Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) in Bauchi has fired one of its lecturers, Dr. Usman Mohammed Aliyu, after he was accused of sexually harassing a married student.

The student, Mrs. Kamila Rufai Aliyu, who is studying for a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, said the lecturer made unwanted advances and even threatened to make her fail if she did not give in to his demands.

Her husband, Ja’afaru Buba, got involved by filing petitions through a lawyer to the university and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). In the petition, it was claimed that Dr. Aliyu kept calling Kamila to his office and sending her inappropriate messages on WhatsApp, even though he knew she was married.

Kamila’s lawyer, Barrister Mohammed Sani, explained that she refused all his advances. After that, the lecturer allegedly said he would fail her in his courses and stop her from graduating.

The university launched an investigation, and after reviewing the findings, ATBU’s Governing Council decided to sack Dr. Aliyu. According to the university’s newsletter, the lecturer was found guilty of having an improper relationship with a student, which goes against the school’s rules.

Dr. Aliyu has been asked to return all university property and hand in his staff ID immediately. Meanwhile, he has also filed a defamation lawsuit over the allegations.

This case has sparked discussions about student rights and the importance of safe learning environments in Nigerian universities.