Unical suspends dean accused of sexually abusing students

The University of Calabar has announced the suspension of the dean of its law faculty, Cyril Ndifon, over allegations of sexual abuse.

The university’s spokesperson, Eyo Effiong, said in a statement sent to Pluboard that Professor Ndifon’s suspension took effect immediately.

He said the suspension followed the dean’s response to a query earlier issued to him by the university management, which the vice chancellor was “dissatisfied with.”

“Dissatisfied with his response, the Vice Chancellor, according to the letter, has relieved Prof. Ndifon of his position as Dean and placed him on suspension while the matter is referred to a panel that will be set-up to investigate the allegations levelled against him,” the statement said.

“She has therefore directed that you should be relieved of your position as Dean, Faculty of Law and placed on suspension while the matter is referred to a panel that will be set-up to investigate these allegations,” the statement adds.

– Sexual abuse

The vice chancellor of the school, Florence Obi, told Pluboard the school had launched an investigation after female law students held a protest on Monday accusing Mr Ndifon of abuse.

A video clip of the protest posted on Twitter showed the students, alongside their male colleagues, dressed in black and white uniforms, carrying placards and chanting songs.

“Faculty of Law is unsafe for the girl child,” one sign read. Another said: “Prof Ndifon, let girls with big breasts breathe. Stop suffocating us.”

We reached out to Mr Ndifon but he gave not reply. The lecturer told Premium Times he did nothing wrong and blamed his colleague teachers for the protest. He said they instigated the students because he won the dean election.

“Ask the lecturers who are behind these things. I won an election. You should ask them if this man is that bad and unpopular, how come he won an election as dean with a landslide for the first and second term,” he told the paper.

The vice chancellor, Mrs Obi, said we “are looking critically into the happenings in the law faculty.”

Mrs Obi said the students raised several issues besides the sexual harassment, and said the management will address all the allegations.

– Learn more

Mr Ndifon is not new to allegations of sexual harassment. The university in 2015 suspended him over allegations of raping a 20-year-old law student in his office, an allegation he challenged in court.

He was later recalled and reinstated as dean of faculty after the suspension was lifted.

The vice-chancellor told this newspaper the professor was reinstated after he won the court case.

“These are all legal issues, the last time they went to court and l learnt he won his case and (University) Council reinstated him,” she said.

“If the court has directed that a person who won his case should be reinstated, the university will be in contempt of court not to have reinstated him because he won for want of evidence, perhaps,” she said.

The school said during the suspension, the lecturer is to stay away from its premises except while responding to invitation from the panel investigating these allegations.