UNICAL RAPE – Police Commissioner Receives Investigation Report As Groups Warn Against Burying The Case

By CrossRiverWatch admin

CrossRiverWatch can confirm that investigation into the allegations of rape against the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, UNICAL, Professor Cyril Ndifon has been concluded and the report has been submitted to the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Henry Fadairo.

A reliable police source in the Police Headquarters, Diamond Hill Calabar told CrossRiverWatch that “the Investigating Police Officer, IPO of the matter, Supol Beatrice Odey and her team have concluded their job and the report has been duly submitted to the Commissioner.”

The source who refused to disclose the details of the report however said that they are waiting for the directive of the Commissioner before they can take any further action on the matter.

This development is coming just as two civil rights organizations, African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ and the Nigerian Feminist Forum, NFF have decried the increase in the incidence of rape by some members of the academic staff in Nigerian universities and warned that the UNICAL incident must not be swept under the carpet.

The Gender Policy Officer of ANEEJ, Ms. Sandra Eguagie, in a statement which was made available to CrossRiverWatch said, “While we welcome the ongoing investigations by the Nigerian Police, we believe that this case must not be bungled or swept under the carpet. The suspended lecturer must be made to face the full weight of the law if found guilty.

“He must be fully prosecuted and if found guilty should be jailed and dismissed from service to serve as a deterrent to other lecturers who have formed the culture of sexually assaulting students in Nigerian tertiary institutions.”

A statement from NFF secretariat, signed by its spokesperson, Geraldyn Ezeakile, expressed dismay over what appears to be an overwhelming rise in reported cases of sexual assault and rape of female university students across university campuses in Nigeria.

The NFF said it was ready to offer its support and expertise to ASUU, the body of Vice-Chancellors, National Universities Commission, Ministries of Education and other stakeholders at federal and state levels as well as the police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that the menace is tamed.

The Forum, CrossRiverWatch gathered is also mobilizing for a mass rally in the next two weeks to call for thorough prosecution of Professor Ndifon if indicted by the Police report.

Professor Ndifon is being accused of raping a 21 year old, 400 level female student in his office. He was arrested by the police and released on bail while police investigation continue.