Dr Udochukwu Ndukwe, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at the Abia State University, Uturu, has been suspended from the school management for three months following allegations of sexual harassment against a female student.
A letter signed by the school’s registrar, Dr Acho Elendu on July 30, 2024, and sent to Dr Udochukwu Ndukwe, explained that the communication lecturer would be investigated and stated that Ndukwe would be investigated, the register further explained that the lecturer during the period of investigation will lose half of his salary which is in line with the policies of the university.
In a viral post on social media, the lecturer was seen on his knees crying and begging. A video depicted that the communication scholar was caught in a room with a female student trying to sexually harass her; the lecturer was begging the student individuals.
The recent revelation that a female student of the university had been harassed for years was planned with other individuals to help reveal the incident. The student, who is in her final year, alleged that the lecturer has been harassing her for the past two years at the university.
The video revealed that the lecturer was beaten by the individuals who broke into the room; visible shots from the video show that the man had his mouth swollen and bleeding while he struggled to cover his nakedness.
In the letter signed by the registrar, it was noted that the unity had established a panel of investigation to investigate the incident; it was explained that the decision was made after an online video circulated involving the communication teacher in the southeastern state of Nigeria.
The lecturer was ordered to hand over all university properties in his possession to the head of the university’s Mass Communication department. The statement further urged all the authorities and members of the university to take note and act appropriately.
The press’s efforts to speak with the university management to get clarifications on other issues related to the suspension of the communication scholar failed, as the registrar’s contact number could not be reached.