UNICAL VC Condemns Minister’s Alleged Threats Against Students in Sexual Harassment Case.
Calabar, Nigeria – The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Professor Florence Bisong, has strongly criticized the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Ohaneye, for her purported threats against female students who were testifying in a sexual harassment case against Professor Cyril Ndifon, the Dean of UNICAL’s Faculty of Law.
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The controversy began when students from the Faculty of Law staged a peaceful protest, accusing Professor Cyril Ndifon of sexual misconduct. Over 15 alleged victims expressed their willingness to testify against the suspended Dean in court. Following these allegations, the University of Calabar’s management suspended Professor Ndifon, citing violations of institutional laws and policies.
However, a leaked audio message has raised concerns, as it allegedly features Minister Uju Ohaneye threatening one of the female students involved in the case with jail and advising her to withdraw her testimony.
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In response to the leaked audio, Vice-Chancellor Professor Florence Bisong expressed her dismay, describing it as a concerning development. While the university’s management was addressing the issues through established procedures and administrative resolutions, the minister’s audio message introduced a different dimension to the matter.
Professor Bisong stated, “A new dimension has unfortunately reared its head in a way that has left us nonplussed with the leaked viral audio of intimidation and jail threats from the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy, on a few girls who were bold enough to come out to testify on an alleged age-long sexual harassment of female law students against Professor Ndifon.
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She emphasized that students from the Faculty of Law had independently submitted a petition and protested against the suspended Dean, and those testifying before the panel were not influenced by any external party.
Furthermore, Professor Bisong highlighted the university’s commitment to ensuring an objective, unbiased investigation. To demonstrate this commitment, various agencies and groups have been invited to serve as observers on the panel, including the Public Complaints Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Nigeria Bar Association, Nigeria Police, Federation of Female Lawyers, and University of Calabar Alumni.
The Vice-Chancellor asserted, “We thought we were doing our colleague a fair opportunity to defend himself by instituting an investigative panel, and at the end, if he is found culpable, he would be brought before a disciplinary panel headed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics.”
In the leaked audio, Minister Uju Ohaneye can be heard advising the student to avoid lying against anyone and warns of potential legal consequences. The minister, however, refrained from making further comments, stating that the investigation was ongoing.
