Sex for grades: El’rufai orders full investigation against KASU lecturer

The Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-rufai on Thursday said the sex-for-grade allegation against a staff of the Kaduna State University (KASU) will be fully investigated.

The governor said the investigation and prosecution would be carried out by the Attorney General of the state. Governor El’rufai, on his twitter handle, said the suspension of the staff by the university was the first step.

The Tweet read, “The suspension of Mr. Umar by KASU is the first step. He and 15 lecturers sacked by nearby ABU‎ Zaria for sexual harassment will be fully investigated & prosecuted by the Attorney General of Kaduna State. We must face evil & end this scourge in our state,”

It would be recalled that KASU management set up a committee to investigate one of its staff known as A.B Umar over sex for grade allegation levelled against him.

The decision followed a one-man protest at KASU by a female graduate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. The lady, whose name was not given, alleged that Umar, who was sacked by ABU for sexual misconduct and later employed by KASU, was not fit to be a lecturer in any institution.

KASU’s Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics, Professor Abdullahi Ashafa, emphasised that the institution has zero tolerance for such behaviours by its staff.

At a meeting on Wednesday, Ashafa said the university was proceeding with investigations on the allegations levelled against Umar.

“This is a normal management meeting that holds every week as mandated by the institution’s management to receive reports from faculties, directorates and units of the university.

“Sometimes in the first week of October, a lady who was an ex-student of ABU tweeted that a former staff of the institution who is employed by KASU, had sexually harassed her when he was a staff at ABU.

“She mentioned his name and the Vice Chancellor of KASU quickly formed a committee to investigate the issue, not only to clear its name, but to reassure parents and students who are studying here or intend to study of their safety.

“KASU is building a reputable name as a centre of excellence, so such allegations need to be investigated and cleared. The incident did not occur in KASU, but the way the issue is being portrayed is like we are providing a safe haven for those whose appointments had been terminated elsewhere. Umar was appointed in error; there was no much investigation to ascertain what made him leave ABU at the age of 54. Ashafa disclosed that two committees were set up; one was to investigate Umar’s case, while the second was for general investigation on events on campus relating to both academic and non-academic employees of the institution.

“The second committee is to also collect testimonies and memoranda from past and current students who are victims of such misconduct; and who are willing to share their experiences’’.