University of Lagos fires lecturers after sex-for-grades scandal

Two lecturers at Nigeria's University of Lagos (Unilag) have been dismissed following an investigation into sex-for-grades allegations sparked by a BBC Africa Eye documentary.

Boniface Igbeneghu and Samuel Oladipo were both dismissed by the university's governing council for misconduct. They had been suspended shortly after the documentary was released in 2019.

In the film, Dr Igbeneghu was caught propositioning and sexually harassing an undercover BBC reporter.

He was seen putting inappropriate questions and requests toward the journalist, who was posing as a prospective student aged 17.

On a final meeting between the pair, the lecturer was filmed physically harassing her and asking to kiss her inside his locked office. He also appeared to threaten to tell her mother if she was "disobedient" towards him.

Allegations were also made against Dr Oladipo.

In a statement Unilag said that it would be reviewing its sexual harassment policy.

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Read the entire Unilag statement below;

GOVERNING COUNCIL APPROVES DISMISSAL OF TWO LECTURERS

The Governing Council of the University of Lagos, at its meeting on Monday, May 31, 2021, approved the immediate dismissal of Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu of the Department of European Languages and Integration Studies, Faculty of Arts and Dr. Samuel Omoniyi Oladipo of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, from the services of the University.

Council, at its meeting, considered the Report and findings of the Senate Committee set up to investigate allegations of sexual harassment levelled against them in a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service Investigative Series titled AFRICA EYE (which centred on sexual harassment in tertiary institutions).

The Council consequently decided and approved that both Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu and Dr. Samuel Omoniyi Oladipo be dismissed from the services of the University for misconduct, with effect from Monday, May 31, 2021 in line with section 18 of the University of Lagos Act 1967.

Council further directed that the Management should review the Sexual harassment Policy as may be necessary and institute effective strategies to prevent future occurrence.