UNIBEN Sets Up Committee To Probe Lecturer Over Sexual Harassment

The authorities of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), have set up a committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment leveled against a professor in the Faculty of Arts.
The Secretary of the investigation of the committee, B. D. Jonathan, said in a circular made available to journalists in Benin City that all staff and students of the University with relevant information on the allegation against the professor should send them to the investigation committee.
The institution instituted the investigation after a graduate of the university took to social media and called out the lecturer.
She alleged that she suffered untold sexual harassment from the said professor during her undergraduate studies.
In another development, authorities of UNIBEN have warned returning students that they risked being rusticated should they bring any prohibited appliances, such as hot plate, ring boiler, gas cooker etc into halls of residence.
The university resumed on Monday, August 12th after more than one after it was closed. A circular issued by the registrar, Mr. Ademola Bobola, which outlined strict terms for the returning students.
The institution was shut down for on July 4 following a protest by aggrieved students over power cuts and outrageous bills from Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), which ballooned from a monthly figure of N85 million to N250 million.
The university’s spokesperson, Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, had explained that the decision to close the school stemmed from the insistence of students not to shift grounds on their demands for 24 hours supply of electricity to the two campuses at Ugbowo and Ekenwan.
Mr. Bobola said that each returning student is to swear to an Affidavit of Undertaking to be of good conduct while in the school which must also contain the cardinal points as captured in the attached document.
He added that the Sworn Affidavit should be uploaded on the Student’s Kofa page while the hard-copy should be submitted to the Departmental Course Adviser.
According to him, the returning students are expected to complete this process within two weeks of resumption, and in any case not beyond the end of 2023/2024 academic session, else the result of any defaulting student will not be released.
The circular warned students “Not to be involved in any unruly conduct that is against the Rules and Regulations of the University, and to be of good conduct, and not to sponsor or participate in any unauthorized assembly or demonstration within the campuses and their precincts.”