Protest hits UNICAL as female students accuse Prof Ndifon of sexual harassment

A wave of protest has swept through the University of Calabar as female law students have taken to the campus to voice allegations of sexual harassment against Prof Cyril Ndifon, the Dean of the Faculty of Law. The demonstration, which took place late Monday afternoon, saw groups of students chanting and brandishing placards denouncing the alleged misconduct.

The protesters, visibly agitated, marched through the campus expressing their grievances. Their placards bore messages such as “Ndifon Must Go!”, “We’re tired of sucking dicks for marks,” “Law Girls Are Not Bonanza,” and “Prof Ndifon Must Stop Grabbing our Bum Bum.”

Leading the charge was Comrade Benedict Otu, President of the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) at the University of Calabar, who rallied the students to demand justice and accountability from Prof Ndifon.

However, in response to the accusations, Prof Ndifon vehemently denied any wrongdoing. He characterized the allegations as baseless and claimed they were propagated by individuals within the faculty who sought to undermine him due to his success in the faculty elections. Prof Ndifon asserted that these detractors aimed to tarnish his reputation and had orchestrated the protest to further their agenda.

Addressing the protest, Prof Ndifon stated, “Since I defeated some persons in an election that was keenly contested, to emerge as Dean of the faculty, it hasn’t been easy. I had skipped several booby traps.”

He further criticized the placards used in the protest, noting that they displayed a singular handwriting style, leading him to suspect that the protest was orchestrated by a few individuals. Prof Ndifon questioned how the protesters were privy to an ongoing meeting he was having with the Vice Chancellor if it were not for the involvement of insiders.

Prof Ndifon cast doubt on the validity of the allegations and demanded evidence of the alleged sexual harassment. He said, “The question is where are the victims of the sexual harassment?”

In response to the growing unrest, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Florence Obi, assured the students that the issues raised would be addressed promptly. The incident has brought the issue of sexual harassment in educational institutions to the forefront and highlights the need for transparency and accountability in addressing such serious allegations.