Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has warned members of academia and the university community over matters of sexual harassment on campuses, maintaining that the Federal Ministry of Education will deal decisively with perpetrators of such acts.
The Minister, according to a statement by the Director Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Bem Goong, gave the warning when he received the report of the committee on alleged sexual harassment by Prof. Cyril O. Ndifo, Dean, Faculty of Law of the University of Calabar.
“The minister said sexual harassment was a serious criminal offence that must be dealt with decisively, when and wherever it occurs, adding that the Federal Ministry of Education will do everything humanly possible to curb the ugly tide in the nation’s institutions of higher learning.
“Tahir noted that the offence of sexual harassment was cancerous and must be eliminated at all costs, adding that all hands must be on deck to tackle the menace in Nigeria’s educational system, “the statement read.
It reads further: “Professor Mamman maintained that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is out to protect the vulnerable groups within the country’s educational system.
“While reiterating that he will evoke the long arm of the law to ensure that perpetrators are adequately punished, the Minister added that no one will be allowed to take advantage of the vulnerable groups.
“The Minister disclosed 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 Banku Obi, told the Minister that the university has followed all due processes in handling the matter, including the suspension of the suspect, appropriate queries, and the setting up of a disciplinary committee to hear all parties.
“In order to ensure a very high degree of transparency, the Vice-Chancellor said, the Public Complaint Commission, the Nigeria Bar Association, the Federation of Female Lawyers, the 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.”
