Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, have taken lecturers who were accused of sexual harassment out of their official jobs at the school.
This was said in a press release on Friday by Dr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, who is the Special Adviser on Public Relations and Special Duties to Prof. Charles Esimone, the Vice Chancellor of the school.
Even though Ojukwu didn’t name the accused officials in the statement, he did say that an investigation is going on into claims that some teachers sexually harassed students and that there was no protest at the school.
The statement read, “It is important to state that there was no protest of any sort in the university.
“However, there is an ongoing investigation concerning alleged sexual harassment by some lecturers.
“The Vice Chancellor immediately removed the affected lecturers from their official positions and issued those affected strong warning letters in the affected departments
“Unfortunately, the students who alleged sexual harassment were not forthcoming to testify before the investigation panel.
“However, the Vice Chancellor additionally summoned the affected departments to a meeting where he expressed the university’s displeasure and warned lecturers and staff to desist from all actions that will bring the name of the university to disrepute.
“He warned that the university management would severely punish erring staff especially those who are molesting or sexually harassing our students.”
He continued by saying that the Vice Chancellor had set up a specific phone line so that students could report any kind of staff harassment, including sexual harassment.
He also reaffirmed the university’s commitment to upholding their rights and treating all claims of sexual misconduct seriously and in strict confidence.
