Abuja, Nigeria – Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), has denied allegations of sexual harassment brought against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
During his defence in a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, Ndifon claimed that the former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, and former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, had reviewed his case and concluded that he had “no case to answer.”
Ndifon, alongside his lawyer Sunny Anyanwu, was re-arraigned on January 25, 2024, on four counts relating to alleged sexual harassment and obstruction of justice.
The ICPC accused Ndifon of requesting indecent photographs from a female student while he was Dean of the Faculty of Law, UNICAL.
In the amended charges filed on January 22, 2024, the ICPC also alleged that Anyanwu had attempted to intimidate a prosecution witness during the trial. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case dates back to accusations of sexual harassment made by a female diploma student, identified as TKJ, who testified that Ndifon forced her to perform oral sex in exchange for assistance with admission to UNICAL. During cross-examination, however, TKJ admitted that the allegations of sexual assault had not been included in her original statement to the ICPC due to “shame” and “fear.”
Additionally, an ICPC forensic analyst testified that nude photos, including those of TKJ, were found on Ndifon’s phone, and forensic analysis revealed WhatsApp chats, nude videos, and phone calls involving the student.
Despite these testimonies, Prof. Ndifon maintained his innocence, stating that he had been exonerated in the past, including when a similar case in 2015 was dismissed by the police.
He further claimed that the matter had been escalated by a Nigerian feminist group to the IGP, leading to his case being transferred to Abuja, where the investigation resumed.
The trial continues, with the court allowing the defence to proceed.