A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Professor Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), to five years’ imprisonment after finding him guilty of sexually harassing a female student. Justice James Omotosho delivered the ruling after convicting Ndifon on two of the four charges brought against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). Although the offences carried different penalties, a two-year term on one count and a five-year term on the other, the judge ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning the professor will serve a total of five years.
The case stemmed from allegations that Ndifon abused his influence by coercing a diploma student, identified in court as “TKJ,” into sending him obscene images via WhatsApp and soliciting sexual favors, including oral sex, in exchange for securing her admission into the university’s Law programme. During the trial, Ndifon repeatedly insisted he was innocent, presenting his own testimony and calling a forensic expert in an attempt to challenge the evidence. The court rejected his defense, describing him as “not a witness of truth” and concluding that he exploited a vulnerable student and misused his office.
Ndifon’s co-accused, former lawyer Sunny Anyanwu, was acquitted after the court ruled that prosecutors failed to sufficiently link him to allegations of interfering with witnesses. Justice Omotosho, however, condemned Anyanwu’s decision to contact a key witness, calling the act highly unprofessional.
Despite acknowledging that Ndifon was a first-time offender, the judge emphasized that the seriousness of his conduct demanded firm punishment. The conviction has since been hailed as a significant victory in the movement to combat sexual harassment across Nigerian campuses, reinforcing the principle that academic authority does not shield anyone from accountability.
The persistence of sexual harassment cases by educators, despite widespread advocacy and policy reforms, highlights deeper structural issues within academic environments. Factors such as the power imbalance between lecturers and students, cultural silence fueled by fear of stigma, weak reporting structures, and the longstanding normalization of misconduct contribute to situations where some educators feel emboldened to exploit students. Many perpetrators also target students who lack emotional maturity, confidence, or the means to safely document evidence, believing they are less likely to speak up.
To address these gaps, institutions are adopting mechanisms such as independent reporting units, anonymous whistleblowing channels, mandatory ethics training for staff, clearer digital communication policies, improved surveillance in public spaces, student support networks, and increased collaboration with external bodies like the ICPC, the National Human Rights Commission, and various advocacy groups. These measures aim to create safer environments where students can report misconduct without fear and where offenders can be effectively held accountable.
If campuses are meant to nurture intellectual and personal growth, what bold reforms must we embrace to ensure no student’s dignity is ever traded for academic opportunity?
#JusticeForStudents #EndCampusHarassment #AccountabilityInEducation
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