The management of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State has suspended Mfonobong Udoudom, a lecturer in the school’s General Studies Department who was captured on film reportedly abusing a female student.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the university’s spokesperson, Okwunka Omeaku, stated that the institution has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct involving staff and students, adding that “UNN is among the few universities in the country that has a sexual harassment policy, which guides the relationship between our staff and students in particular and among our male and female staff”.
According to Omeaku, the university will not hesitate to punish Udeudom if he is found guilty by the school’s disciplinary panel.
“The management of the University of Nigeria has suspended Mr (not a Professor) Mfonobong David Udoudom, a lecturer in our General Studies division, who was caught in a video allegedly harassing a female student,” the statement partly read.
“The indefinite suspension is with immediate effect pending the outcome of a disciplinary panel constituted by the University to investigate the incident.
“For the record, the University of Nigeria has a zero tolerance for sexual misconduct involving our staff and students. UNN is among the few universities in the country that has a Sexual Harassment Policy, which guides the relationship between our staff and students in particular and among our male and female staff.
“As a university, we are committed to protecting our students from any form of abuse and exploitation, and the University Management will not hesitate to punish Mr Mfonobong David Udoudom , according to our rules, if he is found guilty by our disciplinary panel.”
It was gathered that the lecturer had vowed that the female student would never pass his course unless she submitted herself for sexual intercourse with him.
It was further gathered that trouble had started immediately after the students had written the man’s course in their examination with the lecturer warning some female students that they would fail if they ‘failed to see him’.
The lady informed her husband who also lodged a complaint to the university authorities, who asked the lady to play along.
In a viral video, the lecturer was seen naked but only later allowed to wear inner shorts.