Some students, predominantly female students of the UNICAL law faculty in August protested in the school, accusing Ndifon of constantly harassing them sexually.
The Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, has apologised for threatening to punish female law students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), including sending them to jail, over the sexual harassment allegation against the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law of the University.
Some students, predominantly female students of the UNICAL law faculty in August protested in the school, accusing Ndifon of constantly harassing them sexually.
Following the protest, the school authority suspended Ndifon and subsequently constituted a panel of investigation to hear from both Ndifon and his alleged victims on the issue.
But SaharaReporters recently reported that the women affairs minister was caught on tape threatening to jail one of the female students of the University who accused Ndifon of sexual harassment.
SaharaReporters had also reported that some victims – current and past students – and other witnesses already testified before the panel but Ndifon was scheduled to give his own testimony.
However, SaharaReporters was informed that rather than prepare and present his case, Ndifon had been exploring other means to get himself off the hook, including getting the support of the minister to intimidate the victims and prevent the panel from doing its job.
Some of the victims complained about the minister calling to intimidate them into not testifying before the panel or changing their stories in favour of Ndifon, and that she accused them of working with some interested parties in the school including its vice-chancellor to unfairly remove Ndifon from the school.
Amongst other things, the minister told one of the female students on the phone, "My dear, I want you to understand something, the day I spoke to you, I told you I recorded it. If your VC makes you go and lie against somebody, you will go to jail. Trust me, I personally will put you in jail.
"I want you to be very careful because your future is at stake. You can't join anybody and maltreat a fellow human being. I won't equally want you to be maltreated… I am a minister, I'm above her (the VC) by position, you know that.”
But following the controversy which trailed her threats, Kennedy on Sunday tendered an apology, saying that she stands for women.
The minister said she was committed to justice, the safeguarding and advancing of the rights and welfare of Nigerian women, including the pursuit of justice whenever their rights were violated.
Kennedy’s apology came hours after a coalition of over 500 gender rights activists under the aegis of Womanifesto convened by the Executive Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, demanded a retraction of the threat and public apology from the minister.
The organisations expressed grave concern about her utterances on the UNICAL sexual harassment case and their implications for the interest and protection of vulnerable women and children in Nigeria.
The minister, who tendered the apology in a statement sent to The PUNCH on Sunday in Abuja reportedly expressed her “unwavering dedication to upholding due diligence and the rule of law, recognising that justice and fairness are the fundamental principles upon which equitable societies are built.”
She was further quoted as saying, “This declaration comes in response to recent public discussions and reactions by concerned Nigerians regarding the unfolding situation at the University of Calabar, involving the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof Cyril Ndifon, and sexual harassment allegations levelled against him.
“I wish to express my sincere apologies to those who were offended by my comments and actions regarding the sexual harassment scandal at the University of Calabar. This is extremely regrettable as my intentions were sincere and aligned with my consistent advocacy for the welfare of Nigerian women and the pursuit of justice.
“I stand for all Nigerian women and I stand for justice, and it is my hope that we can work together to actualise the dream of a country where women’s rights are respected and protected, and where our daughters feel safe in institutions of learning.”