The management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has suspended a lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies, Prof. Ifeanyi Odinye, for three months and placed him on half salary over alleged s3xual misconduct and contravention of the university’s General and Academic Regulations
In a press statement issued on Monday and signed by the institution’s Director, Information and Public Relations, Aloysius Attah, the university, however, deferred consideration of the allegation of s3xual harassment against the lecturer, saying further investigations were required to establish the facts.
The decisions followed the interim report of a six-member Special Investigative Panel set up by the university to investigate allegations arising from an incident involving staff and students of the Department of Chinese Studies.
The panel, chaired by the Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies, Prof. Emmanuel Obidimma, submitted its preliminary report to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, on Friday.
Recall that the alleged s3xual misconduct was brought to the attention of the school management after a viral video surfaced online two weeks ago, in which some students of the institution were seen physically assaulting and rough-handling the lecturer on the school premises after he was caught allegedly molesting a female student.
Videos of the incident, which occurred within the university environment, went viral on various social media platforms and attracted widespread reactions and criticism, with calls for a thorough investigation.
Following the incident, the management of the institution expressed deep sadness and strongly condemned the resort to violence, self-help, or any form of jungle justice under any circumstance. The university authorities, therefore, directed an immediate, comprehensive and impartial investigation into the incident.
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