A lecturer in the Theatre and Media Arts Department of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Dr Desen Mbachaga, has been suspended over alleged sexual harassment.
While announcing his suspension in a statement on Tuesday, the Chief Information Officer to the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Foluso Ogunmodede, said that Mbachaga, who was an associate professor, was suspended “on the grounds of a prima facie evidence of sexual harassment established against him by a panel set up by the institution’s Faculty of Arts, which investigated the allegation.”
Ogunmodede added that “the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abayomi Fasina, has set up a five-member committee to further probe the allegation with a view to getting to the root of the allegation of sexual harassment against the embattled lecturer.
“The VC, who has zero-tolerance for indiscipline and any form of sexual harassment against students of the institution, has consequently approved the suspension of Dr Mbachaga to allow for proper investigation of the matter.
“Besides, the VC has also mandated the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof Tajudeen Opoola, to conduct a proper investigation into another allegation of sexual harassment against another lecturer in the same department and submit the report in due time for necessary action.”
He, however, said the school management would not in any manner tolerate any form of misconduct by its staff.