Ndifon alleges threat to life over UNICAL sexual assault scandal
UNICAL lecturer Cyril Ndifon, the dean of the faculty of law accused of sexual harassment.
A new twist has been introduced into the University of Calabar (UNICAL) sexual harassment scandal, as the dramatis persona, and the institution’s former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, has raised the alarm over threat to his life.
The embattled lecturer disclosed this on Sunday evening in Calabar, after attending church service at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Akim Barrack, Calabar Municipality Local Council of Cross River State.
It will be recalled that about two months ago, students of the Faculty of Law from the institution accused Prof. Ndifon of sexual harassment and high-handedness.
The issue also attracted the Federal Government’s action with the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy, wading into the matter. But Prof. Ndifon has accused the school management of sending men, who disguised as security officials to kidnap him during church service in Calabar.
He alleged that he was in the church at about 8:18 a.m., performing his role as a warden when some men, who claimed to be security officers, came to arrest him.
According to him, they disappeared into thin air before the Rev. Father and some parishioners could question them. He said: “I went to church, where I serve as a church warden and while in church much later towards the end, we got information that some individuals had come into church, and went to see the catechist and inform him that they came to arrest somebody, and the catechist from what we understood asked for identification, they didn’t have any. He asked for a search warrant, they didn’t have any then the catechist asked them to wait for him to go inform the Reverend Father, but on getting there, they disappeared into thin air.
“I think this needs a security concern and I thought it is time to shout and talk about the threat to my life because that is what it looks like. If they are investigating, it should be done without threatening me. I haven’t threatened anybody and I don’t think threats should be issued to me.”
“On why he has refused to attend the panel’s summon, Ndifon said: “That panel is unknown to my status as a lecturer in the University of Calabar. I am a professor of law and I think the right thing should be done. I’m not scared of appearing in any panel. I have gone to court and gave my reasons for shunning it”. I have challenged the status of the panel. So, why should I appear before the panel? It is a bit laughable.”
“They have already joined issues with me in court. So, let’s go to court and address it, but they haven’t invited me, that is what I can say for sure.”
Ndifon, however, appealed to the state and Federal Government agencies, concerned and well-meaning Nigerians to wade into the issue as it concerns threat to his life.
One of the witnesses, who pleaded anonymity said: “We saw strange people come into the church armed, pretending to be security operatives, but we suspected them to be kidnappers. They said they were here to arrest Prof. Ndifon, but they have no identity on them, and no warrant of arrest. Before we knew it, they disappeared into thin air.
“One person that accosted them at the gate rightly informed us that they said they were sent from the University of Calabar and one would begin to wonder why they are coming for a personality like Prof. Ndifon. Why can’t the so-called security officials invite him officially? Why come to church on a Sunday?”
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