Sexual Harassment: ICPC set to arraign suspended UNICAL Professor

The Independent Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it is set to arraign Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), at a Federal High Court in Cross River.

The ICPC’s spokeswoman, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, said in a statement that the commission had filed a criminal charge against Ndifon following the conclusion of an investigation into the professor’s alleged gross misconducts against some of his students.

The commission said a four-count charge bordering on sexual harassment, official corruption, and abuse of office contrary to Sections 8, 18, and 19 of the Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, had been preferred against the senior lecturer.

In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/511/2023, one of the counts reads: “That you, Professor Cyril OSIM NDIFON (m), between June and September 2023 at Calabar, are within the jurisdiction of this honourable court.

“And, while being a public officer charged with responsibility for the certification of students as fit in learning and character as a prerequisite for the award of a bachelor's degree in law and admission into the Nigeria Law School,

“Used your office and position as the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar to gratify yourself.

“By soliciting nude photographs and videos from one Ms. ABC (not real name), a year 2 diploma student of the University of Calabar, through WhatsApp chats on your telephone number 0803***.

"And thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

It said Ndifon would be arraigned in court on a date to be given by the court.

It would be recalled that ICPC, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), had, on Oct. 4, arrested Ndifon in Calabar, Cross River, after shunning several invitations extended to him.