University of Calabar Dean Remanded in Custody Amidst Sexual Harassment Allegations
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that Cyril Ndifon, the suspended dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, should be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
Ndifon, a professor of law, was suspended from his role as dean after female students of the faculty staged a protest accusing him of sexual harassment. Despite denying the allegations and attributing them to colleagues uncomfortable with his leadership style, an investigation panel set up by the university found him guilty of sexual assault.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is prosecuting Ndifon on a four-count charge filed in October. The charges include allegations of using his position to solicit nude photographs and videos from female students, as well as corruptly influencing a student’s project supervision in exchange for favorable grades.
During his court appearance, Ndifon pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer, Okon Efut, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, requested bail for his client, citing health reasons, specifically an impending eye surgery for glaucoma scheduled for January 11.
However, the ICPC opposed the bail application, alleging that one of Ndifon’s counsels had threatened a key witness in the case. The judge, James Omotosho, directed the counsel, Sunny Anyanwu, to file an affidavit responding to the allegation.
The judge also questioned why Ndifon had not undergone the scheduled eye surgery since being granted bail by a magistrate court in Calabar on October 27, 2023. The ICPC stated that they were still verifying the genuineness of Ndifon’s medical report.
As a result, Justice Omotosho ordered Ndifon to be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until January 10 to hear the bail application and allow Anyanwu to file his affidavit.
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