Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Following the latest allegation by a frustrated female student of the Kaduna State University (KASU) that she was being harassed for sex in exchange for marks by a lecturer in the institution, member representing Sanga constituency in Kaduna Assembly, Comfort Amwe, on Tuesday met with the school authority to work out modalities to fight such a heinous act.
This was happening as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) Academics, Professor Abdullahi Ashafa, recalled that lecturers who involve in such act usually resign before the school authorities get to know.
The student, Salamatu Bello, who claimed to be a victim of alleged sexual harassment, had embarked on one-man protest within the university with a placard alleging that she was sexually molested by one A.B Umar while at Ahamadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria where he lecturer was allegedly sacked before he secured employment with KASU.
Amwe, the only female lawmaker in the whole of North West geopolitical zone, was visibly angry over the alleged sexual harassment in the school, describing the incident as a wake-up call to other institution to take the matter seriously and investigate lecturers fingered in the dastard act with a view to immediately cleaning the universities of such rot.
“We entrust these girls into their hands and they will be our future mothers. So, if they are been molested, nothing good will come out of them,” she said.
She appreciated Governor Nasir El-Rufai for his prompt reaction against the ugly incident by way of investigating and prosecuting the said lecturer to serve as deterrent to others.
“We are happy the lecturer is suspended and there is a committee that has a broader mandate to look into the matter, not only Mr Umar’s case, but other possible complaints that might come up from the students on that.
“I want to assure you that it will go beyond this visit. I have requested the university to provide us with an enabling environment whereby we can have a public hearing on this particular matter.
“We are going to gather all the students in the 1,000 sitting capacity hall in the university so that, other girls who have or undergoing sexual harassment in their academic pursuit can voice out.”
Responding, Prof Ashafa said the institution has zero-tolerance for such misconduct.
“KASU has risen to the occasion. We have established a committee with broader terms of reference to investigate possible occurrence of this kind of heinous act which might be buried without our knowledge.
“And if any lecturer found wanting, he will be dealt with according to the law establishing the university.
“We appreciate the fact that Hon Comfort Amwe is interested in the matter. The circumstance that brought the issue was a lecturer involved in it who came from ABU,” he said.
