Nigerian University suspends Law Dean over sexual harassment allegations

The University of Calabar (UNICAL) in Nigeria's Cross River State has suspended the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Cyril Ndifon, over widespread allegations of sexual harassment.

Female students of the law faculty recently held a peaceful rally against Mr Ndifon, a professor, whom they accused of harassing them.

Mr Ndifon earlier denied the allegations and said that the protest was sponsored by lecturers in the faculty who did not like his style of leadership.

But on Thursday, the university relieved Mr Ndifon of his position as the dean of law faculty and also suspended him from the school premises. 

A statement said the university's Vice-Chancellor, Florence Obi, was dissatisfied with Mr Ndifon’s response to a query on the sexual harassment allegations.

“The matter is referred to a panel that will be set-up to investigate the allegations levelled against him,” the statement from school's authorities said.

Mr 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, an allegation the professor challenged in court.

His suspension was lifted about a year later, under unclear circumstances – our reporters could not find evidence that the court exonerated the professor.