Varsity Promotes 20 Lecturers, Dismisses 1 Over Alleged Sexual Harassment

Varsity Promotes 20 Lecturers, Dismisses 1 Over Alleged Sexual Harassment

By Taiye Lawal

The Kaduna State University (KASU), has promoted 12 lecturers to the rank of Professor and eight others to the rank of Associate Professor.

The University also terminated the appointment of Dr Idowu Abbas of the Geography Department, over alleged sexual harassment.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Abdullahi Ashafa, announced this in a statement in Kaduna on Friday. Ashafa identified the lecturers promoted to the rank of Professors as Dr Helen Andow, Professor of Entrepreneurship Management; Dr Upah Butari, Professor of English Language; and Dr Suleiman Suleiman, Professor of Arabic Grammar.

Also promoted are Dr Muhammad Bello, Professor of Accounting and Finance; Dr Sadiq Abdu, Professor of Solid State and Computational Physics; and Dr Dickson Dyaji, Professor of Religious Studies. Others are Dr Audee Giwa, Professor of Comparative Literature; Dr Usman Yusuf, Professor of Economics; Dr Zainab Dabo, Professor of Finance and Management; and Dr Benjamin Gugon, Professor of Accounting.

Equally elevated to the rank of professor are Dr Zakari Ladan, Professor of Organic Chemistry; and Dr Muhammad Sani Abubakar, Professor of Molecular Physics and Renewable Energy.

“Those promoted to the rank of Associate Professor are Dr Monday Audu, Dr Saidu Abdulkadir, Dr Daniel Hyuk, Dr Solomon Aboh, Dr Maryam Abdu, Dr Lubabatu Kwanbo, Dr Peter Anthony and Dr Salisu Salisu,” he said. On the dismissal, Ashafa said that the university’s Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee, chaired by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), investigated the alleged sexual harassment against the lecturer.

He said that the report was presented at the 217th Management Meeting of the institution he chaired on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Tanko, on Jan. 12.

He said that the management dismissed Abbas from the service of the university and directed that all students under his supervision be reassigned to a descent lecturer in the department.

“According to the report, Abbas confessed in his testimony to have touched and hugged a female student he was supervising her project from behind against her will, when she went to his office to discuss her project.

“His testimonies also revealed other nasty and randy misbehaviour he exhibited to the student. “This gross misconduct violated Section 8.7 Paragraph (f) of the Administrative and Academic Regulations in Kaduna State University.

“The regulations state that ‘victimization/harassment of student through examination mark is punishable by dismissal and/or termination of appointment,” he said. The deputy vice chancellor described Abbas’ earlier resignation as “null and void.”