Minister of Women Affairs Barrister Uju Kenedy-Ohaneye has reiterated the ministry’s commitment towards ensuring fairness and justice for women particularly girls, following the issue of sexual harassment of female students at the University of Calabar.
Kenedy-Ohanenye gave the assurance Monday at the Ministry’s headquarters while meeting with Leaders of the National Association to Nigerian Students (NANS) from all the universities, stressing that it is not enough for culprits of sexual harassment to only be expelled or sacked but be made to face the wrath of the law if found guilty.
The university of Calabar recently suspended a law Professor, Cyril Ndifon as the Dean, Faculty of Law, after some female law students held a protest rally, accusing him of sexual harassment.
Kenedy-Ohanenye said that the Ministry and students are demanding justice in any cases of sexual harassment, while calling for adequate judicial action to be taken on the trending case of the University of Calabar so that the perpetrators will be brought to book and for others to learn from it .
“Expulsion or sacking of culprits of sexual harassment in the universities is not enough, we want a situation where justice will be done because if we dont go for justice it will be a round circle that will keep occurring.
“We are starting with the Calabar case which is trending and we will be writing the DSS to wade into this investigation so that the Professor will not go free by just being sacked if he is found guilty, that is not enough punishment , we want the right judicial action to be taken.
“Remember that the prof has been suspended before over same accusations and he came back, and this time he has gone to the court, but we will not give room for these same issue to keep repeating itself that is why we want a better investigation so that we would have an edge in court to bring an end to this,” she said.
However , the Minister disclosed that an “integrity brigade” will be set up at the universities to prevent sex for grade which she said is a component of sexual harassment, calling on both male and female students to study harder and equally put an end to the problem because if a girl is asking for grade and offering sex it could also be a set up on the lecturer.
“The integrity brigade will be out to get facts and help us get culprits of sexual harassment , we want justice to be done and truth to be revealed . I stand with all women and girls to ensure that this issue is brought to an end .
The Minister further restated the ministry’s efforts towards establishing functional mobile courts where issues of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) will be addressed promptly.
Earlier, the Association of Nigerian Female Students represented by Comrade Omoniyi Princess Alice, said that female students across the country have decided to partner with the ministry in ensuring that SGBV is curbed across all tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Enugu state chapter, represented by Anita Adaeze, pledged support of the Council in bringing an end to SGBV in Nigerian universities .
