The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has begun a probe into the alleged sexual harassment case involving the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof Abayomi Fasina.
This followed a petition written to the anti-corruption agency by a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) and received by the commission on Monday, January 27, 2025.
The petition, signed by CSOs such as the Gender Mobile Initiative, Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Education as a Vaccine, BIGIF, BraveHeart Initiative and Hope Behind Bars, underscored the importance of this case as a test of Nigeria’s commitment to eradicating gender-based violence and fostering accountability in public institutions.
The CSOs demanded transparency, accountability, and justice in the alleged sexual harassment case involving Fasina and a married surbordiate in the university, Engr Folashade Adebayo, who is the Deputy Director at the Directorate of Works and Services at the university.
The VC was alleged to have pressured and harassed the female staff member for sex. Adebayo had resisted the VC’s alleged attempts which caused her removal from the office she occupied.
Adebayo reportedly wrote a letter to the governing board of the school for intervention.
While calling for an independent investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment against Fasina, the CSOs urged the ICPC to ensure justice is served in the matter.
The petition, submitted on January 27, 2025, was addressed to the ICPC Chairman and copied to key stakeholders, including the Minister of Education, the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, and relevant Senate and House Committees.
The petition described the alleged actions of the VC as a “gross abuse of authority, contravention of institutional ethics, and a violation of Nigeria’s legal frameworks on workplace harassment and gender-based violence”.
The CSOs expressed a lack of confidence in the panel constituted by the Governing Council given the biases shinning through the panel’s terms of reference and demanded a thorough and independent investigation by the ICPC into the allegations, protection and support for the victim, including legal, psychological, and social assistance, a review of FUOYE’s internal policies on sexual harassment and the implementation of systemic reforms, as well as legislative oversight by relevant Senate and House Committees to address institutional failures in handling sexual harassment cases in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The signatories to the petition expressed confidence in the ICPC’s ability to ensure justice and urged all stakeholders to prioritize transparency and fairness in addressing the case. They called on the Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission to strengthen anti-harassment frameworks and protect victims of workplace abuse.
This petition is expected to spark widespread attention and further advocacy for addressing workplace harassment in Nigerian universities.
All eyes are now on the ICPC and other authorities to act decisively and uphold justice.
