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UNILAG seeks police intervention in tackling sexual harassment saga

By Iyabo Lawal
19 July 2018   |   3:00 am
The management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has threatened to involve the police to compel Miss Joy Nwanna, the victim in the alleged case of sexual harassment involving one of its lecturers to appear before the investigation committee and substantiate her allegations.

The management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has threatened to involve the police to compel Miss Joy Nwanna, the victim in the alleged case of sexual harassment involving one of its lecturers to appear before the investigation committee and substantiate her allegations.Nwanna had accused a Professor of Linguistics at the institution’s Department of English, Prof. Segun Awonusi of sexually harassing her.

The vice chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe who disclosed this at a briefing gave the identity of the accuser as Miss Joy Nwanna, a former student of the English Department who was enrolled to 200 level through direct entry during 2012/2013 academic session and graduated in 2016.

Prof Ogundipe also appealed to the publisher of ‘Linda Ikeji Blog’, the website that published the semi-nude pictures of the accused to help the university in its investigative efforts by supplying relevant information in her disposal about the source of the news. Already, the vice chancellor said all efforts by the committee to reach Miss Nwanna has failed as all her contact phone numbers obtained from her records were not going through.

Ogundipe said the embattled lecturer had appeared twice before the five-man panel headed by a former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Chioma Agonmo and had replied his query in writing.He said; “The panel conducted its investigations and recently submitted its report. Preliminary findings showed that the allegation of sexual harassment was not substantiated by the alleged victim or any other person.

“The preliminary investigations have raised certain questions and issues that need to be investigated further. Investigations are ongoing. The university is making efforts to confirm the authenticity or otherwise of the pictures that were released. We also require Miss Joy Nwanna to come forward to substantiate the allegations.

“To this end, the press and general public are urged to assist the university by impressing it upon the alleged victim to come forward and substantiate her claim. An appeal is also made to Linda Ikeji to convince the victim to appear before the panel and state her side of the story. Ikeji as an alumnus of the university has the right to help in the investigation because the image of the institution is affected.”

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