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Management of the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State, has dismissed a lecturer from the Department of Geology, Omananyi Yunusa Adinoyi, over sexual harassment.
Adinoyi was alleged to have sexually assaulted a female student who took his course in his department. An investigation was carried out after the case was reported and the outcome of the investigation led to his dismissal.
His dismissal was approved during the University Council’s 131st meeting presided over by the Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. Abdullahi Bala.
The decision was reached after the investigative panel found Adinoyi guilty of inappropriate relationship with the female student.
A lecturer, who wants to remain anonymous, said the case has been on for about three months after a committee was raised to investigate the allegations.
According to him, there were discriminatory evidences against Adinoyi as the student involved provided audio recording of their conversation and the act.
It was however learnt that Adinoyi and the student have been dating for a while.
“It is not as if he forced her; it was a mutual affair, and we don’t know why the girl blew the lid.
“He was not dismissed because he slept with the girl; the University is angry that the act was committed inside his office because the evidence and tape did not show he forced her.
“It is also not clear that he has not been intimidating the girl since she is a student in his department. And there was no way he could have exonerated himself that he did not use his position to intimidate the student. All evidences were against him,” the source explained.
The VC said Adinoyi’s dismissal would serve as deterrent to others as “the university has taken further steps to ensure total elimination of sexual harassment in FUT, Minna community.”