Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have arrested Mr. Mfonobong Udoudom, a suspended lecturer from the University of Nigeria, following a video allegedly showing him harassing a female student in his office.
The University of Nigeria’s management announced the lecturer’s indefinite suspension in a statement on Tuesday, pending an investigation into the incident.
Sources within the university revealed that the police from the Nsukka Area Command apprehended the lecturer shortly before the suspension was announced.
The lecturer, who works in the General Studies Division of the university, was filmed in the viral video wearing only a pair of boxers. Although the exact date of the incident is not independently verified, the university stated that an investigation would be conducted.
In a statement signed by the acting Public Relations Officer, Chief Okwun Omeaku, the university clarified that the lecturer is not a professor and emphasized its zero-tolerance policy towards sexual misconduct.
The statement further announced the immediate indefinite suspension of Mr. Mfonobong David Udoudom and the formation of a disciplinary panel to investigate the incident.
The statement reads, “For the records, the University of Nigeria has a zero tolerance for sexual misconduct involving our staff and students.
The UNN is among the few universities in the country that has a Sexual Harassment Policy, which guides the relationship between our staff and students in particular and among our male and female staff members.
As a university, we are committed to protecting our students from any form of abuse and exploitation, and the university management will not hesitate to punish Mr. Mfonobong David Udoudom, according to our rules, if he is found guilty by our disciplinary panel.”
In the viral video, voices can be heard discussing the case, with one person mentioning that they have been tracking the situation from the beginning and have evidence. Another voice, presumably a member of the task force, is heard urging to ask questions immediately rather than waiting.
When contacted, the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, requested a text message as he was unable to respond at the moment.
The Enugu State Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs, and Social Development also weighed in on the matter, ensuring that justice would prevail.
The Commissioner for Gender, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, affirmed the state government’s zero-tolerance stance on all forms of gender-based violence, harassment, or exploitation, promising a thorough investigation into the incident.
