Suspended UNICAL Law Faculty Dean Remanded Over Sexual Harassment Charges

Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), has been remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The court issued the order following allegations of sexual harassment brought against the professor.

Ndifon, who was suspended in August 2023 amid accusations of sexual misconduct involving female students, pleaded not guilty to the four-count charges during the court session on Monday.

The charges, filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), include soliciting nude photographs and videos from students and abusing his office.

The court heard that Ndifon allegedly solicited explicit materials from a second-year female diploma student, requested similar content from a 400-level female student with the intention of influencing her grades, asked for photographs of a prospective post-UTME female student as a condition for considering her admission, and caused a female student to send explicit photos through WhatsApp.

The charges were brought against Ndifon after an investigative panel found him guilty of sexual harassment and abuse of office, leading to his suspension. The ICPC filed criminal charges against him in October 2023.

During the court session, Ndifon’s counsel, Okon Efut, moved a bail application on health grounds, citing an eye surgery for glaucoma scheduled for January 11. However, ICPC’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, opposed the bail application, claiming that one of Ndifon’s counsels had threatened the commission’s star witness.

The judge, James Omotosho, directed the counsel involved in the alleged threat, Sunny Anyanwu, to file an affidavit of facts for the court’s consideration. Expressing concern over Ndifon’s delayed eye surgery, the judge ordered his remand in Kuje Correctional Centre until January 10 when the bail application would be heard.