UNICAL
Picnews
Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, has been sentenced to five years in prison after the Federal High Court in Abuja found him guilty of sexually harassing a female student. The court determined that he abused his office by demanding indecent and pornographic images from the student and by asking for sexual favours in exchange for academic assistance. Throughout the trial, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission presented evidence showing how he used his influence and the student’s vulnerability to pressure her, especially as she was seeking admission and relied heavily on his approval.
Attempts by Ndifon to stop the trial through a “no-case submission” were rejected by the court earlier in the year, and although he testified in his own defence and called a forensic analyst as a witness, the judge ruled that his explanations lacked credibility. The court described his conduct as disgraceful, noting that someone in his position should protect students rather than exploit them. His actions were seen not just as misconduct but as a serious abuse of authority that created emotional harm and leveraged academic power for personal gratification.
The court sentenced him to two years on one count and five years on another, to run concurrently, leaving him with a total effective jail term of five years with no option of a fine. He will serve the sentence at Kuje Correctional Centre. A second defendant, lawyer Sunny Anyanwu, who was accused of attempting to influence a witness, was discharged and acquitted because the prosecution could not directly link him to the allegations.
This case has drawn significant attention across the country because it highlights a long-standing issue of sexual harassment in Nigerian universities. Many observers see the judgment as a landmark moment, reinforcing the idea that powerholders in academic institutions can no longer assume immunity when they exploit students. The conviction is also expected to encourage more victims of similar experiences to come forward, knowing that the law can protect them even when the accused holds a high-ranking academic position.
For UNICAL, the incident casts a shadow on the institution’s reputation, especially because it involves a dean of law, a position expected to embody discipline, ethics, and justice. The judgment serves as a reminder that academic authorities must be held to the highest moral and professional standards. The court stressed that the sentence is not only punitive but also meant to act as a deterrent to others who might attempt to misuse their official positions for personal gains.
