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39 professors charged with sexual harassment in the last five years.
Analysis shows that in the last five years, 39 instructors in the country's postsecondary institutions have been both charged and fired for sexual misconduct.
In Nigeria, sexual harassment has been a persistent issue in higher education. According to a 2018 World Bank Group Women survey, 70% of female graduates from tertiary institutions in the nation reported experiencing sexual harassment during their time in school, with lecturers and classmates being the primary perpetrators.
The majority of the academics who were charged and found guilty after the bill was passed were only fired, despite the fact that the Senate had passed a bill in 2021 mandating 21 years in jail for wild lecturers.
Richard Oladele, an accounting professor at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, was placed on indefinite leave of absence in April 2018 over sexual harassment.
Three instructors from the English language, international relations, and accounting departments were also fired by the institution in 2021 due to allegations of sexual harassment.
The university also declared in February 2020 that a lecturer at Monday Omo-Etan's Centre for Distance Learning would be suspended due to her history of sexually abusing a 19-year-old female student.
Ambrose Ali University in Ekpoma declared in 2019 that associate professor Monday Igbafen had been suspended due to accusations that she had harassed female students sexually.
At the time, Igbafen was the head of the Academic Staff Union of Universities' AAU branch. He had claimed that the vice-chancellor of the university was attempting to frame him.
In a letter sent to the university by his solicitors, the senior lecturer in the philosophy department, Osahon Irebhude & Co, demanded a written apology from the school.
The Imo State University administration reported in September 2020 that two of its instructors had been suspended due to allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, declared in February 2021 that Dr. Chigozie Odum, a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology and Tourism, will be suspended due to concerns about possible sexual misconduct.
Similar suspension was imposed in June 2021 by the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, for sexual misbehaviour against a lecturer in the Department of Media and Theatre Arts.
The University of Lagos' administration declared in the same month that two professors had been fired for comparable violations.
The University of Port Harcourt declared in August of that year that a lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature had been fired for sexual misconduct.
Two instructors from the departments of general studies and nutrition/dietetics were fired by the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, in October 2021 due to allegations of sexual misconduct.
A lecturer at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education's Department of Sociology was fired for having an affair with a female student.
A lecturer at Kwara State University, Malete, was fired in December 2021 after harassing a student in the department of pure and applied sciences, the university reported.
The Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rivers State declared in January 2022 that an instructor had been fired for intimidating a female student.
OAU opened an investigation into claims of sexual harassment against a professor in the Department of Linguistics and African Studies once more in April 2022. The institution has so far experienced problems with two of its teachers.
Prof. Abdul-Raheed Na'allah, the vice-chancellor of the University of Abuja, revealed in June 2022 that two professors had been fired due to sexual misbehaviour. They are both academics.
Dr. Balogun Olaniran of Tai Solarin University of Education was charged earlier in 2023 by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. It was stated that Olaniran had requested sexual satisfaction from a female student in order to change her results in 2021.
Abutu Thompson, a lecturer at Kogi State Polytechnic, was fired in March 2023 for harassing and victimising a female student in the computer science department sexually.
An unidentified lecturer at Ambrose Alli University in Edo State was allegedly fired by the administration in May due to suspicions of sexual harassment.
According to reports, the instructor was fired based on the staff disciplinary committee of the university's recommendation, which concluded that he had committed the offence.
The sacked lecturer went to the girl's chapel to ask for forgiveness, despite his claims that he was simply making advances, according to AAU Vice Chancellor Prof. Asomwan Adagbonyin.
The VC of UNIABUJA, Na'allah, said in July 2023 that two academics had been fired as a result of claims of sexual harassment.
Due to accusations of sexual harassment, the University of Calabar's administration suspended Professor Cyril Ndifon, the dean of the faculty of law, in August. For now, Ndifon is in the custody of security personnel.
The University of Lagos suspended Kadri Babalola, a lecturer, on September 7, 2023, after he was charged with raping a student who was 21 years old.
Comparably, the Federal College of Forestry in Plateau State declared in October 2023 that four of its instructors had been suspended due to claims involving the sexual harassment of female students.
The head of programmes at Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, asked President Bola Tinubu to sign the sexual harassment bill into law in an interview with our correspondents.
"The President signing the bill will be a game-changer," Oluwatoyin declared. Schools must be made secure for our pupils. The most regrettable aspect of the situation is that some of these kids, even when they are being harassed, are afraid to come out because they might be victimised or face other problems.
Nafisa Atiku-Adejuwon, a former programme manager for gender justice at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Foundation, advised organisations to stop victims from being victimised in silence and to establish secure, anonymous channels for them to report such crimes.
Additionally, Atiku-Adejuwon demanded that a trusting relationship be established between the student body and university administration.
"A holistic, survivor-centered response system is required; mental and physical health issues must be treated seriously." The mechanism for responding shouldn’t be created to make the university look good; it should be to take care of the survivors,” she added.