ICPC to arraign suspended UNICAL professor for ‘sexual harassment’

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a criminal charge against Cyril Ndifon

Ndifon, a professor, was suspended as dean of the law faculty at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) in August for allegedly sexually harassing some female students.

Following protests and a public outcry from among the student community at the institution, an investigative panel was earlier set up to probe claims of sexual harassment levelled against him.

The panel found the professor, who has since been replaced, guilty of sexual harassment and abuse of office.

The ICPC similarly carried out an investigation into the professor’s alleged gross misconduct against his students.

It has now proceeded to file criminal charges against the embattled academic.

In the charge sheet numbered “FHC/ABJ/CR/511/2023”, ICPC is arraigning the senior lecturer on a four-count charge bordering on sexual harassment, official corruption, and abuse of office.

The charges are pursuant to sections 8, 18 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act of 2000.

Ndifon was the UNICAL staffer charged with responsibility for the certification of students as a prerequisite for the award of a bachelor’s degree in his faculty for onward admission into the Nigeria Law School.

The embattled professor’s charge sheet reads that, between June and September 2023, Ndifon used his position as the dean of UNICAL’s law faculty to solicit nude photographs and videos from a student.

Ndifon is to be arraigned in court on a yet-to-be-disclosed date.

The ICPC, on October 4, ensured the arrest and detention of Ndifon in Calabar.

This, the ICPC said, happened after the professor shunned several invitations extended to him.