The Dean, Faculty of Law in University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifon has been suspended by the University over allegations of sexual harassment against female students mostly in the Law Faculty. This was against the backdrop of a peaceful protest by female students of the law faculty against the embattled Prof. Ndifon.
The University of Calabar before suspending Prof. Cyril Ndifon, relieved him of his position as the Dean of the Law Faculty through a letter from the University Registrar, Gabriel Egbe. According to the letter, the Vice-chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, was dissatisfied with the Dean’s response to an administrative query issued to him in respect of the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him.
Professor Ndifon has however denied these allegations alleging that the protest was sponsored by lecturers in the faculty of Law who did not like his style of leadership and who would stop at nothing to witch-hunt him. The matter has been referred to a panel that was set-up to investigate the allegations levelled against the former Dean. The Vice Chancellor also hinted in the letter that accusers of the suspended Professor of Law need to testify before the panel with evidence.
The University management ordered Prof. Cyril Ndifon to hand over all University property in his possession including all official responsibilities presently handled by him to the Sub-Dean of the Faculty before vacating office. He was also mandated to stay away from the University premises except while responding to invitation from the panel investigating the sexual harassment allegations.
It will be recalled that Prof. Ndifon was previously suspended by the school authority in 2015 after he was accused of raping a 20-year-old law student in his office, which he denied and challenged in court. His suspension was however lifted about a year later. Observers are keen to watch how this latest suspension and investigation pans out.