The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has warned members of the academia and university communities against sexual harassment on campuses, adding that the Federal Ministry of Education will decisively deal with anyone found culpable.
Tahir gave the warning during a chat with newsmen on Thursday in his office in Abuja, when he received the report of the committee on alleged sexual harassment by Professor Cyril O. Ndifo, Dean, Faculty of Law of the University of Calabar.
He stated that sexual harassment is a serious criminal offence and must be dealt with decisively, when and whenever it occurs, noting that the Federal Ministry of Education will do everything humanly possible to eradicate the ugly tide across Nigerian institutions.
The minister said that the offence of sexual harassment is cancerous and must be eliminated at all costs, adding that all hands must be on deck to address the menace in our educational system.
Prof. Mamman stressed that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is out to protect the vulnerable groups within the country’s educational system.
Noting that he will take legal action to ensure that perpetrators are adequately punished, the minister added that no one will be allowed to take advantage of the vulnerable groups.
Tahir noted that sexual offenses units will be established in the ministry and all institutions of higher learning to deal with the menace.
Earlier in the presentation of her report, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, informed the minister that the university has followed all due processes in handling the matter including the suspension of the suspect, appropriate queries and setting up of a disciplinary committee to hear all parties.
In order to ensure a very high degree of transparency, Obi said the Public Complaint Commission, Nigeria Bar Association, the Federation of Female Lawyers, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Chief Judge of the Student’s Union High Court as well as seven civil society organizations were brought on board the committee as observers.
