Sexual harassment: UNIABUJA receives investigation report on professor

Olaleye Aluko, Abuja

The University of Abuja has said an investigation report on the alleged sexual harassment of a female student by a professor and former dean of the Faculty of Agriculture has been submitted.

The institution promised to publicise the outcome of the probe which started in August 2019.

The UNIABUJA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, in response to an enquiry by our correspondent, noted that the matter was being looked into by a disciplinary committee determined to do a “thorough job.”

The VC noted that the institution would not accept any form of harassment.

The university on August 4 suspended the lecturer for alleged sexual harassment of a female student of the institution.

The university’s spokeswoman, Hajiya Maryam Mohammed, confirmed the suspension after the professor was also invited and quizzed by the police.

The victim had reported the lecturer to the police after they allegedly set up a meeting at a hotel in the Gwarimpa area of Abuja sometime in July.

The VC told our correspondent in an interview at the Abuja permanent site that the university was united in ensuring the prosecution of the matter, adding that no culprit would be spared in the investigation.

The VC said, “A report has been submitted, because there are stages in the investigation. The first stage has been covered and it has now moved to a disciplinary committee.

“The reason why we are not addressing the press yet is because everybody has a strategy. So, we want to do a thorough job. We want to move with speed and we are trying our best.

We want to make sure that people learn. We are not concluding yet. We want people to know that if you make a mistake, we’ll go after you. Even if you enter a cage, we will enter it with you.

“We do not accept any form of harassment. This university must be one of those places known for integrity – integrity of staff and students. At the end of the day, we will let the world know the outcome of the investigation.”