones. However, it is my understanding she is not presently under any custody. Also, her passport may have been seized as rightly rumoured or not, a phone conversation and her refusal to accept may not be enough to castigate these claims, no one loves this type of news going around. It brings more pressure on the office of the Vice-Chancellor. BaretaNews will continue this investigation as the day go by.
It should be recalled that on November 28th, students from the University of Buea went out to protest peacefully but were brutally met with violence by security forces the Vice-Chancellor had ordered into the University Campus. The security forces massacred students on and off Campus. They broke into the homes of students got them well beaten, raped and arrested over 200 of them. This action was widely condemned both by the national and international community.
The Governor of the South West Region who came under serious attack from the Social Democratic Front pleaded with the Chairman of SDF Ni John Fru Ndi that he only acted on a request from the UB Vice-Chancellor to send troops on UB Campus. The Governor in a Pontus Pilate manner washed his hands off the issue and blamed the Vice-Chancellor. The students arrested were later released.
Two weeks ago, the Anglophone Teachers Union publicly called for the sacking and investigations of both the Governor of the South West Region Bernard Okalia as well as the UB Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Nalova for gross human right violations on innocent UB students.
BaretaNews had earlier called for the sacking or resignation of Dr. Nalova.
Mark Bara