The University of Lagos (Unilag) has suspended a senior lecturer, Dr Boniface Igbeneghu, who was caught on camera in BBC’s documentary Sex For Grades propositioning a female student for sex in exchange for grades.
The university says it is “highly embarrassed” by the scandal and “will do all that is necessary to ensure that this menace is checked in our institution.
A statement signed by the university’s Principal Assistant Registrar, Mrs Taiwo Oloyede says Dr Boniface Igbeneghu remains is suspended from “work immediately and barred from the University academic areas while the suspension subsists unless invited by a Panel constituted by the University to investigate the matter.”
The university’s action comes after the BBC’s documentary trended on social media on Monday, 7th October 2019, prompting the university to have an emergency meeting.
In the statement published on Unilag’s official Facebook account, the university says it is also shutting the University of Lagos Staff Club’s “Cold Room” mentioned in the documentary “for further investigation.
“The so-called “Cold Room” is a Functions Room that may have been abused because this is a deviation from the purpose for which it was created (meetings, seminars, events, etc.),” the statement says.
While dissociating itself from the conduct of Dr Boniface Igheneghu, the university says it has a “Policy on Sexual Harassment, Sexual and Romantic Relationships,” which is available on its website. It says the policy has been distributed to members of staff.
The university further states that it has set up several committees in the past to investigate allegations of sexual harassment and routinely organises orientations “for all new entrants sensitising them of the University’s zero-tolerance policy and acquainting them with the mechanisms for reporting.
The statement further assures the public of the university’s commitment to “providing a conducive and safe learning environment where future leaders are trained to take responsibilities for their action.”
The full statement is available here.
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