In a landmark judgment that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria's academic community, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, Cyril Ndifon, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for sexual harassment of female students.
Court Delivers Justice in High-Profile Case
Presiding Judge James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja handed down the sentence on Monday, November 18, 2025, finding Ndifon guilty of multiple counts of sexual harassment and abuse of office. The judge imposed a two-year jail term for count one and a five-year imprisonment for count two, with both sentences to run concurrently, meaning Ndifon will serve a maximum of five years behind bars.
The case, prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), revealed disturbing details of how Ndifon exploited his position of authority. Evidence presented in court showed that while serving as dean, Ndifon had asked a female diploma student identified as TKJ to send him "pornographic, indecent, and obscene photographs of herself" through instant messaging platforms.
Pattern of Abuse and Exploitation
According to court documents, Ndifon went even further by demanding sexual favors from the victim in exchange for academic opportunities. He was specifically accused of asking TKJ to perform oral sex as a condition for gaining admission to study law at the institution. The judge noted that "the victim was desirous of being admitted into the university and the first defendant was in a position to help her, being the dean, and the diploma course is under his supervision."
Justice Omotosho did not mince words in condemning Ndifon's conduct, describing him as "a sexual predator" and stating that "the first defendant abused his office" by taking undue advantage of the power imbalance between himself and the students under his supervision.
Co-defendant Acquitted While Judge Condemns Unprofessional Conduct
The case also involved Sunny Anyanwu, who had initially served as a member of Ndifon's legal team. Anyanwu faced charges of attempting to influence the course of justice by threatening a prosecution witness. However, the court discharged and acquitted him, noting that the ICPC failed to sufficiently link the offences in counts three and four to Ndifon.
Despite the acquittal, Justice Omotosho strongly condemned Anyanwu's unprofessional act of contacting a potential witness in his client's case, emphasizing that such behavior undermines the integrity of the legal profession.
The judgment comes after Ndifon had previously attempted to have the criminal charges against him quashed in March 2024, but the court rejected his application. In delivering the final verdict, Justice Omotosho stated that the ICPC had proved the evidence in counts one and two beyond reasonable doubt, and observed that Ndifon was unable to controvert the evidence that he unduly pressured TKJ to perform sexual acts.
This case represents a significant victory in the fight against sexual harassment in Nigerian educational institutions and sends a strong message that those in positions of authority will be held accountable for exploiting vulnerable students.
