The Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na-Allah, has said that two professors of the institution have been dismissed for sexual harassment.
The VC who disclosed this to News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday, June 6, in New York, said that the university had introduced a policy on sex abuse on campus, which had been published.
Mr Na-Allah, who was on a two–day visit to the U.S., to meet with the University of Abuja Alumni Association, USA chapter, to solicit support for the institution, said, ”female students needed to be protected.”
According to him, the institution is committed to high moral standards and will not tolerate any act of misconduct perpetrated by its staff against students.
“I have dismissed two professors since I became the vice- chancellor. It tells you how we are serious about the issue of sexual harassment,” the vice-chancellor said.
“We are collaborating with some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), to make sure that it is not only us that are addressing this issue, but we have a strong partnership.
“We cannot allow the lives of our students to be destroyed, because most of the abuses destroy the lives of their victims. It was sad to see some lecturers, who are supposed to be protecting the female students, becoming one of their problems.
“This is a problem of universities in Nigeria, not only University of Abuja alone. As I speak now, there are several investigations ongoing by a committee set up, addressing the problem,” he added.