By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – The Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na-Allah, has disclosed that two professors have been dismissed over sexual harassment of students.
Na’Allah, who said this on Monday June 5, 2022, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in New York, added that the university had introduced a policy on sex abuse on campus, which had been published.
The VC, who was on a two–day visit to the United States of America to solicit support for the institution from the University of Abuja Alumni Association, USA chapter, said female students needed to be protected.
According to him, the institution is committed to high moral standards and will not tolerate any act of misconduct perpetrated by its staff against students.
“I have dismissed two professors since I became the Vice- Chancellor. It tells you how we are serious about the issue of sexual harassment.
“We are collaborating with some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), to make sure that it is not only us that are addressing this issue, but we have a strong partnership.
“We cannot allow the lives of our students to be destroyed, because most of the abuses destroy the lives of their victims.’’
He further said: “It was sad to see some lecturers, who are supposed to be protecting the female students, becoming one of their problems.
“This is a problem of universities in Nigeria, not only University of Abuja alone.
“But UniAbuja is pursuing it with vigour, because we know this is one of the issues to address to make our university one of the best in Nigeria.
“As I speak now, there are several investigations ongoing by a committee set up to address the problem.’’