The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor Florence Obi, has submitted the findings of the committee’s investigation into allegations of sexual harassment involving the former dean of the university’s Faculty of Law, Professor Cyril Ndifon, to the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman.
This information was confirmed by Ben Goong, the spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Education, in a statement released on Thursday.
Professor Obi emphasized that the university meticulously adhered to all the necessary protocols throughout the process. This included suspending the accused individual, initiating a formal inquiry by issuing appropriate queries, and convening a disciplinary committee to address the matter.
To ensure transparency in the work of the committee, the vice chancellor noted that observers were drawn from the Public Complaint Commission, Nigerian Bar Association, Federation of Female Lawyers, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Chief Judge of the Student’s Union High Court as well as seven civil society organisations.
Receiving the report, Mamman said sexual offences units would be established in the ministry and all institutions of higher learning to deal with the menace.
On August 14, female students of the institution’s law faculty held a protest against Ndifon, accusing him of sexual harassment.
Ndifon denied the allegations, noting that it was a witch-hunt.
Ndifon faced similar accusations in 2015 that led to his suspension when a 200-level student of the faculty accused him of rape.
The professor was recently arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).
