UI creates helplines to report sexual harassment

The University of Ibadan (UI) has announced designated helplines to report sexual harassment on its campuses.

In a statement, an e-mail address and a telephone number were released for students to report cases of sexual misconduct.

The university also said it has set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate such reports emanating from the institution.

The vice-chancellor, Prof Abel Olayinka said the university has zero tolerance for sexual harassment and misconduct.

This development is coming in the wake of a sex-for-grades video documentary by the BBC that exposed sexual harassment in two West African universities. 

Olayinka described the report of cases of sexual harassment in Nigerian universities as deeply disturbing.

“The recent expose of sexual misconduct in Nigerian universities is deeply disturbing and necessitates a reminder that the University of Ibadan maintains the tradition and standard of zero tolerance for sexual harassment and misconducts as contained in our staff and student information handbooks, the recently revised gender policy and sexual harassment policy, and other allied documents as earlier approved by both the Senate and council.

“Consequently, in order to ensure that the university is proactive in preventing incidence of sexual misconducts and be assured that the institution is a safe space for staff and students, members of the university community are hereby notified that an ad-hoc committee has just been inaugurated by the vice-chancellor to among others, investigate claims of sexual misconducts.